I was wondering, is there anything rulewise that would hold you back from wielding two Shields at once?
The idea of fighting with two Shields is very cool to me.
The way I'd go about it is by having 1 level in dex-based fighter for the shield proficiency and then your other levels in Monk so you can kick as unarmed strikes (or shieldbash if your DM allows it), maybe you could take the shield mastery feat for some extra tricks as well!
Shield bash would be improvised weapon, so with the Brawler feat and Shield master feat you could get the most out of two shields... maybe in addition Two-weapon fighting and Dual wielder feat.
That would add up with a variant Human Fighter Level 6 with 3 feats
Depending on the DM, I'd ask him if I could flavor the 2nd shield to be just something I bash with. Giving me no mechanical benefit, but basically being a large bludgeoning weapon that does something like 1d6/1d8 bludgeoning + str mod.
For a shield based charater you don't want to go monk. For a start you wan't use wisdom to increase your AC and your kicks will do 1+strength modifier damage (which could be 0)
If you like the idea of being unarmored you could go barbarian and take the tavern brawler feat, that would allow your unarmed strikes to do 1d4+str damage (and str would be one of your 3 main stats). Barbarians can use a shield and use con for their AC so wielding a shield (or two) and no armor your AC would be 12+dex + con. You need a hand free to grapple so you would not be able to hold a second shield (unless you homebrewed it as something a bit like an open cage so when forced on top of an enemy prevented them from moving so you can grapple with it in your second hand)
If you want ot wear armor you could continue with something like fighter and again the tavern brawler could be a useful feat for you.
Depending on the DM, I'd ask him if I could flavor the 2nd shield to be just something I bash with. Giving me no mechanical benefit, but basically being a large bludgeoning weapon that does something like 1d6/1d8 bludgeoning + str mod.
Technically a shield would constitute an improvised weapon, so 1d4 bludgeoning and no proficiency bonus on the attack rolls.
If your DM allows home brew I published a couple feats you might like:
While you wouldn't get the AC effects, passive abilities should still be in effect. Missile Attraction would still draw the arrows to you, as long as you have the Arrow Catching Shield as your 'Main Shield', the protection should still work for a +4 against ranged weapons. +6 if you take War Wizard.
If you want to go with a Monk, you could ask your DM whether they'd allow you to add "shields" to your monk weapons, as long as you're not taking any AC/cover bonuses from them. Personally I'd leave it at 1d4 (as with improvised weapons), but as a monk weapon that damage would increase as you leveled up anyway. That's still a bit of a stretch rules-wise, because shields are specifically called out in certain Monk features, but effectively you'd just be "re-skinning" a different weapon and calling it a shield, so your DM might allow it the basis of "it's not actually a shield."
Ok I know what the rules say on this but I think if you are specializing in dual wielding shields then you would get some sort of bonus. Some thought would have to be put into it and play tested to make sure it doesn’t break the mechanics. If I’m in a sword and scorchers fight having a shield on each arm would be beneficial to protecting myself. I’d be focused on defense only so dealing damage would not be on my radar. I would want to draw enemies and their attacks to me so my party could do their work with less hassle. I’m thinking they get the increase to AC from the extra shield but all attacks they make are with disadvantage. A shove or push would be doable. Move an enemy where you want slow or stop their movement. You would lose traditional opportunity attacks. I’d say attacks to them are disadvantage too at higher level.
Ok I know what the rules say on this but I think if you are specializing in dual wielding shields then you would get some sort of bonus. Some thought would have to be put into it and play tested to make sure it doesn’t break the mechanics. If I’m in a sword and scorchers fight having a shield on each arm would be beneficial to protecting myself. I’d be focused on defense only so dealing damage would not be on my radar. I would want to draw enemies and their attacks to me so my party could do their work with less hassle. I’m thinking they get the increase to AC from the extra shield but all attacks they make are with disadvantage. A shove or push would be doable. Move an enemy where you want slow or stop their movement. You would lose traditional opportunity attacks. I’d say attacks to them are disadvantage too at higher level.
Disadvantage on attacks is roughly equivalent to a +4 or 5 to AC so your second shield is twice as effecitve as the first which doesn't make sense. A large shield (and for simplification D&D treats all shields the same) will cover what is needed to see, move and attack so you should get much bonus at all for covering an arm, if you also want to cover your head you are blind and to cover all your fet there should be a restriction on movement. In the history of warfare am am not aware of any soldiers going out equiped with two shields because it doesn't make sense, you wouldn't draw attacks intelligent enemies would attack those that are a threat not he moving pile of shields, beasts and similar would target what looks most tasty (ie soft) or what hurts them the most.
