[MISTAKEN] Bucklers do NOT get AC bonus from Sword-and-Shield Style?
ktchong
Member Posts: 88
Sword-and-Shield Fighting Style does NOT work with a buckler.
There has been much debates over the years on whether a buckler would count as a shield and receive the AC-vs-Missiles bonus from the sword-and-shield style. Most people thought that a buckler would work as a shield for the sword-and-shield AC bonus. For examples: past discussions on this topic are linked here and here.
I tested it with my Branwen who has 1 proficiency point in Sword-and-Shield. I equipped her with Medium Shield vs. Buckler. The bonus AC vs. Missiles applied when she used the medium shield, but NOT when she used a buckler.
So, bucklers do NOT benefit from any fighting style, at all.
Therefore, it is a complete waste for a pure-class thief to put a proficiency point into the sword-and-shield style. A thief can only use a buckler, (i.e., thieves can't use a small, medium or large shield,) but the thief + buckler is NOT getting any benefit from the sword-and-shield. (Yikes!)
Branwen with 1-pip in Sword-and-Shield and a Medium Shield:
The same Branwen with 1-pip in Sword-and-Shield and a Buckler:
There has been much debates over the years on whether a buckler would count as a shield and receive the AC-vs-Missiles bonus from the sword-and-shield style. Most people thought that a buckler would work as a shield for the sword-and-shield AC bonus. For examples: past discussions on this topic are linked here and here.
I tested it with my Branwen who has 1 proficiency point in Sword-and-Shield. I equipped her with Medium Shield vs. Buckler. The bonus AC vs. Missiles applied when she used the medium shield, but NOT when she used a buckler.
So, bucklers do NOT benefit from any fighting style, at all.
Therefore, it is a complete waste for a pure-class thief to put a proficiency point into the sword-and-shield style. A thief can only use a buckler, (i.e., thieves can't use a small, medium or large shield,) but the thief + buckler is NOT getting any benefit from the sword-and-shield. (Yikes!)
Branwen with 1-pip in Sword-and-Shield and a Medium Shield:
The same Branwen with 1-pip in Sword-and-Shield and a Buckler:
Post edited by ktchong on
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Bucklers don't give AC bonus against piercing and missile, so the 0 bonus on your screen proves that the style works. Without it, you would have a +2 malus. The style just negates the buckler AC malus against missile.
Here is Safana at level 7, (with enough XP to go up to Level 8;) let's look at her AC without a buckler.
Now, let's equip her with a buckler. She is still at level 7 and does not have any proficiency point in the Sword-and-Shield style.
So, the Buckler + 1 improves her overall AC by 2, but it does not improve her AC vs. Missiles, (i.e., the little bow-and-arrow icon is -1, which is her AC vs. Missiles.)
Now, let's raise Safana to level 8, and put her proficiency point into the Sword-and-Shield style. Let's take off her buckler and see what happens... well, her overall AC and AC-vs-Missiles stay the same as level 7.
Now, let's equip the level-8 Safana with the buckler. She now has the Sword-and-Shield style, which should improves her AC vs. Missiles by -2. So, the new value of the little bow-and-arrow icon should be -3, (like in my previous post: Branwen had Sword-and-Shield and was equipped with a medium shield, which lowered her bow-and-arrow value from 0 to -2.)
No, no change at all! The AC value and bonuses of Safana with the buckler stays exactly the same. The Sword-and-Shield style does not make any difference at all.
I know, it sucks. However, I am not sure if it was as intended (i.e., a buckler does not work with Sword-and-Shield) of if was an oversight on Beamdog's part.
On your screenshot without the style, she have AC 1 against missiles with the buckler equipped, and on your screenshot with the style, she have AC -1 against missiles. (AC against missiles is the icon to the right, not the one you're targeting with your red arrow).
So, a bucker +1 gives a 2 bonus to global AC, but a 2 malus to missile AC will appear to show that the buckler doesn't protect against missiles.
Then if you add the sword and shield style, it gives a 2 bonus to AC against missiles, nullifying the previous malus.
To resume, with a buckler +1 and sword and shield style, you will have the same AC against missiles than without a buckler equipped.
I was wondering which portraits pack do you use on your install please?