I missed that the LIGHTLY Armored Feat gives you training with light armor and SHIELDS... but what sucks is if you are playing a Warlock and just want the shield proficiency, that you have to take a feat that is granting you something you already have from your class (light armor) just to get the shield proficiency.
As Ace stated above, Moderately Armor gives you medium armor but does not say you get shield proficiency.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Armor Training. You gain training with Light armor and Shields.
---
EDIT: I got ninja'd :D
hahaha thank you!
The above comments prompted me to look again. I am trying to read the new PHB cover to cover (since I never do that) before I start my next D&D game. But I get excited and jump around and try to create things while I am reading. So sometimes I miss things like the shield being in the Lightly Armored feat as I jump around.
Looking a bit further at classes with light armor, I see that Bards and Rogues get Light Armor and no Shield prof.
Druids get Light Armor + Shields prof.
I am a bit confused about how this was thought out.
Why grant shields when you get Light Armor training from a Feat and but when it comes to classes that can use Light Armor, only allow Druids shields...?
Looking a bit further at classes with light armor, I see that Bards and Rogues get Light Armor and no Shield prof.
Druids get Light Armor + Shields prof.
I am a bit confused about how this was thought out.
Why grant shields when you get Light Armor training from a Feat and but when it comes to classes that can use Light Armor, only allow Druids shields...?
Yeah. It's the same with the 2014 rules for Bards and Rogues too.
Presumably, the game designers felt the jump from no armor to only light armor was too small, the jump in AC from only light armor to (medium armor + shield) was too big, or both. If you're only getting light armor proficiency out of the deal, you might as well cast Mage Armor or pick a feat that gives you access to it instead.
If a Bard really wants to participate in melee combat, they're probably going to pick College of Valor and get armor training that way on top of other features that'll help them in combat. Likewise with Warlocks and the Hexblade.
2024 Druids still have the option of gaining medium armor as they did in 2014, it's just moved into a 1st level class feature that lets them forego that for an extra cantrip and better skill checks. They also got an improved Barkskin, which will also cover them during Wild Shape.
Rogues aren't meant to tank things head on.
On the other hand, the classes with the least amount of armor - Wizard and Sorcerer - can combine that shield with the new Blade Ward to stay alive in a pinch.
This just ****s a lot of characters, especially any warlock using the 2024 rules who wants to gish. They're already trained in light armor...but not shields. So they have to burn a feat only to get shield training but repeating light armor training?
This just ****s a lot of characters, especially any warlock using the 2024 rules who wants to gish.
Warlocks already have an entire subclass built for going gish and it gives them medium armor plus shield training, among other useful things like the Shield spell. Who else gets screwed that I didn't already cover in my previous post?
Anyone who comes to the game in the next 6-12 months and prefers (reasonably) to simply use the newest rules will find that warlocks essentially can't ever get shield training. Anyone already playing but who wishes to not mix rules sets will find that warlocks essentially can't ever get shield training.
Using the 2024 rules they should have access to Hexblade. The only reason a table would restrict older content at their table is "Oooh. New and shiny!"
And if that's your only problem... just dip Fighter 1. You get armor, shields, con saves, weapon masteries, fighting style, and second wind.
Using the 2024 rules they should have access to Hexblade. The only reason a table would restrict older content at their table is "Oooh. New and shiny!"
And if that's your only problem... just dip Fighter 1. You get armor, shields, con saves, weapon masteries, fighting style, and second wind.
Some people are just starting and will only have the 2024 PH. Some people want to just go with a core book to avoid bloat. Some people are playing the living campaign setting and are stuck with their rules. None of which matters as shield only being only on lightly armored feat is just dumb whether or not you can hexblade around it.
I think if anyone is actually burning a feat on Medium Armored or Heavy Armored and doesn't already have shield proficiency they should get it. Getting proficiency in a heavier grade of armor than your class allows is already pretty weak.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
The 2024 rules are deliberately backwards compatible. Half of the 2014 subclasses for wizard and cleric aren't in the new book, and the new Cleric class has a footnote explaining what to do if an older subclass also gives you Blessed Strikes. Hell, one of the Warlock subclasses in the 2024 PHB is from Xanathar's, and there's plenty of other Xanathar's content in the book. So what's the problem?
