Bucklers Are A Lot More Useful Than Most Folks Give Them Credit For (in Pathfinder)

Bucklers are one of those items that tend to get overlooked in Pathfinder. After all, if you're a character who's going to use a shield at all, chances are you're going to go for something a bit heftier, like a heavy steel shield, or even a tower shield. However, those who read the fine print on a buckler may be surprised at just how useful these items can be... especially if you put a little bit of magic or class features into them.

Don't let its size fool you... this can be a life saver.

Also, if you're looking for more fun uses for an often-ignored piece of equipment, check out my other post In Defense of The Humble Sling (in Pathfinder).

What A Buckler Is (And What It Does)

While there are a lot of arguments about what a buckler is or isn't among historical combat enthusiasts, in terms of Pathfinder a buckler is just a small, metal shield that straps to the user's forearm. It leaves the hand free to hold items, and it provides a +1 shield bonus to the user's armor class. That's half of what you get from a larger wooden or steel shield, but as many players will tell you, a +1 is a +1, and it can make a difference. There is an armor check penalty of -1 for using it, though, and a 5% arcane spell failure chance, if you're an arcane caster. A buckler cannot be used to shield bash with, unless one has the proper feats or class features that specifically give you this ability.

The numbers check out.

There are other advantages to bucklers if you read the fine print, though. For example, though you incur a -1 penalty for using your shield arm to wield a two-handed weapon, or to make an attack with your off-hand using two-weapon fighting (in addition to losing the shield's AC bonus for that round) this is not the case if you're using a bow or a crossbow. So if you're an archer who wants a little added insurance, you can strap on a buckler and just add a little boost to your AC.

The other useful thing about a buckler is that you can use your free hand to cast spells with somatic components. Doing so means you lose the shield's benefit to your AC for the round, but you take no other penalty for this action.

What's The Big Deal About a +1 Bonus?

As with so many other things in Pathfinder, that buckler's bonus to your AC is only a +1 if you do absolutely nothing else to boost it up. And that's not nothing, but it's hardly a big, impressive number. But with all of the options you have to include this handy device in your character's makeup, there are a variety of options you could pursue.

All right, let's see just how potent we can get this brew...

The most obvious benefits are going to be for specific classes that can spontaneously boost their shields with class features, like the Skirnir magus archetype in Ultimate Combat, or the Holy Vindicator prestige class in the Advanced Player's Guide. Both of these classes can spontaneously boost their shields (with the Skirnir actually getting to add bonus magic abilities), and given that they tend to have access to both spellcasting and melee capabilities, a buckler could go a long way in their hands.

However, you don't need the power to spontaneously boost a buckler's abilities to get some solid use out of it. Any enchanted buckler is going to provide an enhancement bonus to its total value, and you can often stack on useful abilities you might have trouble getting in other ways. Arrow Deflection, for example, is an ideal way to make sure that enemy archers have to work a little harder to really hurt you. Mirrored bucklers might be a combination signal mirror and medusa repellent, and a channeling buckler improves the amount of a channel for any wearer, while protecting them from their opposite energy type.

List goes on... point is, a lot of shield special abilities are very useful, and putting them onto a smaller, more versatile shield doesn't diminish that capability. And when you add in the special materials a buckler can be made from (mithril, darkwood, adamantine, etc.), as well as the feats and archetypes surrounding the buckler's use (like the buckler duelist in Inner Sea Primer, the thunderstriker in Ultimate Combat, or the falcata swashbuckler in Weapon Master's Handbook) it grows more and more useful.

With all of that said, the most realistic bonus you could get from your buckler is still fairly low. An enhancement bonus of +2 or +3 is expensive in and of itself, and even augmented with a +1 from a feat like Shield Specialization, you're only going to have a slightly better bonus than if you were using a tower shield. You could pour on the bonuses from specialized classes and feats to add utility, but a buckler isn't going to make or break your build.

But it can provide a surprising amount of protection, often with no additional armor check penalty. That could be just the thing for those who've taken a level dip, and find themselves with a shield proficiency that really isn't something they feel they can get the most out of. Or for those whose main weapon fires arrows or bolts.

Just something worth thinking about!

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In Praise of Mage Armor

When it comes to Pathfinder, and even older editions of Dungeons and Dragons, we tend to get distracted by the shiny red balls. You know, those 9th-level spells, and 20th level class abilities that you rarely get to have for more than a session or two at the end of a campaign. However, as I pointed out in posts like The Best Alchemical Items For Your Pathfinder Party, sometimes we forget how truly powerful lower-level abilities and items can be, when properly utilized.

That's why, today, I'd like to talk about Mage Armor, and ask why it is we aren't abusing the holy crap out of it.

Come at me, bro!

What Makes Mage Armor So Great?

All right, let's begin at the beginning, here. So, we all know that Mage Armor is one of those bread-and-butter spells for spellcasters at lower levels. Wizards and sorcerers everywhere will take this spell because it grants them a +4 armor bonus to their AC, it lasts for hours per level, and it's a force effect, so incorporeal creatures can't ignore it. However, as you start getting access to more powerful magic items, better spells, etc., mage armor tends to fall by the wayside. You probably still pre-cast it on yourself, but it's far from your most impressive spell.