If you really want to not do anything but defend yourself be a tortle.
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I was wondering, is there anything rulewise that would hold you back from wielding two Shields at once?
The idea of fighting with two Shields is very cool to me.
The way I'd go about it is by having 1 level in dex-based fighter for the shield proficiency and then your other levels in Monk so you can kick as unarmed strikes (or shieldbash if your DM allows it), maybe you could take the shield mastery feat for some extra tricks as well!
What do you guys think? Is it possible?
While you CAN wield two shields the rule on shields is that you can only benefit from one so the second shield gives no mechanical benefit.
I would also point out that most monk features require you not to be wielding any shield
Alright, thank you!
Shield bash would be improvised weapon, so with the Brawler feat and Shield master feat you could get the most out of two shields... maybe in addition Two-weapon fighting and Dual wielder feat.
That would add up with a variant Human Fighter Level 6 with 3 feats
Depending on the DM, I'd ask him if I could flavor the 2nd shield to be just something I bash with. Giving me no mechanical benefit, but basically being a large bludgeoning weapon that does something like 1d6/1d8 bludgeoning + str mod.
For a shield based charater you don't want to go monk. For a start you wan't use wisdom to increase your AC and your kicks will do 1+strength modifier damage (which could be 0)
If you like the idea of being unarmored you could go barbarian and take the tavern brawler feat, that would allow your unarmed strikes to do 1d4+str damage (and str would be one of your 3 main stats). Barbarians can use a shield and use con for their AC so wielding a shield (or two) and no armor your AC would be 12+dex + con. You need a hand free to grapple so you would not be able to hold a second shield (unless you homebrewed it as something a bit like an open cage so when forced on top of an enemy prevented them from moving so you can grapple with it in your second hand)
If you want ot wear armor you could continue with something like fighter and again the tavern brawler could be a useful feat for you.
Technically you gain no benefit from wielding two shields.
Technically a shield would constitute an improvised weapon, so 1d4 bludgeoning and no proficiency bonus on the attack rolls.
If your DM allows home brew I published a
couplefeatsyou might like:[REDACTED]
https://www.dndbeyond.com/feats/215786-all-a-hero-needs
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
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While you wouldn't get the AC effects, passive abilities should still be in effect. Missile Attraction would still draw the arrows to you, as long as you have the Arrow Catching Shield as your 'Main Shield', the protection should still work for a +4 against ranged weapons. +6 if you take War Wizard.
If you want to go with a Monk, you could ask your DM whether they'd allow you to add "shields" to your monk weapons, as long as you're not taking any AC/cover bonuses from them. Personally I'd leave it at 1d4 (as with improvised weapons), but as a monk weapon that damage would increase as you leveled up anyway. That's still a bit of a stretch rules-wise, because shields are specifically called out in certain Monk features, but effectively you'd just be "re-skinning" a different weapon and calling it a shield, so your DM might allow it the basis of "it's not actually a shield."
Ok I know what the rules say on this but I think if you are specializing in dual wielding shields then you would get some sort of bonus. Some thought would have to be put into it and play tested to make sure it doesn’t break the mechanics. If I’m in a sword and scorchers fight having a shield on each arm would be beneficial to protecting myself. I’d be focused on defense only so dealing damage would not be on my radar. I would want to draw enemies and their attacks to me so my party could do their work with less hassle. I’m thinking they get the increase to AC from the extra shield but all attacks they make are with disadvantage. A shove or push would be doable. Move an enemy where you want slow or stop their movement. You would lose traditional opportunity attacks. I’d say attacks to them are disadvantage too at higher level.
Disadvantage on attacks is roughly equivalent to a +4 or 5 to AC so your second shield is twice as effecitve as the first which doesn't make sense. A large shield (and for simplification D&D treats all shields the same) will cover what is needed to see, move and attack so you should get much bonus at all for covering an arm, if you also want to cover your head you are blind and to cover all your fet there should be a restriction on movement. In the history of warfare am am not aware of any soldiers going out equiped with two shields because it doesn't make sense, you wouldn't draw attacks intelligent enemies would attack those that are a threat not he moving pile of shields, beasts and similar would target what looks most tasty (ie soft) or what hurts them the most.
If you really want to not do anything but defend yourself be a tortle.