question about sheilds

[ominak]

are sheild considered light? or lighter that light? i mean i know they are 6 lbs, but the term light is relitive. there is a ranged wepon that is 1/4lbs and is not "light" (dart) but there is a 3lb wepon that is. (hand crosbows) Also, you can weild a 4lb morningstar with your 6lb sheild? what do you think?

[JackPhoenix]

Light is a weapon property (and it, like Heavy, has nothing to do with weight. It also only matters for two weapon fighting, which can only be done with melee weapons, so it's utterly pointless on hand crossbows and probably a leftover from a playtest version of the rules). Shields are not considered weapons, so Light property isn't relevant to them.

[Snails]

JackPhoenix's answer is, of course, correct. Technically speaking, shield is neither Light nor Heavy nor in between, because those are weapon properties and shields are not used as weapons, by default.

Light property is actually only relevant to Two Weapon Fighting and avoiding possible penalties for that style, and has nothing to physical weight. Thus there is nothing special about Mace + Shield fighting, since it is not TWF.

Now where this might sneak in is through the Improvised Weapon rules, if the DM rules "this chair leg is just like a Club which is Light" or "this blacksmith's hammer is just like a Light Hammer which is Light". I do not see a shield has getting leeway here.

But since you brought this up, the idea of a subclass or Feat for fighting with two Shields brings a smile to my face...

[JLandan]

JackPhoenix's answer is, of course, correct. Technically speaking, shield is neither Light nor Heavy nor in between, because those are weapon properties and shields are not used as weapons, by default.

Light property is actually only relevant to Two Weapon Fighting and avoiding possible penalties for that style, and has nothing to physical weight. Thus there is nothing special about Mace + Shield fighting, since it is not TWF.

Now where this might sneak in is through the Improvised Weapon rules, if the DM rules "this chair leg is just like a Club which is Light" or "this blacksmith's hammer is just like a Light Hammer which is Light". I do not see a shield has getting leeway here.

But since you brought this up, the idea of a subclass or Feat for fighting with two Shields brings a smile to my face...

A shield could be used as an improvised weapon (1d4) with no properties. The Scofflaw subclass of Fighter from the Humblewood setting grants proficiency with improvised weapons and gives them the finesse property. So, the shield could be used with Dexterity and is subject to Sneak Attack, but still not two-weapon usable.

With the Shield Master feat, you get a bonus action shove attack with the shield. So, with that subclass and feat, you could make an attack with the shield as an improvised weapon and then make a shove attack with the same, or another, shield as a bonus action. I would think still only +2 to AC though.

As close as I can figure to two-weapon shield fighting.

[Dualight]

A shield could be used as an improvised weapon (1d4) with no properties. The Scofflaw subclass of Fighter from the Humblewood setting grants proficiency with improvised weapons and gives them the finesse property. So, the shield could be used with Dexterity and is subject to Sneak Attack, but still not two-weapon usable.

With the Shield Master feat, you get a bonus action shove attack with the shield. So, with that subclass and feat, you could make an attack with the shield as an improvised weapon and then make a shove attack with the same, or another, shield as a bonus action. I would think still only +2 to AC though.

As close as I can figure to two-weapon shield fighting.

Or, without homebrew(but still assuming the DM lets you use your shields as improvised weapons): The feats Tavern Brawler and Dual Wielder (both PHB). Tavern Brawler grants (among other things) proficiency with improvised weapons, and Dual Wielder allows two-weapon fighting with non-light one-handed weapons. (technically Tavern Brawler is superfluous, as proficiency is not required even for two-weapon fighting, but non-proficient attacks are highly inaccurate).

[animewatcha]

If you include upcoming weapon masteries and shield with improvised weaponry via shield bash, the latest playtest weapon masteries of Sap (Prereq: No weapon mastery), Slow (Prereq: None) that can be used.