Another take on shields

In Dungeons & Dragons, shields usually only add one point to the AC. This can be a problem when you want to play in an ancient style. Indeed, in ancient times armor was generally lighter and less covering than in the Middle Ages, which made the shield even more important to make up for the weakness of the armor.

Think of Roman armies, Celtic warriors, and Greek hoplites: they all rely heavily on their shields, and the rules don't allow it.

Based on the principle that the lighter the armor, the more important the shield is to a fighter's fighting style, it would be possible to adjust the bonus to AC that a shield provides based on the armor worn.

Worn armor: Shield AC

• No armor: +4
• Leather armor: +3
• Chain mail: +2
• Plate armor: +1

Thus, a fighter wearing lighter armor will still be able to get away with it, even if he is less protected than a fighter in heavier armor.