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Shyftir
2006-08-21, 12:43 AM
House rule: Back Shield
A character may choose to wear a shield on his back to free up both hands for combat use. (TWF, polearmist, archer, two-handed weapon, double weapon)
This shield must be a heavy shield with all the ordinary stats and profeicencies(sp). The result is +1 AC, and -2 on attack rolls. This represents the less effective defense of a shield behind you and the hindrance to your arms. A character wearing a back shield while using another shield, loses 10ft of movement speed, and instead takes -6 on attack rolls.

Feat: Back Shield Fighting
You are particularly skilled at fighting while wearing a back shield.
Special: A character with this feat takes reduced penalties when using a back shield. (Removes -2 on attack roles.)
Normal: A back shield user takes -2 on attack rolls.

BelkarsDagger
2006-08-21, 12:45 AM
This reminds me of Kore from Goblins.

Shyftir
2006-08-21, 12:50 AM
It was inspired by the common use of this idea in my foam fighting society.

Do I need to make the penalties for trying to use this with another shield higher? Because I'd like to make that idea as ridiculous as it ought to be.

Fizban
2006-08-21, 01:08 AM
I shall suggest:
A player may strap a heavy or kite/extreme (shields in other books, give a +3) shield to their back, gaining a +2 shield bonus to AC (+3 for kite/extreme) against flanking enemies and when struck from behind. (shield bonuses don't stack).
Feat: Shield on your Back (aka: Turtle Man):
Prereq: shield proficiency, BAB +3
Benefit: when fighting defensivly or taking the full defense action, you may double the bonus from wearing a shield on your back, and you are not considered flanked.

Shyftir
2006-08-21, 01:13 AM
The only thing about your (Much better) version is that it doesn't represent the slight loss of mobility wearing a shield on your back does result in.

Otherwise I totally bow to your much more experienced homebrewing skills.

So here is a combination of the ideas:

A character may strap a heavy or kite/extreme shield to their back, gaining a +1 shield bonus to AC (+2 for kite/extreme) against flanking enemies and when struck from behind. (shield bonuses don't stack). When doing so a character takes a negative to attack rolls equal to this benefit to AC.
So heavy shield = +1 AC and -1 to attack rolls; kite/extreme = +2 AC and -2 attack rolls
Feat: Shield on your Back (aka: Turtle Man):
Prereq: shield proficiency, BAB +3
Benefit: No negative to attack roles for wearing a back shield. You are not counted as flanked when fighting defensively or taking the full defense action.
A fighter may take this feat as one of his bonus feats.

I will now create a character using this build to further illustrate the idea.

IonizedChicken
2006-08-21, 06:07 AM
I'd say a shield worn like that doesn't count as a shield, but as armor. Light armor to be sure, but still armor. You deflect blows with a shield -- wearing it on your back kind'a makes deflecting blows impossible.

Fizban
2006-08-21, 07:03 AM
^^ That's actually much better, as it applies a penalty. My homebrewing skills arent really all that great, mostly I contemplate random minor sorcerer boosts, and how I can modify PrC's so they aren't as narrow. I just thought: "Well, you can't use it if it's on your back, but it still blocks things. More like armor, but it's separate and I want it to stack so it stays shield, and that way it doesnt work with another shield cause they won't stack. Guarding your back would reduce/ flanking bonuses, so I'll add AC against flanking enemies, the feat can allow you to fully eliminate the flanking, probly through rapid movement and pre-uncanny dodge like senses." I have no idea if it's balanced, so you might want to wait until someone else approves it. The shield bonus should probly be lower, so I'm changing my vote a bit:
You gain a bonus to AC against flanking enemies equal to the shields bonus -1, and take the same penalty on attacks. This does not include enhancement bonuses.
Turtle man can stay the same. I think that should balance it out.

Matthew
2006-08-21, 03:07 PM
Sounds a lot like the rule for wearing a shield on one's back in 2.x (Gain Shield Bonus versus Rear attacks, but suffer -2 Attack Bonus)

Shyftir
2006-08-21, 04:13 PM
I think thats a good idea with lowering the AC. Makes it more realistic.

Oh and for not being able to deflect blows with a back shield, you should see some of my foam fighting buddies. They use that back shield to great effect.

So I'm integrating the lower AC with my last post and soon posting to a character using this feat. (not being played currently but for the purpose of illustration.

http://www.sylnae.net/3eprofiler/view.php?id=33380

The funny thing is, now he is harder to hit from the rear than from the front.