So I just built a character who fights primarily with a sword and shield. Shields are not listed in armor but as weapons that give you a bonus to block with and that you usually keep on you off hand, but since it is entirely possible to bash someone with a shield it has all the normal stats for a weapon.

My primary question is regarding initiative. A long sword has a -20 and a shield has a -30. When I roll for initiative do I -20 because that is the weapon I will most likely be attacking with, but if I do that am I not able to attack with my shield if I so desire once my turn comes up?. Or do I use the -30 from the shield since it is the worst of my two penalties? That way I can use my shield or my sword as I please. Or do I use -50 since I technically do have both weapons and am likely to take advantage of both weapons every round?

I have a couple of other questions too.

First do I take second hand penalties with my shield to block (not attack)?

If I choose to perform the "Absorb Hits" defense do I halve my shield bonus to block?

-disregard that-

Specify if you are using your sword & shield combo, or if you're using your shield as a weapon for the turn. You don't get to decide that when your turn comes up, you decide that when rolling for initiative.

Cheers

- Natso

I just read again the rules for shields, and it seems that :

- either you use the shiled for blocking, then you get the bonus to block, no initiative malus, don't get the off hand penalty

- either you use the shield for attacking, then you don't get the block bonus, get the initiative penalty, get the off hand weapon penalty

(good point, as I understood it differently, will have to check the French rules, maybe some "translation" problem)

I agree with "The Tenth". You should choose if your using the shield offensively or defensively during initiate.

Do you half the shield bonus to block when you choose the "Take the hit" option. I don't have the book with me the manuver might be called something else, but I think it will be my standby for my low initiative, high armor and life point fighter. I don't think I have to halve my shield bonus, but I want to be sure.

TheTenth said:

''Shields, like armor, cause a reduction to initiative that is substracted from the final initiative as a special penalty''

There are no clauses or conditions mentioned, so you always apply it. Personally, I'd apply as long as you have the shield in hand - drop it, and you drop the penalty.

After that, the choice to attack or defend with it only affects the ability to get the bonus to Block/ 1/2 Dodge or being able to attack with it.

Hey, my first post on your forum, I am a french Anima player. Just to confirm that if you only use the shield for your defense, you won't suffer the penality to initiative and second hand.

If you are using the "take the hit" maneuver, then, there is no changes to the shield stats, only your block skill will be halved, or with the new version of the rule, you will suffer a -80 penalty. So for a great shield wich gives you +30 to block you will suffer a -50 penalty to attack.

Hope it helps

It somehow doesn't make sense not to apply the initiative penalty if you are using the shield, even defensively - I mean, it is cumbersome, and so is something that would slow you down in a fight, no matter what you are doing with it. Besides, as I stated, in the rules, they would have specified if the penalty only applies to attack or both. Additionally, you need to balance out the gear - why does a character who has a shield defensively act as quickly as someone who does not, and therefore has only advantages in comparison?

Could you post the exact wording in french so I can read it? I can read French, so that isn't a problem. I'd like to compare it with the wording in English, to see if there're any differences.

Also, where does the new rule come from? A revised edition of the rulebook?

Gangstaz said:

What new version of the rule?

Core Exxet, not released yet (maybe in Spain)

I also have a question along these lines. i went rich boy in creation and buying better than normal equipment. The problem we had was how do you enchant shields? What bonus's do you add to it for each +5 you add to it? thanks a lot.

Shields count as weapons, you add exactly what the weapons box in the table says that you add, nothing more and nothing less.