Quote:
Originally Posted by Shostak
Not to be a party-pooper, but anyone with a spike shield can already attack with it for 1d-2 damage. That's less than a ST 11 character using this talent would do with an unspiked small shield. If you instead let the spike shield do an additional +1 damage to your suggested ST-based damage, you'll have a large shield in the hands of anyone ST 11+ doing as much damage as a two-handed spear, which seems wrong.
|
I didn't use the barehands damage for the spike shield for two reasons. The spike, while placed to be used for a shield rush would likely not be as useful for a shield bash, hitting your opponent with the edge of the shield. Perhaps I should instead have said that the spike shield could be used two ways, striking with the face of the shield for the spike to bite or with the edge of the shield for impact damage, using the barehands damage +1 for that only. It seems that maneuvering the spike to bite in that way could be awkward. Makes the character designate how he is striking, but it could be workable.
As far as the damage at ST 11, a spear, weighing 6 lbs, used two handed does 1d6+1. Using my rules for this talent, a small shield at 10 lbs or a spike shield at 12 pounds would strike for 1d6-2 with a 1 point bonus for 1d6-1. A large shield, at 20 lbs, would get 1d6-2 with a 2 point bonus for 1d6. Plus the spear used can keep his distance and get an extra die of damage in a charge. I mention the weights of the various shields because their impacts, with the weight of a trained fighter behind them are likely to be significant. But YMMV.
For what it is worth, I omitted the tower shield from this as it seems too heavy and too bulky to be wielded easily this way. In the hands of Conan or a giant perhaps.