View source for Shield as a Weapon (sage ability)

[[File:Shield as a weapon.jpg|right|490px]]
'''[[Shield (armour)|Shield]] as a [[Weapons List|weapon]]''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Puissance (sage study)|Puissance]].  Ordinarily, combatants cannot use [[Shield (armour)|shields]] as weapons, except when possessing this ability.  Generally, the edge of the shield is used to strike for '''1-4 damage'''.  When used as a weapon, the shield will serve simultaneously to provide its usual [[Armour Class|armour class]] adjustment for the combatant.  The shield cannot be [[Hurled Weapons|hurled]] effectively at opponents.

Like any weapon, the character must be [[Weapon Proficiencies|proficient]] in the shield or suffer a penalty in accordance with their class.  Further, the rules associated with [[Attacks with Two Weapons|attacking with two weapons]] also apply, if the character is using a weapon in their other hand.  The shield always acts as the combatant's '''secondary''' weapon, ''except'' when the character is ''charging''.  This means that the combatant with this sage ability still must have a '''[[Dexterity (ability stat)|dexterity]] of 13''' or more to be eligible to use the shield as a second weapon.  If the shield is used alone, dexterity is not a factor.

== Charging ==
When [[Charging|charging]], the shield is treated as the '''primary''' weapon of the attacker, and any other weapon used by the character as the secondary.  Shields cannot be used to perform a [[Charging#Passing Charges|passing charge]] against an enemy.

== Fumbles ==
When attacking with a shield and a [[Critical Hits & Fumbles#Fumbles|natural 1 is rolled]], the shield is '''not dropped''' if it is strapped to the combatant's arm.  However, the fumble would mean striking a surface with the shield, or wrenching its weight unnaturally.  To account for this, the combatant must roll 2d6; a roll of "2" results in an [[Injury|injury]] of 2-8 points from the arm being fractured (2-3) or broken (4-8).  The shield will be useless and the character will be -4 [[Roll to Hit|to hit]] and [[Armour Class|armour class]] until the shield is removed.  If the shield is not strapped to the arm, then it will drop to the ground like any other weapon.