Could you do a spell with a heavy shield? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Could you do a spell with a heavy shield? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Marendithas_the_Necro
10-19-06, 06:38 PM The question is here can you answer me ? I was thinking of no, because of the lesser shields are there for something no?
Wharin
10-19-06, 06:50 PM If you are a Divine Caster, absolutely. All you need is a single free hand for any spell with a Somatic component (which is like all of them).

If you are refering to an Arcane Caster, the answer is a bit more complicated. The short answers is: you can always certainly try. But there are a few things you need to consider. All shields carry an Automatic Spell Failure (this, except for maybe some other esoteric class i never heard about, only applies to Arcane Spellcasters, like Wizards), which means that under normal circumstances, there will be a chance that your spell will fizzle. The bigger the shield, the greater the chance. But there are also a few mitigating circumstances. Some classes and prestige classes either lessen or negate entirely any ASF the shield would have. Also, certain materials can also lessen the chance, like Mithral. There are even an enchantment or 3 that do the same thing.

So getting to your question one more time for good measure: Yes you can, but, unless you have taken measures, don't expect it to work out for you all the time.
aotrscommander
10-19-06, 07:11 PM Did you mean, can you cast a spell with your shield arm if wearing a heavy shield?

If so, then no (you can't use your hand for anything with a heavy shield on it, not even holding your weapon while you cast, by RAW).
Tony Vargas
10-19-06, 07:56 PM If you're wearing a buckler, you can cast a spell with the hand the buckler's on.

If you're wearing a Light Shield, you can't cast with that hand, but, you /can/ transfer whatever you're holding in the other hand to your shield hand to cast, then transfer it back.

If you're wearing a Heavy Shield, you can't cast with that hand, nor hold anything else in it, so your only options when holding something in the other hand is to drop it or put it away before casting.
Marendithas_the_Necro
10-19-06, 08:03 PM thanks
aotrscommander
10-19-06, 08:10 PM If you're wearing a buckler, you can cast a spell with the hand the buckler's on.

If you're wearing a Light Shield, you can't cast with that hand, but, you /can/ transfer whatever you're holding in the other hand to your shield hand to cast, then transfer it back.

If you're wearing a Heavy Shield, you can't cast with that hand, nor hold anything else in it, so your only options when holding something in the other hand is to drop it or put it away before casting.

That was much clearer than mine! (It's getting late here, and my brain is starting to shut down. Off to the crypt...)
DarknessEternal
10-20-06, 02:52 AM If you're wearing a Light Shield, you can't cast with that hand, but, you /can/ transfer whatever you're holding in the other hand to your shield hand to cast, then transfer it back.
But not all in the same round. Move action to swap a weapon between hands.
tarkin
10-20-06, 10:33 AM Switching grips is a free action, not a Move Action.
jaelis
10-20-06, 10:53 AM I think the FAQ says it's a move action, but I think making it a free action is better.
Tony Vargas
10-20-06, 12:42 PM Changing grips (one-handed to two-handed) is a free action, changing grips twice can swap a weapon from one hand to another. Swapping a weapon to your shield hand to cast, then back again is thus using the same free action 4 times in one round.

The DM is entirely within his rights to limit the number of times you can repeat a free action in one round. IIRC, the FAQ does reccomend making changing grips twice to swap a weapon from one hand to the other a move. I don't think it's a great idea. Even if your DM agrees with me, he might instead rule it a move action to swap hands a second time in the same round.

If the action is left free, it'd mean that a weapon & shield caster could threaten with his weapon between rounds in which he casts.

Note that a caster with a two-handed weapon (like a wizard with a staff) /can/ switch from a two-handed grip to a one-handed grip to cast, and back to threaten between rounds of casting.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Marendithas_the_Necro 10-19-06, 06:38 PM	The question is here can you answer me ? I was thinking of no, because of the lesser shields are there for something no?
Wharin 10-19-06, 06:50 PM	If you are a Divine Caster, absolutely. All you need is a single free hand for any spell with a Somatic component (which is like all of them). If you are refering to an Arcane Caster, the answer is a bit more complicated. The short answers is: you can always certainly try. But there are a few things you need to consider. All shields carry an Automatic Spell Failure (this, except for maybe some other esoteric class i never heard about, only applies to Arcane Spellcasters, like Wizards), which means that under normal circumstances, there will be a chance that your spell will fizzle. The bigger the shield, the greater the chance. But there are also a few mitigating circumstances. Some classes and prestige classes either lessen or negate entirely any ASF the shield would have. Also, certain materials can also lessen the chance, like Mithral. There are even an enchantment or 3 that do the same thing. So getting to your question one more time for good measure: Yes you can, but, unless you have taken measures, don't expect it to work out for you all the time.
aotrscommander 10-19-06, 07:11 PM	Did you mean, can you cast a spell with your shield arm if wearing a heavy shield? If so, then no (you can't use your hand for anything with a heavy shield on it, not even holding your weapon while you cast, by RAW).
Tony Vargas 10-19-06, 07:56 PM	If you're wearing a buckler, you can cast a spell with the hand the buckler's on. If you're wearing a Light Shield, you can't cast with that hand, but, you /can/ transfer whatever you're holding in the other hand to your shield hand to cast, then transfer it back. If you're wearing a Heavy Shield, you can't cast with that hand, nor hold anything else in it, so your only options when holding something in the other hand is to drop it or put it away before casting.
Marendithas_the_Necro 10-19-06, 08:03 PM	thanks
aotrscommander 10-19-06, 08:10 PM	If you're wearing a buckler, you can cast a spell with the hand the buckler's on. If you're wearing a Light Shield, you can't cast with that hand, but, you /can/ transfer whatever you're holding in the other hand to your shield hand to cast, then transfer it back. If you're wearing a Heavy Shield, you can't cast with that hand, nor hold anything else in it, so your only options when holding something in the other hand is to drop it or put it away before casting. That was much clearer than mine! (It's getting late here, and my brain is starting to shut down. Off to the crypt...)
DarknessEternal 10-20-06, 02:52 AM	If you're wearing a Light Shield, you can't cast with that hand, but, you /can/ transfer whatever you're holding in the other hand to your shield hand to cast, then transfer it back. But not all in the same round. Move action to swap a weapon between hands.
tarkin 10-20-06, 10:33 AM	Switching grips is a free action, not a Move Action.
jaelis 10-20-06, 10:53 AM	I think the FAQ says it's a move action, but I think making it a free action is better.
Tony Vargas 10-20-06, 12:42 PM	Changing grips (one-handed to two-handed) is a free action, changing grips twice can swap a weapon from one hand to another. Swapping a weapon to your shield hand to cast, then back again is thus using the same free action 4 times in one round. The DM is entirely within his rights to limit the number of times you can repeat a free action in one round. IIRC, the FAQ does reccomend making changing grips twice to swap a weapon from one hand to the other a move. I don't think it's a great idea. Even if your DM agrees with me, he might instead rule it a move action to swap hands a second time in the same round. If the action is left free, it'd mean that a weapon & shield caster could threaten with his weapon between rounds in which he casts. Note that a caster with a two-handed weapon (like a wizard with a staff) /can/ switch from a two-handed grip to a one-handed grip to cast, and back to threaten between rounds of casting.