Rubber Shield of Rebounding

Shield, Very Rare, (Requires attunement) This shield has 4 charges. While holding it, you have resistance to lightning and bludgeoning damage. As a reaction you can expend a charge to attempt to rebound an attack from a bludgeoning weapon and redirect the damage to a creature within 5 feet of you. This shield regains 1d4 expended charges at dawn.

During one of the many nights in his workshop, the gnome artificer Wivurit was experimenting on samples from the creatures known in the Forgotten Realms as oozes. The subject of this particular test was an ochre jelly. Known for their voracious nature and extremely acidic composition, it was Wivurit’s goal to discover a counter to the monster’s deadly abilities. Hours had gone by with no results and the gnome grew tired. Calling it a night, Wivurit began collecting the various elements used for testing to put away when, in a blunder, he overturned several vials of chemicals into the jelly. The ooze hissed out in pain as smoke plumed from its mass and then fell silent. What remained was something wholly new to Faerun; having elastic properties and a natural resistance to electricity, Wivurit had created rubber.

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I quite enjoy the idea of one using a rubber shield to bounce back attacks made upon them by an assailant. After all, they do say that the best offense is a good defense! Introducing elements common to our modern society into a fantasy world is always interesting. What process went into creating something we needed such advanced technology to make? What elements of a magically infused world can substitute for what we have in reality? All are fun questions that can spark creativity!

Shields are already a powerful asset to an adventurer's kit, but there are so few with interesting properties. Having one that offers resistance to an elemental type as well as a physical damage type allows its user to really stand out in specific combat scenarios. Plus, the ability to redirect an incoming attack is, I feel, a good way to reward higher level players who may have held onto a more mundane shield throughout their career.

Thanks once again for visiting!

May your crits be frequent and your failures survivable.

-JP