Shred the Wild
For many centuries, Hyruleans have enjoyed shield-surfing as a pastime, as a sport, and a means of transportation. To that extent, they have created tools dedicated to shield surfing, and shield surfing-adjacent activities, suited for more than just a snowy mountaintop!
In honor of December, here a few of those tools! As well as new feats and techniques to enjoy Shield Surfing!
Surfing Tools
Despite people calling the sport ‘shield surfing’, shields are not actually suited for shield surfing, and will eventually break from prolonged use. For those who don’t want to spend a fortune buying or crafting shields for competitions or just daily travel, these Surfing Tools are a goddess-send!
By default, Surfing Tools do not take Durability damage when used for Shield Surfing in the terrain they were designed for. If a Surfing Tool is used for a surface it isn’t designed for, the Tool may either take durability damage, or may simply not work… A skateboard would simply sink into the snow, or into water, rather than provide even a modicum of movement.
Surfing Tools are a subset of Mundane Tools and can be made from Ancient, Metal, or Wood Materials.
Like other Mundane Tools, Surfing Tools come in ranks. When in their designated terrain, the tools gain (Rank) to Movement when Shield Surfing, before taking into account the surfing boost, and they add their (Rank) to any trait rolls made for moving through or stopping.
For instance, when using ice skates on a frozen lake (a severely slick surface, in this case), you can add the ice skates’ rank to your Agility roll to safely stop!
Finally, every type of Surfing Tool provides a miscellaneous benefit as listed in the table below. This benefit applies while Shield Surfing, and also while using the Surfing Tool when not Shield Surfing.
Surfing Tools can also be used on relatively flat surfaces, using the same actions as Shield Surfing. However, unlike with Shield Surfing, when used in this way Surfing Tools normally do not provide the (Rank) bonus to Movement, not do you gain a multiplier to their Movement or any other benefit derived from Shield Surfing beyond the miscellaneous benefits listed below.
Types of Surfing Tools
| Tool | Terrain | Misc Benefit |
| Skiis, snowboards | Snow | Ignores difficult terrain caused by deep snow |
| Ice skates | Ice | Can roll twice to use Sand Attack on ice |
| Skates, skateboards | Solid terrain such as dirt, metal, stone, etc | Gain Movement bonus even when not Shield Surfing |
| Surfboard | Water | Floats naturally in liquids |
| Sandboard | Sand | Ignores difficult terrain caused by deep and quick sand |
Other surfing tools may exist for other forms of terrain. Perhaps Subrosians have figured out a means of lava surfing!
New Rules
Shield Surfing on a Weapon Spirit
Back in May, Elemental Knight shared Avara’s Weapon Spirit race. One possibility that came up in the process of writing this article is riding upon a Weapon Spirit’s Shield.
If you are Shield Surfing on a Weapon Spirit, you are treated as mounting the Weapon Spirit. Thus, neither of you can use Combat Maneuvers, Spells or Techniques.
New Weapon Enchantment: Shredding
Uses: Emerald
Equipment Type: Shield
Effect: While Shield Surfing, your Movement is increased by (Rank / 2) before taking into account the shield surfing boost, and Durability consumption per ride is capped out at (5 – Rank) Durability.
New Feat: Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
6 tokens
Trait requirements: Selmie’s Surfing Style, Athletics 6
Effect: You can Shield Surf on level ground, though your movement is not increased beyond the static Movement bonus from your Surfing Tool or a Shield with the Shredding enchantment. You can also Shield Surf uphill, but you are Slowed while doing so. In addition, if you move your full Movement while Shield Surfing, you become Hard to Hit until the beginning of your next turn.
New Feat: Selmie’s Surfing Style
3 tokens
Trait Requirement: Athletics 3
Effect: When Shield Surfing with at least one empty hand, you can use the shield you are surfing on as if you had it equipped in your hand. For instance, the shield can be used for Basic Attacks, Combat Maneuvers, Reactions, etc, and the enchantment on the shield can apply to you as appropriate. Also, you can use Spells and Techniques if you are surfing on a Weapon Spirit. In addition, your surfing Shield’s damage rating increases by 2.
New Feat: Surfer’s Alacrity
3 tokens
Trait Requirement: Selmie’s Surfing Style, Agility 3
Effect: You may start or stop Shield Surfing as a Free Action, once per turn.
New Feat: Surfing Spirit
3 tokens
Trait Requirement: Athletics 3, Weapon Spirit
Effect: You may use Combat Maneuvers, Spells, and Techniques while being used for Shield Surfing. If you make an attack as a Shield while being used as a surfing Shield, your damage rating increases by 2.
New Technique: Link’s Bomb Boost
3 tokens
Cost: 1 Stamina
Use Requirement: Shield Surfing
Reaction
Effect: If you are hit by a bomb explosion while shield surfing, you reduce the damage received by 50%, after applying Resistance. In addition, you can choose to be launched a number of squares in any direction equal to or less than the base damage of the bomb’s explosion, in addition to any Bomb’s regular Push effects.
New Technique: Selmie’s Shield Slam
6 tokens
Learn Requirement: Selmie’s Surfing Style
Cost: 12 Stamina
Use Requirement: Shield Surfing on a Shield
Range: (Horizontal Jump)
Damage: Weapon + Combat + Athletics
Effect: You jump towards your target in a straight line and slam your surfing Shield into them. Roll To-Hit target’s Vitality; on success, target is Pushed 1 square away. You can then jump again, using your target’s square as the origin point. This attack cannot be performed if you are Halted or Slowed.
29 July 2020 – The word “Speed” has been changed to “Movement” throughout this document, where appropriate. In addition, some sentences were reworded to specify that the rider is gaining the bonus to Movement, not the Surfing Tool itself.