Greatshield (3.5e Equipment)

Greatshield
Summary::Greatshields straddle the line between heavy shield and tower shield. Too large to be considered a normal shield, yet not all-covering like a tower shield, they lack the penalties of a tower shield as its bulk is streamlined.  Greatshields require proficiency with tower shields to use properly, as as their lesser cousins come in wooden and metal composition. They cannot be used effectively while mounted due to their bulk, much like tower shields. They can be used for shield bash attacks, but at a -2 penalty to the attack roll and dealing 1d8 damage and 20/x2 critical for a medium greatshield. For the purposes of interacting with feats and combat skills such as disarm, treat the greatshield as a two-handed weapon (even though it is held in one hand).

A greatshield does not provide total cover, as a tower shield, but can instead be used for partial cover (+4 AC and +2 Reflex), though you must give up your attacks to do so. As the tower shield the greatshield does not provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding.