Dervish and Ring of Force Shield [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dervish and Ring of Force Shield [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
QueenAura
01-27-05, 04:28 PM Can a dervish use a Ring of Force Shield while in a Dervish dance? I've heard it both ways. My thought is just because it counts as a shield bonus doesn't make it "wielding a shield". Mage Armor is an armor bonus and wizards aren't proficient with armor, yet they can use the spell without penalty. This should be the same or, once again, wizards and monks would also have problems using a Ring of Force Shield. I'd like to see an official ruling to which I could refer.
King Kashue
01-27-05, 05:21 PM Read the item description in the DMG:

"this simple ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC)."

The "shield" that the ring produces must be wielded as if it were a heavy shield...That wielding prevents two weapon fighting, dervish dance, etc...

It's better than a heavy shield since it has no armor check penalty (and thus doesn't hinder those without proficiency), no enc, can be turned on and off, and is force (and thus applies against ethereal and incorporeal creatures) but it is still something that must be wielded...
SirDusk
01-30-05, 08:09 PM you left out a big part of the discription of the ring.

Ring of Force Shield: An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield sized (and shield-shape) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded as by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (AC +2). This special creation has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action.

Now the key words are

... as if it where a heavy shield (AC +2)...

... weightless and encumbrance-free...

... activated and deactivated at will as a free action....

so yes the shield counts as a large shield but you hold the weapon in your hand and have the ring activated befor your attack you deactivate it... make your amount of attacks... then after your attacks you activate it... its at will as a free action...

you are right if you had a large shield there you couldnt attack with your off hand but the fact that the ring can be turned on and off at will... I'd say you could... but thats my opinion...

now the question could you put Magic Vestment on top of it... Honestly I think for LG Magic Vestments on normal cloths or Mage Armor is better then buying bracers... you cant even find bracers worth anything in LG...
King Kashue
01-30-05, 10:06 PM you left out a big part of the discription of the ring.

Ring of Force Shield: An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield sized (and shield-shape) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded as by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (AC +2). This special creation has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action.

Now the key words are

... as if it where a heavy shield (AC +2)...

... weightless and encumbrance-free...

... activated and deactivated at will as a free action....

so yes the shield counts as a large shield but you hold the weapon in your hand and have the ring activated befor your attack you deactivate it... make your amount of attacks... then after your attacks you activate it... its at will as a free action...

you are right if you had a large shield there you couldnt attack with your off hand but the fact that the ring can be turned on and off at will... I'd say you could... but thats my opinion...

now the question could you put Magic Vestment on top of it... Honestly I think for LG Magic Vestments on normal cloths or Mage Armor is better then buying bracers... you cant even find bracers worth anything in LG...

It seems the key word is still "wielding"...the hand with the ring has to be free, as per the instructions for wielding a heavy shield (which requires that hand to hold the shield...It doesn't say "provides a shield bonus equal to" or "provides protection equivalent to", it says "can be wielded as"

If we were talking about a two-handed weapon, where the person attacks with two hands, then lets go with one hand (a free action), turns on the ring (free action) defends himself, and then turns it off and attacks again, that would work, because you have the requisite free hand...

However, with two weapons, you still need to wield the shield, and you can't do that with your hand full of a second weapon...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
QueenAura 01-27-05, 04:28 PM	Can a dervish use a Ring of Force Shield while in a Dervish dance? I've heard it both ways. My thought is just because it counts as a shield bonus doesn't make it "wielding a shield". Mage Armor is an armor bonus and wizards aren't proficient with armor, yet they can use the spell without penalty. This should be the same or, once again, wizards and monks would also have problems using a Ring of Force Shield. I'd like to see an official ruling to which I could refer.
King Kashue 01-27-05, 05:21 PM	Read the item description in the DMG: "this simple ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC)." The "shield" that the ring produces must be wielded as if it were a heavy shield...That wielding prevents two weapon fighting, dervish dance, etc... It's better than a heavy shield since it has no armor check penalty (and thus doesn't hinder those without proficiency), no enc, can be turned on and off, and is force (and thus applies against ethereal and incorporeal creatures) but it is still something that must be wielded...
SirDusk 01-30-05, 08:09 PM	you left out a big part of the discription of the ring. Ring of Force Shield: An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield sized (and shield-shape) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded as by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (AC +2). This special creation has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action. Now the key words are ... as if it where a heavy shield (AC +2)... ... weightless and encumbrance-free... ... activated and deactivated at will as a free action.... so yes the shield counts as a large shield but you hold the weapon in your hand and have the ring activated befor your attack you deactivate it... make your amount of attacks... then after your attacks you activate it... its at will as a free action... you are right if you had a large shield there you couldnt attack with your off hand but the fact that the ring can be turned on and off at will... I'd say you could... but thats my opinion... now the question could you put Magic Vestment on top of it... Honestly I think for LG Magic Vestments on normal cloths or Mage Armor is better then buying bracers... you cant even find bracers worth anything in LG...
King Kashue 01-30-05, 10:06 PM	you left out a big part of the discription of the ring. Ring of Force Shield: An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield sized (and shield-shape) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded as by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (AC +2). This special creation has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action. Now the key words are ... as if it where a heavy shield (AC +2)... ... weightless and encumbrance-free... ... activated and deactivated at will as a free action.... so yes the shield counts as a large shield but you hold the weapon in your hand and have the ring activated befor your attack you deactivate it... make your amount of attacks... then after your attacks you activate it... its at will as a free action... you are right if you had a large shield there you couldnt attack with your off hand but the fact that the ring can be turned on and off at will... I'd say you could... but thats my opinion... now the question could you put Magic Vestment on top of it... Honestly I think for LG Magic Vestments on normal cloths or Mage Armor is better then buying bracers... you cant even find bracers worth anything in LG... It seems the key word is still "wielding"...the hand with the ring has to be free, as per the instructions for wielding a heavy shield (which requires that hand to hold the shield...It doesn't say "provides a shield bonus equal to" or "provides protection equivalent to", it says "can be wielded as" If we were talking about a two-handed weapon, where the person attacks with two hands, then lets go with one hand (a free action), turns on the ring (free action) defends himself, and then turns it off and attacks again, that would work, because you have the requisite free hand... However, with two weapons, you still need to wield the shield, and you can't do that with your hand full of a second weapon...