Of course, there's a lot of mileage you can get out of this first-level spell. Even if you're not a wizard.

This is where shit starts to get weird, isn't it?

On the one hand, it's important to remember that if you have two sources of the same bonus, like DR 5/- from being a barbarian, and DR 10/silver for being a werewolf, that you use the bigger bonus. However, it's equally important to remember that if the bigger bonus is ignored, the secondary one comes into play.

So, let's say you're a full-plate tank, but your party is going up against incorporeal enemies. You might not have the money for ghost touch armor, but having the wizard tap you on the head with Mage Armor (or getting a wand of it, since the spell lasts for hours per the caster's level) means that you still have a +4 bonus to your AC those ghosts can't ignore. If you couple it with Shield (cast from a spell-like ability, wand, or scroll, since its target is You), then you have a +8 bonus to your AC against those pesky ghosts. Sure, that won't come into play if you're just going toe-to-toe with a troll, but it can be a lifesaver if you're trying to avoid that bad touch.

And, let us not forget, there are a lot of characters who don't wear armor, but who still aren't spellcasters.

The monk is probably the most obvious candidate. After all, adding your Dexterity modifier, your Wisdom modifier, and your monk AC bonus together isn't bad, but why not add a floating +4 armor bonus that lasts for hours, doesn't count as armor, and has no negatives associated with it? The same is true for the swashbuckler, the gunslinger, and the duelist; the classes grant you additional bonuses based on wearing light or no armor, and if you're going to be leaping about making Acrobatics checks, the last thing you want is an armor check penalty screwing you up. And if you're a member of a class that doesn't get Use Magic Device as a class skill, just remember the Dangerously Curious trait is all you need to fix that problem.

Animal companions, mounts, and familiars can also make great use of this spell. After all, no one wants their pet wolf, or mouthy pseudodragon, to wind up getting skewered by the enemy. Which is why a simple tap on the head can make them that much harder to hurt, over and above the abilities they gain for being unique class features. Rogues also benefit from mage armor. They get all the bonuses they'd have from wearing a chain shirt, but they are free to be as sneaky and stealthy as they can be. What's even better, though, is that mage armor can be worn anywhere without giving it away. When you're in the pub gathering information, or at dinner with the duke, you can keep some protection going without worrying about committing the social faux pas of wearing a brigandine to the ball. Even barbarians who favor a shield, like the Savage Barbarian archetype, can combine their natural armor with Mage Armor to make them much harder to hit before they go a-raging across the battlefield.

How Do You Get Mage Armor?

Well, the easiest way to get access to Mage Armor (and Magic Vestment, if you want to stack the bonuses together), is by becoming good friends with the spellcasters in your party. At mid-level, the wizard or sorcerer would probably be more than happy to reserve a level 1 spell for you, assuming you've proven that keeping you alive is key to their survival and success. The cleric may do the same. However, not all spellcasters are willing to armor their allies instead of themselves. That's when you have to get creative.

Just how creative are we talking, here?

Well, one way you can make sure you have Mage Armor on hand is to buy a wand of it, shell out the extra gold to get it from a higher-level caster so you don't have to refresh it every hour, and be sure your Use Magic Device skill is up to snuff. That way you can pop yourself on the head, but you don't have to eat up your first action in combat. You could also use a ring of spell storing, or, if you have rogue levels, get the Major Magic rogue talent, and select Mage Armor as your spell-like ability. The advantage of this is that you get the spell at a higher caster level, even if you're doing a multiclass character.

Just One Tool in The Toolbox

It's important to remember that you have a plethora of options when it comes to your adventuring toolbox. Mage Armor, and similar low-level spells, might not be as shiny as the pneumatic head-crushers you get at higher levels, but sometimes you just need a claw hammer to get the job done.

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The Best Two Weapon Fighter Build in Pathfinder

We all know fighters. Love them or hate them, every party needs to have at least one. They're the muscle and the grit, the steel and the protection that the rest of the party depends on to stand between them and the horrors lurking in forgotten forests and ancient ruins. While they come in a lot of different varieties, one of the most popular is the two weapon fighter. This week on Improved Initiative we present you with the "best" build for one of these whirlwinds of doom in Pathfinder.

'Nuff Said

What We Mean by Best

It needs to be understood right off the bat on this blog "best" does not mean "right". There is no one right way to build a character; there are simply more optimized ways to achieve a certain goal. In this case the goal is to build a fighter that gets the largest numbers of attacks possible, while maintaining an extremely high defense. That's the goal; defend yourself optimally while at the same time smashing down anything in your path. The reason I feel confident in calling this build the best is because it is the only way to be a two weapon fighter and to take no negatives for at least some of the attacks you make when fighting with two weapons.

