I didn't think about Weapon Mastery.
But still with the way that Armor Proficiency, Shield is written
Quote:
snip...You may also start to acquire shield Weapon Tricks as if you acquired Weapon Training with all shields.
Why not say that for the purpose of Weapon Mastery Shield, Armor Proficiency, Shield counts as Weapon Training Shield. I mean the Talent it self already says that.
About this bit
Quote:
•Backgrounds like “Awakened Scion” that grant choice of a Weapon Talent, will also allow you to take Weapon Training Shield
and this
Quote:
If you have a background that let's you pick a weapon proficiency I believe you can use that to take WP: Shield even if you don't have armor training with shields. Obviously this gives you access to tricks. Technically this does not give you the ability to use a shield for defense as well...so in practice I think you need to also go back and buy Armor Training Shields or eat the non proficient penalties which suck (see page 187).
A shield always provide some kind of defense bonus. On pg 187 it states that without Armor Proficiency, Shield, shields provide 1 AR that stacks with armor, but you take double the shield's SB to
all attack rolls and all Physical action skill rolls. I would assume that would include attacks with the shield itself.
If you're building a character that wishes to use a shield as a weapon and you're not taking the Martial Archetype, and your Background doesn't provide Armor Proficiency, Shield. Your only option is to take Armor Proficiency, Shield at Step 9 (Talent selection) of Character Creation. That step grants you 2 (or 3 with Flaw) new Talents. You may select any Talent for which you meet the prerequisites. (pg95)
The prerequisite for Armor Proficiency, Shield is Armor Proficiency, any (ta) and all 4 Archetypes give some kind of Armor Proficiency. So it's very easy to get Armor Proficiency, Shield in every build if it's important you.