Hi there,

I am attempting to cobble together something that i feel will suit my character but we're trying to make it balanced. What i am effectively trying to do is create a shield to hold in my off hand which would help deflect incoming attacks, as well as be able to use to bash opponents with much like a truncheon. My end goal was to be able to consider the Shield +1 DEF, +0 ARM, 3 ENC, 2HP. To be used as a weapon it would use the brawl skill (improvised weapon), deal Brawn + 2 damage and have the Disorient 2 characteristic.

Also, I had suggested creating a maneuver to use with it called "Block" similar to the Guarded stance maneuver. This however would be bracing your shield against oncoming attacks and would provide +1 soak value. This would work with Guarded Stance, but you would loose your movement to gain the second maneuver.

I'm putting it out there to you all to help balance if its not balanced so please everyone's suggestions are welcome. Also, dual shields would not stack benefits.

Hi there,

I am attempting to cobble together something that i feel will suit my character but we're trying to make it balanced. What i am effectively trying to do is create a shield to hold in my off hand which would help deflect incoming attacks, as well as be able to use to bash opponents with much like a truncheon. My end goal was to be able to consider the Shield +1 DEF, +0 ARM, 3 ENC, 2HP. To be used as a weapon it would use the brawl skill (improvised weapon), deal Brawn + 2 damage and have the Disorient 2 characteristic.

Also, I had suggested creating a maneuver to use with it called "Block" similar to the Guarded stance maneuver. This however would be bracing your shield against oncoming attacks and would provide +1 soak value. This would work with Guarded Stance, but you would loose your movement to gain the second maneuver.

I'm putting it out there to you all to help balance if its not balanced so please everyone's suggestions are welcome. Also, dual shields would not stack benefits.

Seems like a neat idea.

I think that the +2 damage may be a bit high for a shield bash, you may want to tweak it to +1 damage. When used in that way you may also want to consider the cumbersome quality.

I would have to play with the maneuver before I gave any comments on that beyond why not increase the defense by one instead of soak?

- Some of the members here actually did a fantasy mod of the system. How did you guys do shields?

I just double checked the improvised weapons rule and it would use the melee skill, not brawl. Also going by the improvised weapons rules +1 damage instead of +2 works well, also given cumbersome 2 and crit 5. As for the maneuver my intention of using a Block maneuver was to brace against incoming attacks not necessarily avoid them. If your fighting something big and nasty that hits really hard, your gonna be bracing against heavy blows using a shield in my eyes.

Alright, i just double checked the improvised weapons rule and it would use the melee skill, not brawl.

Makes sense.

I agree that Brawn+2 Damage is a bit high. After all, that's the same damage as a vibrosword. I'd have it do straight Brawn, and have the damage be non-lethal (maybe Strain), as it's just jarring the individual (e.g.: shield bash).

Seems legit, though I find the idea odd in a Star Wars game. Works for Republic riot troopers though (and Imperial after).

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Riot_clone_trooper

Police Forces still use things like riot shields in many core worlds. Those riot shields, as shown and described in http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Coruscant_Guard_riot_shield are a LOT bigger than what I am envisioning and would be very hard to use as a weapon. I am looking for a lighter weight, smaller version of that thats like an arm buckler with a reinforced hand held grib. It would slide over the arm(covering the arm to the elbow and have a forearm grip similar to those found on rifle attachments. This way you are using bodily movements to avoid incoming melee attacks(providing the +1 DEF, but also giving the ability to block effectivly to reduce incoming damage(the +1 ARM for the Block maneuver). Some of the Bounty Hunter / Mandalorian armor (of which my character has specific background) can easily be seen to have personalized deflected shields mounted on forearms as well as armor flanges that can be used as small bucklers or shields.

Also, the damage could very easily be made stun damage and coincides with things like disorient.

It needs to be round, have the "cortosis" quality, and a new special quality called "Captain America" that lets you used ranged light to throw the shields up to short range for 4 damage, crit 5.

In all seriousness. I like this. It doesn't fit my own mind's eye view of Star Wars, but for what it is, it's good.

Police Forces still use things like riot shields in many core worlds. Those riot shields, as shown and described in http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Coruscant_Guard_riot_shield are a LOT bigger than what I am envisioning and would be very hard to use as a weapon. I am looking for a lighter weight, smaller version of that thats like an arm buckler with a reinforced hand held grib. It would slide over the arm(covering the arm to the elbow and have a forearm grip similar to those found on rifle attachments. This way you are using bodily movements to avoid incoming melee attacks(providing the +1 DEF, but also giving the ability to block effectivly to reduce incoming damage(the +1 ARM for the Block maneuver). Some of the Bounty Hunter / Mandalorian armor (of which my character has specific background) can easily be seen to have personalized deflected shields mounted on forearms as well as armor flanges that can be used as small bucklers or shields.

Also, the damage could very easily be made stun damage and coincides with things like disorient.

Increasing your defense is hard in EotE. With +1 DEF literally everyone would be using one. At a minimum you shouldn't be able to benefit from it while in cover. As small as you want it, I wouldn't let it be of any benefit against ranged attacks either.

