Yeah, that probably is what was done. In 3.0 it was different, and Tower Shields were amazing (full cover all the time at no penalty? Yes please! What's that? Evasion and no AoOs because of this? How much does this nonmagic item cost?)<br/><br/>Clerics were, if you would believe it, even better then. They never provoked for casting. I remember a smug teammate, he'd always state his action, the DM would say "Okay, it gets an attack of oppor-" and he'd make a "I'm waving a tower shield up in front of me" gesture. At which the DM shouts "GODDAMN IT! I HATE TOWER SHIELDS!"<br/><br/>I had no sympathy when it got sundered/dissolved/rusted/whatever.