Only a Player and currently between parties so can't ask "my own DM" about this. I have a character that is something like a cross between Errol Flynn, Madmartigan, the Sean Connery character from Highlander, etc, a multi-classed Rogue (Swashbuckler) & Fighter (Battle Master) to create a BladeMaster. Just a melee fighter completely fine with a blade in their hand, any blade, all blades. He is "MOSTLY" an honorable fighter, but looking at ways to kind of expand the sneak attack feature like something like as he gets older he just wants to finish fights faster (ie, Indiana Jones shooting the guy with the the giant sword, because he was tired and in a hurry) because sneak attack damage can get quiet large as they level up. I had thought about well, WHAT IF "character were to acquire an Animated Shield at some point, which hovers out in front of player, Could they use the shield to somewhat obscure opponents line of sight from weapon hand and do something like a strike around the shield to get the Sneak Attacks?"
I recognize there is a lot going on with an attack like this (idk, would acrobatics/performance skills come into play in order to make attack?) and I'm asking with under the rules and game/fight mechanics, COULD this work? There is obvious hurdles, like to acquire a VERY RARE shield, but I was playing around with one of those custom miniature creators and misaligned a shield and it attached to base (somewhat floating out in front of the arm) instead of miniature's arm and it made me to start thinking about would this be a possible combat technique. Something like "hidden just out of sight, SURPRISE, aakkk, mass damage, you're dead!"
An Animated Shield does not grant you Advantage on your attacks. Nor does it count as a creature while animated. The only advantage to having one instead of a regular shield, is that it leaves your hands free while still gaining the benefit of the AC boost. There is nothing about this item that would let you get your Sneak Attack more easily. You could just as easily use a regular shield to hide your attacks, especially if you described it as a tower shield or something similar, but that does not grant you any benefit besides fun storytelling.
Tangent Fact: The Indiana Jones scene where he shoots the guy with the big sword in Raiders of the Lost Ark was actually improv by Harrison Ford. It was supposed to be a big fight scene, but Ford was sick that day, and after a long day of filming, he impov'd shooting the guy. Spielberg liked it so much that he kept it in the final edit.
Flavor is free. You can say that it's part of how your character normally sneak attacks but mechanically it's just as Sequilonis said. I would also add that as a swashbuckler rogue you would almost have to intentionally ignore how to trigger sneak attack to not qualify. The 3rd level ability rakish audacity means that, with good positioning, disadvantage is basically the only way to not gain sneak attack. It's so easy to get advantage, attack something that's within 5 ft of an ally, or , as a swashbuckler, only have that one creature within 5 ft of you especially when you factor in steady aim for range or melee and cunning action dash for melee positioning.
That's we why ask questions, to LEARN and not reinvent combat. There are so many BattleMaster tactics that use the superiority dice that add to combat I was just trying to see what would work and mixing those with the inherent abilities of the Swashbuckler you have a lot to choose from. I love that an Animated Shield would leave both hands for duel wielding two combat weapons, i had just thought about well WHAT IF... Again, thank you for the knowledge from those more experienced than I. Maybe I was thinking about it too cinamatically and over complicating the action(s).
*And well aware of the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark being improv'd, but it also works narratively that he just didn't want to deal with it/him as his mind was on saving the girl that was just kidnapped. It was the last scene they were able to film for close to a week (if i remember right) to give Ford time to recover.
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Only a Player and currently between parties so can't ask "my own DM" about this. I have a character that is something like a cross between Errol Flynn, Madmartigan, the Sean Connery character from Highlander, etc, a multi-classed Rogue (Swashbuckler) & Fighter (Battle Master) to create a BladeMaster. Just a melee fighter completely fine with a blade in their hand, any blade, all blades. He is "MOSTLY" an honorable fighter, but looking at ways to kind of expand the sneak attack feature like something like as he gets older he just wants to finish fights faster (ie, Indiana Jones shooting the guy with the the giant sword, because he was tired and in a hurry) because sneak attack damage can get quiet large as they level up. I had thought about well, WHAT IF "character were to acquire an Animated Shield at some point, which hovers out in front of player, Could they use the shield to somewhat obscure opponents line of sight from weapon hand and do something like a strike around the shield to get the Sneak Attacks?"
I recognize there is a lot going on with an attack like this (idk, would acrobatics/performance skills come into play in order to make attack?) and I'm asking with under the rules and game/fight mechanics, COULD this work? There is obvious hurdles, like to acquire a VERY RARE shield, but I was playing around with one of those custom miniature creators and misaligned a shield and it attached to base (somewhat floating out in front of the arm) instead of miniature's arm and it made me to start thinking about would this be a possible combat technique. Something like "hidden just out of sight, SURPRISE, aakkk, mass damage, you're dead!"
Thanks,
Curious Rogue/Fighter.
An Animated Shield does not grant you Advantage on your attacks. Nor does it count as a creature while animated. The only advantage to having one instead of a regular shield, is that it leaves your hands free while still gaining the benefit of the AC boost. There is nothing about this item that would let you get your Sneak Attack more easily. You could just as easily use a regular shield to hide your attacks, especially if you described it as a tower shield or something similar, but that does not grant you any benefit besides fun storytelling.
Tangent Fact: The Indiana Jones scene where he shoots the guy with the big sword in Raiders of the Lost Ark was actually improv by Harrison Ford. It was supposed to be a big fight scene, but Ford was sick that day, and after a long day of filming, he impov'd shooting the guy. Spielberg liked it so much that he kept it in the final edit.
Flavor is free. You can say that it's part of how your character normally sneak attacks but mechanically it's just as Sequilonis said. I would also add that as a swashbuckler rogue you would almost have to intentionally ignore how to trigger sneak attack to not qualify. The 3rd level ability rakish audacity means that, with good positioning, disadvantage is basically the only way to not gain sneak attack. It's so easy to get advantage, attack something that's within 5 ft of an ally, or , as a swashbuckler, only have that one creature within 5 ft of you especially when you factor in steady aim for range or melee and cunning action dash for melee positioning.
Simple answer, no, animated shield doesn't do that.
The probable answer is:
it feels like trying to re-invent the wheel when Swashbuckler already has a feature that does most of what is needed.
THANK YOU for the responses.
That's we why ask questions, to LEARN and not reinvent combat. There are so many BattleMaster tactics that use the superiority dice that add to combat I was just trying to see what would work and mixing those with the inherent abilities of the Swashbuckler you have a lot to choose from. I love that an Animated Shield would leave both hands for duel wielding two combat weapons, i had just thought about well WHAT IF... Again, thank you for the knowledge from those more experienced than I. Maybe I was thinking about it too cinamatically and over complicating the action(s).
*And well aware of the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark being improv'd, but it also works narratively that he just didn't want to deal with it/him as his mind was on saving the girl that was just kidnapped. It was the last scene they were able to film for close to a week (if i remember right) to give Ford time to recover.