Shields may be used to provide protection for a warrior or mage in battle. The level of protection varies inversely with the size and weight, and both are protection and weight are determined by size and material.

Sizes

• Mantlet: A very small shield, better for attacking than defending
• Buckler: A small shield that protects the wrist and not much else. Is quite easy to raise to a defensive position.
• Small shield: A round or arrow-head shaped shield that is quick to defend, though occasionally gets in the way of the wielder's sword strike.
• Large shield: Very good defence, but very heavy and takes practice to use effectively.
• Hoplon: Used by the phalanxes. Large and round, covers from above the knees to below the shoulder. A unique dome shape means that it can be used as a last-resort shelter.
• Tower shield: about 2/3 the height of the average man. Protects a great area, but is very unwieldy. One for the warriors.

Material

In order of increasing protection and decreasing maneuverability: leather, wood, bone, bronze, iron, steel. Wood and bone shields can be reinforced with rods of material, which may or may not be the same material as the shield itself.

Elven steel is as light as bronze, but provides the protection of iron. It gives protection of steel against darksteel.

Darksteel, as used by high ranking orcs and drow, is the same as elven steel, but give higher protection when defending against elven steel.

Titanium is as light as bone, but gives the protection of iron.

Star metal is as light as wood, but gives the protection of steel.

If you want a shield composed of one of the exotic materials, you will have to find it while role playing. This is to keep things fair.

Modifications

These are just suggestions - feel free to some up with your own.

Small spikes along the edges give a limited ability to harm an opponent with a shield at close quarters.

Large, forward-facing spikes may also be added to the front. These make the shield considerably more unwieldy, but allow it to be used as a weapon. Both these modifications make the fighter a good deal more imposing to his/her enemies.

A razor edge on a round shield allows it to eb thrown like Captain America's shield, or Xena's chakram.

shallow 'channels' running through a shield can be used to catch and defelct enemy swords.

Enchantments

Shields cannot be enchanted like weapons; they must have the runes, words, symbols, etc of the spell physically carved into them. Once there, the spell cannot be removed except by melting the shield. Shield spells are necessarily defensive, and the effectiveness depends upon both the skill of the enchanter and the talent of the wielder. As well as standard defence spells, there is also a particular spell for each magician class. This is activated when the shield is hit by an enemy weapon, and has a 1% probability of causing a magna effect. Note that blue and yellow mages may only choose one spell for their shield, but unlike other classes, they have a choice.

Green

You recover a little health.

Magna green: your shield completely drains your enemy's life force, which you can then channel to either yourself or allies.

Red

Your enemy is hit by extra strong resistance shockwave.

Magna red: the shockwave is enough to break all their bones.

Blue

There is no shield spell for blue. Instead, they can use any of the other specific spells (but just one.)

Yellow

• Fire: the enemy feels an intense heat for a few moments. Magna fire: the heat causes them to spontaneously combust.
• Water: the enemy feels an intense cold for a few moments. Magna water: the cold causes death by frostbite.
• Air: the enemy suddenly becomes out of breath for a few seconds. Magna air: the enemy asphyxiates
• Earth: Same as the red spell

White

A nearby animal will attempt to trip up the enemy.

Magna white: all nearby friendly (to you) and neutral animals will attack the enemy unless already engaged in battle.

Purple

The enemy will see a flash of random illusion, causing some confusion.

Magna purple: the enemy will hallucinate totally so that they see friend as foe and vice versa. However, this causes them to lose a nominal amount of fighting skill.

Brown

The enemy will experience an intense dread for a few moments.

Magna brown: the enemy spontaneously dies of fright.