Working in the full realization that I could have Shield Use (if it didn't distract from all of those tasty magical skills)...
...but also of course the fact that a Bard cannot even learn Shield Charge (and has to use CMan points to get Shield Bash in the first place)...

What exactly is one supposed to do about something like this?

---

[Reim Settlement, Village]
You also see a large glowing chest.
Obvious paths: south
>
A cold, ethereal mist rolls in, heralding the arrival of the Bartender!
Glaring menacingly, an ethereal peasant rushes toward you!
>
The Bartender rushes forward at you with its wooden shield and attempts a shield charge!
[Roll result: 173 (open d100: 74)]
The Bartender lunges at you with a skilled shield charge and you flip through the air, landing on your head with a crash!
... 13 points of damage!
Solid blow gouges a chunk out of your right leg.
You are stunned!
Roundtime: 19 sec.
Roundtime changed to 16 seconds.

---

+99 on the skill check. That's about as close to "he's guaranteed to hit me" as you can get. :(

Worst thing is, I actually do have some ranks of SBash--as a CMan--simply for defense.

I think Starchitin nailed it but I think this is one of those best defense is a good offense scenarios for you. When you come across opponents that have an especially dangerous attack for you then disable them as the priority.

And learn to tip better, cheapskate! :p

-- Robert

>> A halfling magistrate picks up a small rock and throws it at a half-elven bandit in a valiant effort to subdue him.

>What exactly is one supposed to do about something like this?

Practise your RP insults and threats on it while waiting for the 50s of RT from stacked warcries on top of that to wear off. Scripting won't work, they attack on spawning not shortly afterwards.