Tower shield

The Tower shield proficiency feat allows a character to use tower shields without incurring a non-proficiency penalty. Note that because of their large size, tower shields invoke a -2 penalty to attack rolls with the tower shield proficiency, and a -10 penalty to attack rolls without the proficiency.

Attack bonus is reduced by 2 when wearing a tower shield, even if you have the tower shield proficiency feat. If you do not have this feat, your attack bonus is further reduced by the tower shield's huge Armor check penalty, which is -10 on ordinary tower shields and rarely better than -9 on masterwork or magic ones.

See also: all shields &middot; all armor

Tips: If you don't plan to attack, cast arcane spells, or make skill checks, the penalties from a tower shield won't impact you. In particular, anyone who uses wands in combat can have a tower shield out at the same time. Equipping a staff will quickly remove the shield (and the arcane failure chance) if you need to cast a real spell. (The biggest drawback is the weight of hauling that big thing around with you. A low-strength wizard may not be able to handle 45 more pounds)

Tower Shields are a viable option for wand-wielding, non-combatant clerics who prefer a higher AC and damage reduction, over the ability to attack enemies.