Bucklers

[Axatax]

I don't play PnP DND, so I don't know the nuances of this.  That said - I know about medieval armor and a buckler logically shouldn't occupy a shield slot because it's not just a very small shield and isn't held in the hand.  A buckler is attached by a band to the forearm (and covers that portion of the body).  If there is any slot it should occupy, it should be the glove/gauntlet slot.

Ideally, it should have its own slot as mechanically, it's something distinct from both a shield or a gauntlet.  Think about how those leather arm protectors for archery are worn.  That's essentially how a buckler would be worn, just flipped over to the other side of the arm.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Axatax

[Graion Dilach]

I don't remember any PnP system I've played with where there were differences between strapped-to-the-forearm and actually handled shield types. (I'm wording it this way because IIRC there was a small shield type which also lacked the handle).

It's an interesting idea, but would look weird if someone combines a buckler with another shields thenafter.

[Axatax]

Yeah, It would be strange (and redundant) to wear a buckler while also carrying a shield (although possible).

So, in terms of this game's mechanics, it might make sense to have a mod that would allow bucklers to occupy the gauntlet slot instead of the shield slot.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Axatax

[jastey]

Would it be possible to have a buckler strapped to the arm.and hold a shield? I always imagined a shield to have straps for the forearm and one grip to hold it, because it's too heavy to just hold it in front of you.

[Axatax]

12 minutes ago, jastey said:

Would it be possible to have a buckler strapped to the arm.and hold a shield?

It would be redundant, I think, to hold both a shield and a buckler but it would make sense to allow the buckler to occupy the glove/gauntlet slot.

Edited February 11, 2023 by Axatax

[jastey]

I see your point about the actual slot. But from my POV I think a gauntlet and a shield together work, also a gauntlet and a buckler, but a buckler and a shield doesn't. So from my little understanding of medieval armory, I would think the slots make sense with regard to what one could wear at the same time.

[lynx]

I question the original assertion.

[subtledoctor]

3 hours ago, Axatax said:

So, in terms of this game's mechanics, it might make sense to have a mod that would allow bucklers to occupy the gauntlet slot instead of the shield slot.

But what would you gain? Any mod that makes this change should prevent you from equipping a shield. Ot should still be an “either buckler or shield” situation, right? And this would prevent you from wearing gloves, which you said is not the intent here. 

The way to achieve both of those goals is… using the shield slot. It doesn’t have to mean you hold it the same way - it’s an abstraction. Like, bracers and gloves are equipped differently, but the game uses a shared slot for them; and helmets and ioun stones are quite different, but the game uses one slot for them. 

A lot gets changed when translating imagined medieval-ish adventuring to a paper character sheet, and then translating that to a computer game.

[polytope]

Even very small shields like bucklers appear to have been carried in hand, rather than worn on the forearm when fighting in a melee, because it would be slower and more awkward to try to intercept blows by interposing your forearm rather than your extended hand. I'm no historian but I think shields were only worn on the forearm when riding a horse and possibly as part of a shield wall or similar formation, which doesn't happen in game.