This was a question that came up in our last game. Can a shield be used to block damage from sources that say "this damage ignores armor"? As OL, I was inclined to say no, as there happens to be a shield that specifically says it can be used to block damage from traps and other sources that ignore armor. It wouldn't make sense for this to be a special ability if all shields could do it. How about you? What do you think?

I think the overarching question is: Does the shield count as armor? Shields take up one hand like a weapon, but do they say "armor" on the card? Do shields add armor to the player, or just allow a player a chance to mitigate damage?

These are all related questions that I bet would shed light on the answer to this (at work, without access to cards...).

Because of that cursed shield, we've ruled the same too, that shields cannot block damage that ignores armor. Might not be RAW, but our group felt that was how the rule was intended to play.

This brings up an interesting question with the Stomach: can that cursed shield be used to keep the hero alive indefinately? We ruled "no" that the effects of the stomach bypass the shield (just made more sense for us), but I could see a rules-lawyer arguing it the other way...

-shnar

Two things to consider:

1) Shields are most definitely not armor (I think is one shield that gives like +1 armor, but I don't have my cards in front of me).

2) Most shields say "This can not be used this item to cancel wounds dealt by attacks that negate armor."

sorry but.......

Iron Shield: Exhaust to cancel 1 wound being dealt to you. You cannot use this item to cancel wounds dealt by attacks that ignore armor.

this is so RAW.

exception is the skullshield: +5 Armor vs. Blast, Bolt, or Breath atttacks.
Exhaust to cancel 2 wounds being dealt to you. You may cancel wounds that ignore armor (such as damage from traps) .

Turric4n said:

So, does this mean that a hero could survive indefinately in the stomach of a Wyrm?

-shnar

shnar said:

Without any home rule, yes. This is no problem if it happens: the OL simply cycles his deck twice and the heroes are ejected from the dungeon.

This came up when the heroes in our RtL game got the Hunting the Wyrm rumor. The runner has the cursed shield. While ejecting him from the dungeon by cycling twice is possible, attacks from inside the wyrm ignore armor, so its doubtful it would live that long. Simple solution: don't swallow the guy with the cursed shield.

Or throw him up as soon as he's down to 2 hits.

And the Wyrm is in other missions than just RtL...

-shnar

You can't throw up a swallowed creature. Once they're in, the only way out is death for the hero or the wyrm.

That they're in other things than RtL doesn't change anything. It's still a bad idea to swallow someone with the cursed shield, since it makes you vulnerable and them immortal. Swallow is completely voluntary on the wyrm's part, so you can still kill the hero in question without it.