Shield

So, many people use this spell in a way that the player knows the roll (be it announced or they see the dice), so they know if using Shield would make the initial attack miss or not.
How is it intended by the written rules? Is this scenario intended? >>

GM: You are hit with XY's attack.
Player: I use Shield.
GM: *checks roll vs new AC* You are still hit.

Not sure how it's done at your table, but the DM/GM doesn't just determine that a PC is hit by an attack roll without conferring with the player. Essentially saying "Okay, that's an X to hit" or something along those lines and giving the player a chance to respond. Dice roll results are public knowledge - you don't have to show the result on the dice to not give away any modifiers, but you still share that info.

Obviously this can differ table to table, because I know some where character info like AC is public knowledge to the DM so, to expedite combat, the DM would just roll and narratively describe the hit or miss without conferring. But even then, for something like Shield or any other reaction based ability like Defensive Duelist, and *especially* one that burns a resource like a spell slot, the DM/GM still confers with the player in a way like "Okay, the ogre is bringing down his meaty fist, aiming for the top of your skull. It's just about to connect but in the split second you believe a timely Shield spell could stop him in his tracks. Do you want to use it?" or just outright stating the attack roll and asking directly if the player has any reaction they want to use to respond.

 Since it says "1 Reaction* which you take when you are HIT by an attack roll or targeted by the Magic Missile spell" I would guess you can decide to use it after knowing the attack would hit you if you dont use it. Roleplay wise it doesnt make that much sense but yea similar with the interception fighting style

I think we misunderstood each other a bit. In my example, you do know "the attack would hit you if you dont use it", you just don't know the Shield would be enough to cause the attack to miss

Derienn,

It does depend on how the DM runs their table.  At my table, I simply say that the player is hit by the attack (not indicating what the roll was).  Then the player decides if they want to cast the Shield spell as a reaction.  It adds +5 to their AC, and the roll may still be good enough to hit or it may be blocked by the Shield spell.  I believe this is the way the spell is intended to be "run."  The player should not know if the Shield spell will still block the attack or not.  Hope this is helpful.

If casting a cantrip or a spell can you still cast shield spell or not.

Quote from Tony7777 >>

If casting a cantrip or a spell can you still cast shield spell or not.

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking here.

Maybe you're thinking about the rule that says you can only cast one spell using a spell slot per turn? That would mean that if you cast a different spell using a spell slot, you couldn't cast this spell on the same turn. But since this spell is cast as a Reaction to being attacked, you're mostly going to be casting it on other people's turns when you won't have done much of anything else.

Cantrips don't use spell slots, so they don't enter into it at all.

How I run my games with this spell is even if it hits it cuts the damage in half.

Take your scenario into consideration, (which is how I play it as well). But, it is a cast time of 1 reaction*. Now if you had an item that automatically cast Shield then the item used reaction not the player.

I don't resolve the damage till after the spell it cast if the player wants to use the spell. I think of it as a way a spellcaster can reduce damage being done to them as well as a means just not getting hit. But, reaction does mean after the DM rolls to hit, before the hit is resolved with damage the caster can negate the attack completely or know that they take half damage if they know they'll be hit anyway.

GM: You are hit with XY's attack.
Player: I use Shield.
GM: *checks roll vs new AC* You are still hit.
GM: That'll be 22points of slashing damage (or whatever) cut in half because you used shield. So, take 11pts of slashing dmg.

This seems like an unnecessary buff for an already good spell. Do you apply for all dmg? or just slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning?

Honestly, if I ever play at a table with a DM that runs it like that, I'm not playing at that table.

For several reasons.

1st - is the DM going to have monsters/NPC's blow thier shield and reaction knowing it's not going to work

2nd - The most common class to use this is a caster who typically has garbage AC, and at levels 9+ your facing things with such a high +hit (10-14) it makes the spell worthless as most 'clothies' AC is about 14-16.

3rd - Do you just want to give your caster even more reasons to NOT use their spell slots.

4th - This falls under the same DM vs player mentality as the DM saying - This guy see's this big plated fighter infront of them, and then see's cloth wearing wizard 30 feet away behind the fighter, he's not gonna try hitting fighter, he's gonna walk right past eating an attack of oppertunity just to try and smack the wizard in the face with a melee weapon.

On the last one, way to compleatly tell your fighter PC your ignoring them and the Wizard PC that everything and the sun is going after them regaurdless of what else is happening.

To DM's that run it as your keeping the attack roll super secret, try a days worth of combats telling the PC's what the attack rolls are, then see how many spell slots are left and how satisfied your players are.

I've played two games with the hiding the attack roll as a caster in both, one was a martial caster the other was a backline caster, I just stopped using the sheild spell because is NEVER worked, and this is with a base AC of 18 and 16 respectivly (shield bumped to 23 and 21) played both untill level's 10 and 8 before I quit. It was just better to use that 1st level slot for crap healing.

This is not showing up on Sage background list during character creation. Any idea why?

Quote from Zealas >>

This is not showing up on Sage background list during character creation. Any idea why?

At the risk of stating the obvious — are you sure you're looking in the right drop-down? The Magic Initiate feat has three drop-downs: two for cantrips, and one for a 1st-level spell. This spell will only appear in the third one.

You should also make sure that "5.5e Core Rules" is still checked under Sources on the Home tab.