Don't try to draw detailed conclusions from some flange some costume designer thought looked nice. This is an abstract game with a very non-detailed combat. Shots are volleys, you don't track ammo, combat rounds take "however long it needs to be, maybe something like a minute" and power packs on personal force shields last 10 minutes or... until a despair gets rolled which may be 2 seconds into a fight.

I assumed that it would "Grant a Defense of 1" just like small amounts of cover, but you raise a good point.

Regarding the skill to use: I wouldn't try and shoehorn all improvised weapons into the Melee category (I.e., use a different skill if it makes more sense). The base Brawl skill (with the Disorient & Knockdown capabilities) make sense for a shield bash. I say, use it. Brawl skill, Brawn +0. No extra capabilities, just raw Brawl stats. Something like, "You can use the Brawl skill with a shield equipped to attack your opponent, possibly disorienting him or knocking him off his feet. A [Despair] result during such an attack causes your shield to break or malfunction."

Regarding the "block" maneuver: A maneuver to block doesn't need a special rule (don't reinvent the wheel). A shield is basically mobile cover. I'd say, use it as such. A maneuver to get behind it (take cover), and you gain Ranged defense 1. Imposing a setback die on incoming ranged attacks is b. Alternately, taking a guarded stance with the shield will impose an additional setback die to your opponent's melee attacks.

Like so: "You may take cover behind a shield. Additionally, when you assume a guarded stance (maneuver) while using a shield, you incur [1 setback] to any combat checks you make until the end of your next turn and add [2 setback] to any melee or brawl checks targeting you until the end of your next turn."

No increase in damage is preferable, (just straight Brawn) but maybe give it a couple hard points.

Anyway. All other suggestions aside, my two cents are to use existing rules when at all possible.

Just saw the 2 posts above. Yeah, with +1 DEF, everyone could be carrying one around. But this is Star Wars. It's like the old biohazard suit discussion from Saga Edition: "+2 Fort Def? Why wouldn't I just wear this all the time?" "Because you're walking around in a BIOHAZARD SUIT." If your whole group is walking around riot shields, people are gonna notice. Best to encourage the players away from such power-gamey shenanigans.

But seriously, cover should usually be available to players anyway. Giving them their own mobile cover isn't too far-fetched.

So final breakdown of the Item. (i've added the +1 damage as simple fact your hitting someone with something harder than your fist alone). Any further suggestions?

Combat Shield

DEF+0 ARM+0 ENC 2 HP 3 CRIT 4

Disorient 2(Active), Knockdown(Active), Stun Damage(Passive), Cumbersome 3

Brawn + 1 Damage(Brawl skill dice pool)

Special: While wielding a combat shield you may spend a maneuver to gain cover behind your Combat Shield inflicting a Setback Dice due to the mobile cover provided in addition to giving a +1 bonus to ranged defense.

Weapon/Armor Attachments:

Cortosis Weave:

Superior Customization:

Wouldn't a buckler-sized shield just have the Defensive 1 property?

-EF

Wouldn't a buckler-sized shield just have the Defensive 1 property?

-EF

There is Defensive(which is melee defense) and Deflection (which is ranged defense.) how do we justify using one or the other, or both?

As a Brawl attack, it should be able to freely switch from lethal (Wounds) to less lethal (Strain) depending on the intent of the wielder (much like brass knuckles). I'd suggest dropping the Stun Damage quality.

So final breakdown of the Item. (i've added the +1 damage as simple fact your hitting someone with something harder than your fist alone). Any further suggestions?

Combat Shield

DEF+0 ARM+0 ENC 2 HP 3 CRIT 4

Disorient 2(Active), Knockdown(Active), Stun Damage(Passive), Cumbersome 3

Brawn + 1 Damage(Brawl skill dice pool)

Special: While wielding a combat shield you may spend a maneuver to gain cover behind your Combat Shield inflicting a Setback Dice due to the mobile cover provided in addition to giving a +1 bonus to ranged defense.

Weapon/Armor Attachments:

Cortosis Weave:

Weapons with the Cortosis quality are immune to the Sunder quality. Armor with the Cortosis quality makes the wearer's soak immune to the Pierce and Breach qualities.

Price: 10,000 Credits

HP 2

Superior Customization:

A Superior weapon generates automatic Advantage on all checks related to its use, and has its base damage increased by one. Superior armor has its encumbrance reduced by one and its soak value increased by one.

Price: 5,000

HP 1

As a Brawl attack, it should be able to freely switch from lethal (Wounds) to less lethal (Strain) depending on the intent of the wielder (much like brass knuckles). I'd suggest dropping the Stun Damage quality.

Wouldn't a buckler-sized shield just have the Defensive 1 property?

-EF

There is Defensive(which is melee defense) and Deflection (which is ranged defense.) how do we justify using one or the other, or both?

After reviewing a few things i've made a few more changes..

Combat Shield

Def + 0 ARM + 0 ENC 2 Hp 3 CRIT 4

Disorient 2, Defensive 1, Deflection 1, Cumbersome 2

Brawn + 1 (Brawl Skill)

Defensive and Deflection will not stack with guarded stance or cover as multiple types of the same kind of defense bonus do not stack. Designing it this way makes things easier and more streamlined without adding complicated steps like mobile cover. Same thing in theory, just different wording.

If this thing is the size of a buckler there is no way I'd give it Deflection. It'd be like trying to catch bullets. Maybe if it is a tower shield.