Sword and Board: Why You Can't Beat the Classic

The classic fighter archetype is a warrior with a sword, a shield, and the best armor he or she is capable of wearing. That's where we're going to start out for our two weapon fighter. We're assuming for this build that you're a human, that you have strength as your primary attribute, and that it's at least 17 or higher. Dexterity is secondary, and will need to be at least a 17 by mid-levels. It will need to be a 19 if you intend on taking Greater Two Weapon Fighting (Core Rulebook 126).

Your first three feats (1st level, Human bonus, 1st Fighter feat) are:
- Improved Shield Bash (Core Rulebook 128)
- Two Weapon Fighting (Core Rulebook 136)
- Double Slice (Core Rulebook 122)

At this point your level one fighter is off and running. You can take a full attack with both weapons (I recommend a light shield, and if you're all right with doing piercing damage upgrade it to a light, spiked shield), and still keep the defensive bonus from your shield. You can do your full strength damage on both attacks.

For levels 2-5 you should have:

- Shield Focus (Core Rulebook 133)
- Missile Shield (Advanced Player's Guide)
- Weapon Focus Sword (Core Rulebook 136)
- Weapon Specialization Sword (Core Rulebook 137)

We're still building on the basics here, and these feats should be combined with Weapon Training in the Close group of weapons. This will ensure that even though you've taken feats to make your main weapon (sword is the place holder) more effective, you're still getting a bonus to hit and damage with your shield too. In addition to becoming deadlier you've increased your armor class, and you can negate one ranged weapon hit per round. As per the rules in Ultimate Combat, this applies to bullets as well as to arrows, crossbow bolts, sling stones, etc.

For levels 6-10 take:

- Shield Slam (Core Rulebook 133)
- Disruptive (Core Rulebook 122)
- Improved Two Weapon Fighting (Core Rulebook 128)
- Weapon Focus Shield (Core Rulebook 136)
- Spellbreaker (Core Rulebook 134)

Level 10 is where the big parts of the build start coming together. At this point you have two attacks with your secondary weapon, you're posing a bigger threat to spellcasters, you get a free bull rush attack when you hit with your shield, and you're hitting a lot better with your shield (hint, take the Focus for heavy steel shield. Trust me). You should also have gotten to the point where you can take full movement in any armor, and where you've taken a second weapon training group for your main weapon. You're a pretty deadly combatant at this point. The next few levels is the icing on the cake, though.

Level 11- 13:

- Shield Master (Core Rulebook 133)
- Ray Shield (Advanced Player's Guide)
- Two Weapon Rend (Core Rulebook 136)

These three feats are the end game. Shield Master allows you to use any magical enhancement on your shield for attack and damage as well as defense, and you take no negative on any attacks with that shield (for those who want to be Captain America). You have the ability to deflect a magical ray attack with your shield as if it were an arrow, and if you hit with both weapons then you get to do additional damage as you rend your enemies asunder. Who needs whirlwind attack with that?

Notes and Recommendations

This build is meant to balance offense and defense in such a way that the two weapon fighter is protected from physical attacks, and gets as many attacks of his or her own as possible. That said if your goals vary then tweaking the feat list presented here isn't just a good idea, but a necessity.

Also important to note; not all of these feats need to be taken in this order. Many of the higher-level feats have prerequisites, but for many of the feats on this list all you need is a certain level of fighter. So if you'd rather take one feat before another, or swap out a feat that isn't an important part of the chain for something different (Power Attack comes to mind. Or perhaps Improved Bull Rush if you want to make Shield Slam as effective as possible) then that's also perfectly acceptable. The list is here to help you build a better tank; if something here doesn't do what you want, then feel free to change it up.

On the subject of weapons; high crit weapons are your friend. Bastard swords, scimitars, anything that can have keen put on it and give you a better chance of hitting vitals. You aren't likely to do a stunning amount of damage on any single hit; if you hit often and hit hard though, it won't matter unless you fail to overcome the enemy's damage reduction.

Lastly, remember there's a counter to everything. The two weapon fighter is deadly in a brawl or one-on-one with another big brute. This build even has a few tricks for protection against arrows and ray spells. If you simply cannot reach the enemy though, or if that enemy is a great deal more mobile than you are, then you might find yourself getting frustrated. Tanglefoot bags are a great alchemical weapon for holding enemies in place, or at least dropping their move speeds. What I'm saying is always keep an ace up your sleeve; just because you're the best there is at what you do, that doesn't mean the DM will let you steamroll every fight be serving it up on a silver platter.

Closing

I hope you enjoyed this little piece of Improved Initiative. Tell your family, tell your friends, and make your DM (or your players, I don't care if you put this on a villain) cry. If you're interested in following my updates then check out my author page on Facebook or follow me on Tumblr. If you'd prefer to check out the darker side of the literary world, hop over to my other blog The Literary Mercenary. In closing thanks for stopping by, thanks for reading, and if you want to see more like this then remember that we sort of run on advertising and high traffic around here. Check out the rest of the Crunch page for more articles like this one.