Personal Shields

by Johannes M. Bowers


Editor's Note: This submission was originally posted on the SW-RPG mailing list.


As an avowed rules lawyer and chronic "fact-finder" (as if that wasn't obvious) I have to put my two cents into this debate, with a buck fifty in tip. (BTW, those wanting adventure ideas out there could develop something around a shield-using organization/race, no?)


1) Shield use should be a new skill. Successful shield use is determined by a base difficulty of Easy for melee and brawling, a base of Moderate for ranged attacks, and a base of Difficult for explosives (grenades, etc). If the shield was successfully "raised" then add the Shield cover modifier to the difficulty to hit. If the to-hit roll still exceeds the new difficulty total, damage as normal; if the to-hit number is between the old and new difficulty total, the shield has been struck, and must roll to resist damage. In addition to the limitation of multi-action penalties, a shield may only protect from a number of attacks each round equal to the whole number of D of cover it provides, with a minimum of one (i.e., a 3D cover shield may only be used against three attacks in a round, a +2 pip buckler against one). With a Full Shield use, this number is doubled.


2) Personal shields would qualify by definition as a reaction skill, with the attendant variants of Full and Reactive Shield use, by the same basic rules shared by dodge, melee parry, and brawling parry. Full use must be declared at the beginning of the round and is the only action the character may take. Full shield adds the Cover value + Shield skill + DEX to the to-hit difficulty. Reactive shield only adds the Shield cover value. If in Full usage, a shield only covers attacks from one angle. Reactive use can affect multiple attacks of varying kinds, but each is an additional action. While a shield bearer can turn to bring the shield to bear on attacks from different facings in a round, simultaneous attacks from opposite directions cannot be blocked at the same time.


3) The personal shields skill should fall under DEX as the vast majority of all other combat skills fall under that attribute. (Don't worry, there is a STR component for the realists out there...)


4) As with armor, use of a shield should detrimentally affect DEX, in accordance with the amount of cover it provides.


5) As with armor, different shield designs and materials may yield different PROTECTION values for energy and physical attacks (especially the concept of "energized" shields).


6) Shield use should apply equally to ranged attacks (blaster, firearm, etc...) and close quarter combat (melee, brawling, etc...), with specialties available for each.


7) Shields provide cover per the rules for Cover, Protection, and Armor (R & E p 93-95):

  • 1/4 Coverage (buckler/small shield): +2 to +1d+2
  • 1/2 Coverage (medium shield): +2d to +3d+1
  • 3/4 Coverage (large shield): +3d+2 to +4d+2
  • Full Coverage (kite/body shield)*: Eliminate cover first

*Such shields can only be used in the Full mode.

Shield size is relative to the shield bearer; what might be 3/4 for a human may be 1/2 for a Wookiee. (Full coverage for a Hutt is a bunker for anybody else.)

This modifier adds to the difficulty to hit the target upon successful shield use. If the wielder is not actively using the shield or fails to raise it properly, 1/2 of the Cover value is added to the base difficulty to hit for attacks from the side the shield is carried on only. (Kite/body shields count as 3/4 coverage in this case.)

8) Basic Shield strength is:

  • Light Riot Shield: 1D (includes improvised flimsy materials)
  • Heavy Riot Shield: 2D (includes improvised sturdy materials)
  • Light Combat Shield: 3D (includes improvised heavy materials)
  • Heavy Combat Shield: 4D (includes improvised reinforced heavy materials)
  • Assault Shield: 6D (includes improvised over-scale items)

1/2 of shield strength is the required STR to use a shield made of such material. (see, I told'ja there was a STR component)

Unless otherwise specified, Shield STR is the same for energy and physical damage.

Shield STR is rolled to resist damage of attacks that hit it. If STR > Damage, the shield and the target are unharmed. If the STR =< the Damage roll then the shield is damaged and reduced weapon damage may affect the target.

Damage exceeds Shield STR by:
0 - 3 Not seriously damaged
4 - 8 Lightly damaged
9 - 12 Moderately damaged
13 - 15 Severely damaged
16+ Destroyed

Character takes:
Not Serious No damage
Light -4D
Moderate -2D
Severe -1D
16+ Full damage


Before you ask, you are a fool if you are trying to parry a lightsabre with a shield, unless it is a true energy shield, it is made of something like Mandalorian or Sith iron, or has a significant energy component to its design. If so, roll damage against the energy protection and hope, a lot.

The good news is that a really high personal shields roll can follow the same rules as ROE damage; take your preferred method (die pool, or overage roll) and add to shield Protection.


Hope this fills all your needs and answers any ringing or nagging questions.

(BTW, the possible technical explanations for a difference between energy and physical protection are too many to go into detail, if there is an overriding reason you want a difference, go for it, otherwise, make it easy and equal.)


FULONGAMER
aka
Johannes M. Bowers



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