Some people are just starting and will only have the 2024 PH.
I'll point out again that half of the schools of magic and divine domains don't have subclasses in the new PHB. There's lots of things you can't do if that's your only book. 4 subclasses can't possibly cover everything.
Some people want to just go with a core book to avoid bloat.
If someone self-imposes limitations that make it harder to build the character they want, that's on them. If the DM isn't willing to help players build the characters they want, I question why they're even DMing.
This isn't about a limited amount of subclasses covering everything. This is about having only one feat that grants shield training - meaning it has to be taken even if you already have light armor training.
Easily and logically fixed by having all the armor feats grant training for that kind of armor and a shield.
Granting shield training only via one feat means that if any character without built-in shield training wants it and wants to be able to use a shield with medium armor can't do so until 8th level. Considering most campaigns fizzle out/end around 10th, this is exceedingly dumb and bad design.
Bards, rogues, and warlocks all come with light armor training....but if someone is using only the 2024 rules (which a lot of folks will be), then the only way they'll be able to get shield training is wasting their 4th level feat on the lightly armored feat, despite they're already being trained in light armor.
I find the attitude of "Well, if they don't want to own more books, then they deserve to have this arbitrary limitation placed on them!" an odd flex, especially since the development team said all throughout the UA testing phase (and even prior) that providing MORE choices for characters was a driving force.
Alternatively, they're soft locking shields to classes that get them via class/subclass features. Light armor and a shield is maybe slightly better than Mage Armor, so the incentive there is fairly small to invest a feat for it rather than a 1st level slot. And classes like Bard, Rogue, and Warlock are disincentivized to take the feat for only partial returns.
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Still working my way through the 2024 PHB, so not sure if there is a rule for this...
My goal is to somehow (by the rules and avoiding multi-classing) allow a Warlock to use a shield with proficiency.
I didn't see any Feats that would allow this. Aside a house rule, is there any option I am missing?
(EDIT: Answer - The Lightly Armored General Feat allows you training with shields)
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
Does Medium Armor Proficiency no longer grant shield proficiency?
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Medium armor proficiency never innately granted it, and the feat that gives Medium armor training in 24 doesn't give shield training.
I found the answer. But I don't like it.
I missed that the LIGHTLY Armored Feat gives you training with light armor and SHIELDS... but what sucks is if you are playing a Warlock and just want the shield proficiency, that you have to take a feat that is granting you something you already have from your class (light armor) just to get the shield proficiency.
As Ace stated above, Moderately Armor gives you medium armor but does not say you get shield proficiency.
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
This one?
---
Lightly Armored
General Feat (Prerequisite: Level 4+)
You gain the following benefits.
Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Armor Training. You gain training with Light armor and Shields.
---
EDIT: I got ninja'd :D
hahaha thank you!
The above comments prompted me to look again. I am trying to read the new PHB cover to cover (since I never do that) before I start my next D&D game. But I get excited and jump around and try to create things while I am reading. So sometimes I miss things like the shield being in the Lightly Armored feat as I jump around.
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
Looking a bit further at classes with light armor, I see that Bards and Rogues get Light Armor and no Shield prof.
Druids get Light Armor + Shields prof.
I am a bit confused about how this was thought out.
Why grant shields when you get Light Armor training from a Feat and but when it comes to classes that can use Light Armor, only allow Druids shields...?
"What you saw belongs to you. A story doesn't live until it is imagined in someone's mind."
― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
Yeah. It's the same with the 2014 rules for Bards and Rogues too.
Presumably, the game designers felt the jump from no armor to only light armor was too small, the jump in AC from only light armor to (medium armor + shield) was too big, or both. If you're only getting light armor proficiency out of the deal, you might as well cast Mage Armor or pick a feat that gives you access to it instead.
