PDA

View Full Version : Shield Gauntlet: Wait, what?



Kris Strife
2009-07-14, 07:53 AM
So, the description for the item says its loved by spell casters because it lets them have a shield other than a buckler, while their hand is free for spell components and specifically mentions it leaves the hand free for somatic components.

So why does the table say it has a 35% ASF? Thats as much as a regular suit of full plate!

Is this a typo or just a seperation of fluff and crunch?

quick_comment
2009-07-14, 07:56 AM
ASF!= hands free for somatic components. Normally, if you have a weapon in each hand, you cannot cast spells with somatic components AT ALL. This lets spellswords and such cast spells with their shield hand.

Kaiyanwang
2009-07-14, 08:00 AM
Think about Divine Spellcasters.

Quietus
2009-07-14, 08:00 AM
Seems to me it was made more for Divine casters than Arcane, given that Divine casters tend to have A) The proficiency to actually USE a shield, and B) don't suffer ASF when casting. This way, say, a cleric of Moradin could have a big honkin' warhammer in one hand, a shield gauntlet strapped onto the other, and still be capable of producing material components of spells/wielding his Holy Symbol.

quick_comment
2009-07-14, 08:02 AM
Seems to me it was made more for Divine casters than Arcane, given that Divine casters tend to have A) The proficiency to actually USE a shield, and B) don't suffer ASF when casting. This way, say, a cleric of Moradin could have a big honkin' warhammer in one hand, a shield gauntlet strapped onto the other, and still be capable of producing material components of spells/wielding his Holy Symbol.

He could also just engrave his holy symbol on his warhammer. Im pretty sure the symbol of Moradin is a hammer, so this way you can put your hammer on your hammer so you can smite while you smite.

Kris Strife
2009-07-14, 08:07 AM
Oops, my bad. It does say Divine spell casters. Still seems odd to me that it has the same ASF as Full Plate.

Justyn
2009-07-14, 08:09 AM
He could also just engrave his holy symbol on his warhammer. Im pretty sure the symbol of Moradin is a hammer, so this way you can put your hammer on your hammer so you can smite while you smite.

I see what you did there. :smallwink:

Riffington
2009-07-14, 08:49 AM
He could also just engrave his holy symbol on his warhammer. Im pretty sure the symbol of Moradin is a hammer, so this way you can put your hammer on your hammer so you can smite while you smite.

Sup dawg!
So, the hammer is a holy symbol, but it's also very heavy. I can't promise what RAW says about this, but at least some DMs will say that you need a hand free to cast spells with a somatic focus. A tiny hammer of Moradin counts as a hand free as well as a holy symbol, but a Warhammer of Moradin counts as a holy symbol without counting as a free hand.

Kris Strife
2009-07-14, 09:13 AM
I think you can carry a 2-handed weapon around with out using both hands, you just can't attack with it (at least not with out some kind of penalty). Considering that the heaviest 2-hander in core is the Orc Double Ax which weighs in at a measly 15 lbs, which is a light load if you have a strength score greater than 4...

Also, Warhammers are 1 handed weapons anyways. :smalltongue: