Using a shield [feats, 3.5, PEACH]

[dspeyer]

I was thinking about how people fight with shields, both in real life and in fantasy literature, and about how much less useful shields are in D&D. And I started homebrewing...


Improved Shield Bash
You know how to hit people with a shield effectively.
Prerequisites: proficiency with shields as weapons
Benefit:When you attack with a shield, you retain its defensive benefits. Also, you gain +1 to damage rolls.
Normal: Without this feat, a shield bash negates the AC bonus from a shield for the round
Special: You may take this as a fighter bonus feat

Active Shield [tactical]
You have integrated the active use of a shield into your fighting style
Prerequisites: proficiency with shields as weapons, Improved Shield Bash, Two Weapon Fighting
Benefit: You may use these three tactical maneuvers:
Shield Push: After you succeed on a shield bash, you may attempt to push your enemy backward in addition to dealing damage normally. Resolve the attempt like a bull rush attempt, but you can only push your enemy 5 ft and you do not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Shield Spin: After you succeed on a shield bash, you may attempt to rotate your enemy backward so that he does not face you effectively in addition to dealing damage normally. Resolve the attempt like a bull rush attempt (no attack of opportunity). If you succeed, you flank your enemy for the remainder of your turn.
Shield Bind: In the place of a normal shield bash, you may use your shield to engage the enemy's shield, weapon or other held item. Select one of your enemy's hands. Make an attack roll with your shield opposed by your enemy's attack roll with that hand or whatever is in it. If yours is higher, your enemy cannot use that hand or anything in it until the beginning of your next turn or until you choose to release it (whichever comes first). You also cannot use the shield (offensively or defensively) until then. You may choose to release the bind at any time as a free action. You cannot bind a two-handed item.
Special: You may take this as a fighter bonus feat

Greater Shield Wallop
You have learned to hit especially hard with your shield
Prerequisites: proficiency with shields as weapons, Improved Shield Bash
Benefit: Your shield bashes deal damage as if one size category larger
Special: You may take this as a fighter bonus feat
Special: You may take this feat up to 3 times. Its effects stack

Magic Shield Versatility
You can tweak the magic in your shield to serve you better
Prerequisites: proficiency with shields as weapons, Improved Shield Bash, 4 ranks in Spellcraft, Ability to Cast Spells
Benefit: When carrying a shield with an enhancement bonus, you can cause that bonus to apply as a weapon as well. Making this change requires a standard action and the sacrifice of a spell slot or prepared spell. The weapon enhancement bonus lasts for one minute. The bonus is equal to the lesser of the shield's original bonus and the level of the spell sacrificed.

[Vadskye]

Be careful of anything that makes hitting with a shield better than hitting with a weapon. When I look at these, my first thought is "Why wouldn't I just dual-wield spiked shields?"

[drew2u]

How about a feat that allows the [proficient] use of a shield as a sled down steep terrain - faster movement, lesser terrain penalties/balance-checks?

[AeonsShadow]

There is actual a class on the D&D Wiki, called THE SHIELD FIGHTER that incorporates most of this into it already. Here is a Link to it: Shield Fighter

Upsides

It takes on paths, allowing you to either attack from afar, boost damage, or maximize defense. These paths are, respectively, the Shield sling path, the Great bash path, and the Multishield path.

Each path has it's own strengths and weaknesses, but be warned that you should not allow certain skills in order to keep them from going munchkin with it. Specifically;

A)For the great bash path they should not be allowed powerful build, or they could hit for d12 by level 3. even MORE soon after.

B) Do not let MULTISHIELD path get any AC adding feats, or let them use the following feats from the homebrew on D&D wiki: Shield Edge Deflection, Shield Cover, Energy Deflection, Shield Focus, or Shield Harmony. They are already bad enough as is with AC from both shields.

C) Honestly , this one you'll have to figure, out, as I have never made one or seen any other person use this beside Captain America himself.

As for anything else, I would say this class is GREAT in PHYSICAL DEFENSE, but has little to nothing against magic of any kind and is weak against touch attacks specifically. So id you have one in your group, plan ahead for the LIVING TANK.