If a Bard really wants to participate in melee combat, they're probably going to pick College of Valor and get armor training that way on top of other features that'll help them in combat. Likewise with Warlocks and the Hexblade.
2024 Druids still have the option of gaining medium armor as they did in 2014, it's just moved into a 1st level class feature that lets them forego that for an extra cantrip and better skill checks. They also got an improved Barkskin, which will also cover them during Wild Shape.
Rogues aren't meant to tank things head on.
On the other hand, the classes with the least amount of armor - Wizard and Sorcerer - can combine that shield with the new Blade Ward to stay alive in a pinch.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
This just ****s a lot of characters, especially any warlock using the 2024 rules who wants to gish. They're already trained in light armor...but not shields. So they have to burn a feat only to get shield training but repeating light armor training?
This is bad and dumb.
Each tier of armor proficiency training should grant shield proficiency so no matter what you are upgrading to you get shield as well.
Warlocks already have an entire subclass built for going gish and it gives them medium armor plus shield training, among other useful things like the Shield spell. Who else gets screwed that I didn't already cover in my previous post?
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Not using the 2024 rules, they don't.
Anyone who comes to the game in the next 6-12 months and prefers (reasonably) to simply use the newest rules will find that warlocks essentially can't ever get shield training. Anyone already playing but who wishes to not mix rules sets will find that warlocks essentially can't ever get shield training.
This is bad and dumb.
Using the 2024 rules they should have access to Hexblade. The only reason a table would restrict older content at their table is "Oooh. New and shiny!"
And if that's your only problem... just dip Fighter 1. You get armor, shields, con saves, weapon masteries, fighting style, and second wind.
Strictly speaking, XGTE isn't 2024 rules.
And I really hate the practice of dipping classes like that.
Some people are just starting and will only have the 2024 PH. Some people want to just go with a core book to avoid bloat. Some people are playing the living campaign setting and are stuck with their rules. None of which matters as shield only being only on lightly armored feat is just dumb whether or not you can hexblade around it.
I think if anyone is actually burning a feat on Medium Armored or Heavy Armored and doesn't already have shield proficiency they should get it. Getting proficiency in a heavier grade of armor than your class allows is already pretty weak.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
The 2024 rules are deliberately backwards compatible. Half of the 2014 subclasses for wizard and cleric aren't in the new book, and the new Cleric class has a footnote explaining what to do if an older subclass also gives you Blessed Strikes. Hell, one of the Warlock subclasses in the 2024 PHB is from Xanathar's, and there's plenty of other Xanathar's content in the book. So what's the problem?
I'll point out again that half of the schools of magic and divine domains don't have subclasses in the new PHB. There's lots of things you can't do if that's your only book. 4 subclasses can't possibly cover everything.
If someone self-imposes limitations that make it harder to build the character they want, that's on them. If the DM isn't willing to help players build the characters they want, I question why they're even DMing.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
This isn't about a limited amount of subclasses covering everything. This is about having only one feat that grants shield training - meaning it has to be taken even if you already have light armor training.
Easily and logically fixed by having all the armor feats grant training for that kind of armor and a shield.
Granting shield training only via one feat means that if any character without built-in shield training wants it and wants to be able to use a shield with medium armor can't do so until 8th level. Considering most campaigns fizzle out/end around 10th, this is exceedingly dumb and bad design.
Bards, rogues, and warlocks all come with light armor training....but if someone is using only the 2024 rules (which a lot of folks will be), then the only way they'll be able to get shield training is wasting their 4th level feat on the lightly armored feat, despite they're already being trained in light armor.
I find the attitude of "Well, if they don't want to own more books, then they deserve to have this arbitrary limitation placed on them!" an odd flex, especially since the development team said all throughout the UA testing phase (and even prior) that providing MORE choices for characters was a driving force.
Alternatively, they're soft locking shields to classes that get them via class/subclass features. Light armor and a shield is maybe slightly better than Mage Armor, so the incentive there is fairly small to invest a feat for it rather than a 1st level slot. And classes like Bard, Rogue, and Warlock are disincentivized to take the feat for only partial returns.