Supernatural Shields Reinterpreted

Supernatural Shields in Tsuwamono

The rules for using shields to defend against attacks in Anima are vague at best. The purpose of this handout is to clarify exactly how they function in the context of the modified battle system used in Tsuwamono.
Original: As written in the Core Rulebook, it would seem that supernatural shields are an "all-or-nothing" style of defense. That is, if the defense succeeds, the shield takes the full damage of the attack. If it fails, the caster takes the full attack instead. Due to the variety of power levels on display in Tsuwamono, this system often makes shields too risky to be viable; a powerful attacker can in many cases simply overwhelm a caster or psychic and slay them in a single hit.
Revision: Supernatural shields are treated similarly to Block and Dodge, in that they reduce a portion of damage taken by the defender. The shield then takes the reduced amount itself, plus anything reflected back from whatever armor or other protections the character might also have. In game terms, after combat calculations, a supernatural shield used to defend takes damage to its LP equal to the base damage of the incoming attack minus the final damage taken by the target, if positive. This amount is calculated before determining whether the target's damage taken is nullified by a damage barrier.
Actions: Using a supernatural shield to defend is considered a Reaction. This means it cannot be used simultaneously with other reactions, such as Block or Dodge, against the same attack. If a character has a supernatural shield active and is also skilled in Block or Dodge, they must choose one of these options to use to defend against that particular attack. However, defending with a shield does not impose penalties for multiple defenses.
Shielding Others: When using a shield to protect an ally, the target's jarring movements as they fight make it difficult to keep the barrier steady. This means that the ally, when attacked, can do one of two things: 1) Attempt to block or dodge themselves, in which case the caster protecting them can attempt to negate the attack in an "all-or-nothing" block similar to using Guardian; or 2) allow the caster protecting them to fully defend on their behalf, giving up their chance to block or dodge, but allowing the caster to use the shield to its full capabilities and reduce damage dealt, albeit at the normal -30 penalty for shielding another.

Type

Guide, How-to