Surprising Shields
Shields aren’t usually very exciting. Most of the abilities that exist for magic shields tend to be fairly passive, and they’re almost all defensively oriented. Today’s Magic Market presents three shields that are intended to be a bit more exciting and dynamic, and do more than just provide a flat bonus to AC.
EMOTIONAL SHIELD PRICE 8,170 gp
Slot shield; CL 3rd; Weight 15 lbs.
Aura faint enchantment
These +2 heavy steel shields are sculpted in the shapes of faces—usually the face of a deity, a famous hero, or, in the case of special commissions, of the wielder herself. The face on the shield is magically animated, allowing it to change its expression to display a variety of different emotions. By default, it mirrors whatever emotion the wielder is feeling, but if the wielder prefers, it can be made to display any emotion as a swift action, and continues to keep that appearance until changed again.
The shield protects the wearer from emotion effects, rendering the wearer immune to all emotion and fear effects, as such effects are absorbed by the shield. Further, the wielder cannot benefit from morale bonuses while wielding it. Whenever the wearer is protected from a fear effect in this way, the shield bonus to AC that the emotional shield grants is reduced by 2 (this stacks for multiple fear effects, to a minimum of 0). Whenever the wielder would benefit from a morale bonus, the shield bonus to AC that the emotional shield grants is increased by 1 (to a maximum of 4 higher than the shield’s normal AC bonus). These bonuses and penalties last for the duration of the effect or for 1 minute, whichever is shorter.
None of an emotional shield’sunique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +2-equivalent shield for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.
Construction Requirements Cost 4,170 gpCraft Magic Arms and Armor, calm emotions
GOBLIN SHIELD PRICE 4,653 gp
Slot shield; CL 11th; Weight 5 lbs.
Aura strong transmutation
Typically whittled from wood taken from a tree struck by lightning or otherwise felled by some auspicious event, these +1 light wooden shields often still bear tree bark on one side, and are incredibly crude in design, not to mention generally covered in scorch marks. The shield absorbs the first 2 points of fire damage that the wielder would suffer from any given attack. Additionally, whenever the wielder suffers at least 5 points of fire damage from a single source, the shield bonus to AC that the goblin shield grants increases by 1. Finally, the shield is particularly effective at protecting against the attacks of certain animals, and grants the wearer a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against dogs and horses, as well as suitably dog-like and horse-like creatures (subject to GM discretion).
None of a goblin shield’sunique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +1-equivalent shield for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.
Construction Requirements Cost 2,403 gpCraft Magic Arms and Armor, ironwood, protection from law
SPHERE SHIELD PRICE 120,180 gp
Slot shield; CL 15th; Weight 45 lbs.
Aura strong evocation
These +5 heavy fortification tower shields are transparent, and slightly curved, reducing the penalty they impose on the wielder’s attack rolls by 1. On command, the shield can extend around its wearer, creating a sphere of force around him similar to a telekinetic sphere, except that the sphere cannot be moved telekinetically, and instead must be rolled manually. A creature inside the sphere or adjacent to it can roll it up to their movement speed as a move action with a successful DC 10 Strength check, on a level surface. If the sphere shield is situated on a slope, it rolls downward automatically unless held in place, moving at a rate of 120 feet per round in a straight line. A creature outside the sphere can attempt to push it up a slope, but in this case, the sphere’s movement is reduced to 1/2 the creature’s movement speed, and the DC of the Strength check increases by +2 per 10 degrees in the angle of the slope (so, a DC 18 Strength check for a 45 degree angle). Returning the sphere shield to its normal shape is a move action. The sphere shield can take this form for a total of 10 minutes per day, which must be used in 1-minute increments.
None of a sphere shield’sunique abilities count as an enhancement bonus equivalent, and it is treated as a +10-equivalent shield for the purposes of the cost of further improving its magical abilities.
Construction Requirements Cost 60,180 gpCraft Magic Arms and Armor, telekinetic sphere