Sonic Shield Song (1009)

Sonic Shield Song (1009) Mnemonic [SONICSHIELD] Duration As long as the Bard is singing the song Defensive Magic   Subtype Create Shield  Defensive Strength +10 base + (SpellSongs/2)  Enhancement base shield bonus  Availability Self-cast

Bard Base Spells Holding Song (1001) Attack Vibration Chant (1002) Attack Fortitude Song (1003) Defensive Purification Song (1004) Utility Lullabye (1005) Attack Song of Luck (1006) Utility Kai's Triumph Song (1007) Offensive Stunning Shout (1008) Attack Sonic Shield Song (1009) Utility Song of Valor (1010) Defensive Song of Peace (1011) Utility Sonic Weapon Song (1012) Utility Song of Unravelling (1013) Attack Sonic Armor (1014) Utility Song of Depression (1015) Attack Song of Rage (1016) Attack Song of Noise (1017) Utility Song of Power (1018) Utility Song of Mirrors (1019) Defensive Traveler's Song (1020) Utility Singing Sword Song (1025) Utility Song of Sonic Disruption (1030) Attack Song of Tonis (1035) Defensive Troubadour's Rally (1040) Utility

General Info

While singing the Sonic Shield Song the Bard is able to create a shield made from pure air, wielded in the left-hand. The base enchant of the shield is +10 (2x), and is increased by +1 for every two Bard spellsongs known, stopping at a maximum bonus of +35; essentially a 7x shield.

• Note that the bonus conferred is for every spellsong known--including the first eight and this one--rather than "all known above this one", as so many other spells calculate; further note that rounding works. This means that a Bard who first learns this spellsong will summon a
  +10 + (9/2) == +10 + 4.5 == +10 +5 == +15 shield.
• Yet furthermore, spellsongs known above the Bard's level do count; this again is different from how spells frequently work.

Training in Shield Use for the Bard is required to be successful with using a sonic shield, just as it is required to generate defense with a normal shield.

The default shield size sung is a medium size, but other sizes (small, medium, large, and tower) may also be sung.

All Sonic Shields weigh 1/10 of a pound (16 coins). This can provide a benefit to the Bard's encumbrance.

Furthermore, the base strength of a sonic shield is 1, and the base durability of the sonic shield is 125 + 1/2 of the character's level.

Lore Benefits

• Elemental Lore, Air: Training in this provides a bonus to the base durability of sonic items. At the minimum, 1 rank will provide a bonus of 5 to the item's base durability. At a maximum of 101 air lore ranks a bonus of 201 is added to the base durability.

Also, training in this reduces the shield hindrance when evading an attack. Starting at 20 ranks, the bard's shield will be considered one size smaller for hindrance purposes. While at 50 ranks, the shield will be considered 2 sizes smaller. And finally, at 100 ranks, the Bard's sonic shield will be considered to be three sizes smaller. Essentially, this means that a Bard with 100 ranks of air lore could use a sonic tower shield and only receive the hindrances associated with a small shield instead.

Usage

After preparing the spell, SING <shield type>.

Renewal Cost

4 MP

Available Shields by Size

(pounds) Base Weights:	Small Shields 6	Medium Shields 8	Large Shields 10	Tower Shields 12
	buckler kidney shield small shield targe	heater heater shield knight's shield lantern shield medium parma target	aegis kite shield large shield pageant shield scutum	greatshield mantlet pavis tower shield wall shield

Making It Pretty

As a very welcome Christmas present, on 25 December 2005 GM Mestys announced that customized Sonic Shields were possible. All such alterations must follow the standard alteration limits, including the 15/15/15 rule; a "long" or "show" description is permitted.

• Such alterations are available for Sonic Shield Song (1009) as well as for Sonic Armor (1014) and Sonic Blade Song (1012).

External Links

• Bard Base Spell Circle: Sonic Shield Song, on Play.net