Shield Rules — Detailed

Shields provide both passive AC bonuses and active damage mitigation through Shield Block.

Raise a Shield (1 action):

• Gain the shield's circumstance bonus to AC until the start of your next turn
• Steel Shield: +2, Tower Shield: +2 (or +4 with Take Cover), Buckler: +1
• This bonus stacks with nothing else that provides a circumstance bonus to AC (only highest applies)
• You must be wielding the shield (one hand occupied)

Shield Block (reaction):

• When you take damage while you have your shield raised, you can use Shield Block to reduce damage
• Reduce damage by the shield's Hardness (typically 5 for steel shield)
• The remaining damage after Hardness is split: you take the reduced amount AND the shield takes the same amount
• Example: 20 damage blocked with a steel shield (Hardness 5) → 15 damage to you, 15 damage to shield

Shield HP and Broken Threshold:

• BT (Broken Threshold): When shield HP drops to or below BT, the shield gains the broken condition and can't be used for Shield Block or AC bonus until repaired
• Destroyed: At 0 HP, the shield is destroyed

Reinforcing Shields:

• Shields can be reinforced with shield runes to increase Hardness and HP
• Sturdy shields are magical shields with much higher Hardness/HP (Sturdy Shield at item level 4 has Hardness 6, HP 24)

Shield Boss and Shield Spikes:

• Shield Boss: Turns the shield into a martial weapon (d6 bludgeoning). You can Strike with the shield while it's raised.
• Shield Spikes: Turns the shield into a martial weapon (d6 piercing). Similar to boss but piercing damage.
• Both let you attack and block with the same equipment.

Tower Shield:

• +2 AC when Raised (+4 if you Take Cover behind it)
• -5 foot Speed penalty while wielding
• Provides standard cover to other creatures behind you when you Take Cover
• The best defensive shield but with a speed trade-off