Shield Size Vs. # of Opponents

[Kayolan]

Anyone here use the rule for shields regarding the number of opponents it can be used against?

According to the rules, small shields can only be used against one opponent, medium against two, and large against three.

I've used this rule in a btb game I ran not too long ago and it worked out pretty well, but there very few players in the game. For a larger group , such as the Rappan Athuk game I'm running (9 players), I've jettisoned that rule, it seems to make the melee action faster.

[Treebore]

Yeah, I don't enforce it. Not worth the mental energy to keep track of it.

[Kayolan]

double post

[Kayolan]

Yeah, I don't enforce it. Not worth the mental energy to keep track of it.

I haven't seen anyone enforce it in any of the C&C games I've played in. I'm thinking it's not a popular rule.

[alcyone]

Like the -4 AC after a charge, or the monk not getting an action after a deflect arrows, it's something the player has to self-police or it's extra work for the CK.

[Go0gleplex]

I ignore it for normal fight conditions. A skilled user will be capable of using the shield against opponents in front of them readily enough. Flank and Back attacks already reduce the benefit by giving the attackers in those arcs bonuses. If one wanted to be OCD about it, just up the bonus by one if the person is using a shield. Other situational conditions pretty much do the same thing.

Otherwise...at Tree said. Not worth the mental energy to worry about and it really does not detract from play.

[Omote]

I use the rule as written.

~⊙

[Lord Dynel]

I use the rule as written.

~⊙

As do I.

[Greyblade]

Personally, for charge, in my house rules it's +2 to attack AND damage versus -4 to AC, I like how rounded it sounds

[jdizzy001]

I tried to use it RAW but forgot to enforce it. I don't worry about it anymore. Much like the feat "Dodge" in 3E, it was too easy to over-look. There are too many other things to track in an RPG to have to worry about which guys are being deflected by a shield and which are not. If you can use it RAW and remember to enforce it, more power to you.

[Jyrdan Fairblade]

I have not used it, figuring it would be just one more thing to keep track of. Maybe if a shield still gave +11 to AC I would...

[Captain_K]

The rule is easy enough.. make the player let me know which attacker he wants his AC to be best against.. its up to him to remember the +1... Now the +1, lt's talk about that... a shield will stop all sorts of blows vs the same dude without the shield.... how is it only +1??? OK, that said.. I think the size of the shield and those it affects really only matters if the shield is magical like a +4 small shield is a big deal in protection vs the Large +4 shield. Now the difference is worth tracking in some way and again I would place the burden on the player.. the key here is how do you run combat normally.. each attempt to hit, do you as "what's your AC???

I think logically working the shield AC into you combat discussions would be the best was to do this...