(Admin Note: Tomorrow I'll follow up on yesterday's post.)
GURPS has a lot of optional detail. One detail that's not especially optional is shields vs. bucklers. But for my own games, I don't split Shield into Shield (Shield) and Shield (Buckler). I find that too fiddly and nitpicky.
Instead, here is how I split it up for my DF game. Some of this is the actual RAW (rules as written) but some of it is a bit of a simplification.
Shield - a shield has straps, and is used by strapping it to the arm.
Ready Time - A shield takes 1 second to ready per (base, non-magically modified) DB.
Dropping the shield - Dropping a shield takes 1 second per (base) DB of the shield. This can be done with one arm, because I'm generous. In the meantime you get the DB but cannot Block as it is no longer ready. If you change your mind you can use one Ready action to get it fully back into action.
Critical Failures - On a critically failed Block, the shield becomes Unready. It cannot be used to Block, but the DB still applies normally. It can be re-readied in one second with a Ready action.
Buckler - a shield is held by a handle.
Ready Time - A buckler takes 1 second to ready, regardless of size.
Dropping A Buckler - Dropping a buckler is a free action.
Critical Failures - On a critically failed Block, a buckler is dropped. It is on the ground, and takes the normal amount of time to re-ready like any other weapon on the ground. Optionally, roll to see if it is face up or face down. Face down bucklers can be readied in 1 second with Quick Ready, or 2 seconds with a normal Ready. Face up bucklers take 3 seconds to ready, including 1 second to flip it over.
How does this work in play? - Very well. I don't, by the way, use the face up/face down rules. But otherwise, it's as written here. It works very well, and it's very fast. All you need is one skill (Shield, no specialties) and to know what the shield is and how it is held. Done and done. People choose shields, generally, because the extra time to get one ready is generally out of combat. But bucklers are faster in return for a risk of dropping it.
That all sounds entirely reasonable, and I can definitely see adopting it. Shield specialization is one of those areas that tends to be forgotten about in many games, i'm sure.
ReplyDeleteWhat's your take on a shield that has been "hacked to bits" - reduced to 0 HP or less and failed a HT check? Does that impact the time to unready/drop it?
Honestly, we haven't tracked shield damage in 4e. Shields are way, way too durable to make it worth bothering most of the time. I tried a few alternatives but the guys with tiny magical shields (IOW, Dryst) complain that makes their shields too fragile, and the baseline rules make them so tough it's just something I skip unless there is some massive attack. Then I just make it make a HT roll to see if it breaks or not. Rarely happens.
DeleteMan, I've had shields get beat to bits in the course of a couple of battles. Not often, but it has happened. I wouldn't bother to track in DF, but in my non-DF fantasy, I usually do. Against an opponent with a good block (from a non-amazing but strong character), beating the shield apart can actually work well. (Of course, hooking it and wrenching it to make it unready works, too, but is tougher.)
DeleteThat kind of thing happened a lot in my older game, but we held over the 3e rules during that one (since 4e came out during the campaign). In this one, no one has even bothered. Bad guys can't accomplish much wearing people's shields down, and the PCs don't bother - a shield is loot, and often takes more killing than the person bearing it.
DeleteInteresting, probably streamlines things nicely indeed.
ReplyDeleteHow about other types of shields such as the Scutum, Pavise, etc? Ever come into play? I mention it because a character concept I love is a crossbowman with a medium sized pavise (which can be either used on back, hand held, or planted for cover).
Also, since Shields are strapped on the arm, does that mean that the shield hand is potentially free to hold something (torch, another weapon, etc)?
No one uses any shield types not found in Basic Set, so it's a non-issue in my game.
DeleteThe hand is free, sort of - I've ruled you can hold something but you are penalized for use - a -2 at least, more if it's something bigger. Critical Failure on either is treated as one on both (oops, dropped the torch and the shield is unready) and you can't re-ready the shield while the hand is occupied.
I like Bruno's house rule, where bucklers get a +1 to Block but reduced bash/slam damage, and feints with an arm shield are penalized slightly. It gives the weapons slightly different fighting styles.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, swashbucklers and other people who often use two weapons will pack a small buckler. They can dual-ready a buckler and blade if there are enemy archers, and then quickly shift to their dual weapon style if there aren't any foes with ranged weapons. Knights and other heavy weapon users do prefer arm shields.
That's not a bad rule, but mine is a bit simpler so I prefer that approach. It's a linear tradeoff - faster to ready but easier to lose vs. slower but harder.
DeleteDoes that mean that Thieves in your Felltower campaign, who would typically only get Shields (Buckler) could use any kind of shield?
ReplyDeleteYes, but remember Buckler is a way of holding the shield, not a size - they could use any size shield anyway. It's just less common to have big bucklers, that's all.
DeleteAh, I see. Forgive my ignorance then. Will have to look in to a shield then and dodge all the things.
Delete'Dropping A Buckler - Dropping a buckler is a free action.'
ReplyDeleteTHIS
On your turn or @ any time.
On your turn, which is the basic assumption in the term (per Free Actions, p. B363).
DeleteOne thing I wasnt sure of is that you let Vryce let go of what he was carrying in one hand to parry (catch) a flask thrown at him. I wasnt sure that was permisable RAW.
DeleteI've always wondered about the reason for the shield skill specialization rules. Maybe I'm just not well enough versed in martial arts, but it doesn't seem like the basics of using a hand-held shield are really any different from one w/ arm straps. I do however like the idea of different game mechanical pros and cons to using various the various types; ties equipment choices more closely to fighting styles, etc. Anyhow, what was the reasoning for requiring shield specialization in 4th ed. RAW? I don't remember it from 1st/2nd ed.
DeleteI couldn't tell you why it was done, but it originated in 4e. I'm generally for merging skills, not breaking them out into finer and finer distinctions. I've merged a number of skills in my games, and I think it wasn't a great idea to break up Shield that way.
DeleteBreaking up the utility of the weapons themselves, though - yeah, I like having a tradeoff!