Shields

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How do the rules you use (or those you'd like to have) treat shields? Choose as many as you like.

  • (A) Shield as active defense from hit, reduces attacker chance to hit (as in D&D)

    Votes: 4 40.0%
  • (B) Shield as damage reduction.

    Votes: 6 60.0%
  • (C) Shield as damage type conversion (think have seen this before, not sure)

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • (D) Shield as requiring a "bypass" roll (as in Dragon Warriors)

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • (E) Shield as defense skill increase (as in many games IIRC)

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • (F) Other

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • Side Property (1) Shields can get/gets damaged.

    Votes: 8 80.0%
  • Side Property (2) Shield requires "skill/option/feat/talent" for full use, new feature/use options

    Votes: 5 50.0%
  • Side Property (3) Shield has "skill/option/feat/talent" for better use, no new features/use options

    Votes: 4 40.0%
  • Side Property (4) Shield can serve as "cover" from attack especially missiles and fire breath.

    Votes: 8 80.0%

  • Total voters
    10

xanther

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Similar to the Armor thread...looking for game design discussion and views.

Shields: How do the rules you use (or those you'd like to have) treat shields?
  • Shield as active defense from hit, reduces attacker chance to hit (as in D&D)
  • Shield as damage reduction
  • Shield as damage type conversion (think have seen this before, not sure)
  • Shield as requiring "bypass" (as in Dragon Warrior)
  • Shield as defense skill increase (as in many games IIRC)
...side properties
  • Shields can get/gets damaged.
  • Shield requires "skill/option/feat/talent" for full use, new feature/use option becomes available.
  • Shield has "skill/option/feat/talent" for better use, no new features/use options.
  • Shield can serve as "cover" from attack especially missiles and fire breath.
 
In my old rules shields were used to deflect attacks adding their armor value to the attackers target number. They also took damage from each attack that was successfully defended against, half damage from the weapon. New shields started at 100% on the condition monitor and became useless when they reached 0. They provided cover against missile attacks and breath weapons etc.

The rules are called Simple Sixes. I made them years ago using Word, so they're not real pretty. Don't judge me please!
 
I think the rules look really good, nice organization, not a big fan of the cover dice graphic...more the art than the idea :smile:

May as a well get specific myself. First I use a count success system for combat, a 5 or 6 on a d6 means success.

Shields provide:
(1) an average armor value increase, for the small ones it could be negligible so, 0,
(2) one or more defensive dice for combat. This is the major benefit of shields under these rules. That means you roll the defensive die or dice and you can use any success to defend (but only defend), e.g. counter an opponents attack success, or Cover, etc.
(3) when shields cover from arrows, fire breath etc. they are not harmed if the armor value (AV) of the shield itself is greater than the Peirce of the attack...although depending they may catch fire :smile:
(4) you can "sacrifice" your shield and have a attack hit it but the shield takes damage (always)..and you can do nothing else that combat action (you have to forgo your own attacks), your basic 3' diameter (wood base, studded leather face and steel frame) shield can take 30 HP before being rendered useless...which is a fair bit of damage.

Bad things:
Shields lower you Initiative, the bigger they are the more they do.

Skills:
I have shield skill, you don't really need it but the pluses to the skill can be spent to raise shield defense dice to make them a success. Of course if anything ever came up where knowledge of shields is relevant this skill could help.
 
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