Andvare
2012-09-01, 06:50 AM
The rules states that you need a free hand to cast spells with somatic components.
And the interpretation of the light shield seems to be that it isn't a free hand, even though you can hold items in it. This is still not definitively clarified I think?
You can, however, switch an object from your other hand to your shield hand (with a light shield). This includes a weapon, though you cannot use that weapon when held this way. This does not take any action, so sayeth James Jacobs:
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/rules/layOnHandsWithALightShield&page=1#24
But you can still not cast spells with a somatic component, while holding a heavy/tower shield and a weapon, nor can you use lay on hands.
Yes, bloody stupid, but there you go.
You can use a hand with which you carry a buckler and cast somatic component spells at the same time, you do, however, lose the AC bonus from the shield.
What all this means, is that you can have a mithral light shield, and still cast arcane spells with somatic components, provided you are only holding one other object at the time.
In fact, I see no reason to use the buckler, unless that one lbs a light shield (½ lbs with mithral) weighs more than a buckler does, is enough to crush you beneath its mighty weight. Oh and a light shield does cost an astonishing four gold more. You can also get a quickdraw version of a light shield, no such luck for a buckler. Yes, this means that for 50 gold extra, you can get a light shield that you can don quicker than you could ever don a buckler. This does increase the armour check penalty by one, and the weight by one.
Am I missing something here?
Now if you don't agree with James Jakobs, you can always use a shield spike, and be armed while carrying a light shield and still have one hand free.
And if you don't agree with James Jakobs, a cleric can't really use a shield in any meaningful way, neither can a paladin that wants to cast spells or use lay on hands, nor can a bard.
The rules for spellcasting and shields are bloody bonkers IMHO. You can easily circumvent them as someone who is probably not meant to use a shield (wizard sorcerer), but they completely blocks a big part of a class that is somewhat of a synonym with shield use (paladin).
Utter stupidity, from a moronic rule holdover from 3.X.
If you put a shield spike on a light shield, it is now also a light martial weapon, and the spikes can be enchanted as such. As a spellcaster you are probably not proficient with it though.
Duelling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons#TOC-Dueling) is a nice weapon enchantment, cost 14000 gp, but gives you a +4 enhancement bonus on initiative, as well as +2 on feint and disarm (offensive and defensive).
Guardian (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons#TOC-Guardian) is also very nice, gives your the opportunity to turn your shield spike weapon into a resistance item, that stacks with your other resistance items.
Both of these are probably better on a shield spike than a melee weapon, because both needs the weapon to be wielded, and you almost always wield your shield. Or you could get the quickdraw version and the quickdraw feat, which lets you don the shield as a free action.
The Allying (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons#TOC-Allying) could potentially also be useful, though it is probably not worth it.
Any other tricks out there?
And the interpretation of the light shield seems to be that it isn't a free hand, even though you can hold items in it. This is still not definitively clarified I think?
You can, however, switch an object from your other hand to your shield hand (with a light shield). This includes a weapon, though you cannot use that weapon when held this way. This does not take any action, so sayeth James Jacobs:
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/rules/layOnHandsWithALightShield&page=1#24
But you can still not cast spells with a somatic component, while holding a heavy/tower shield and a weapon, nor can you use lay on hands.
Yes, bloody stupid, but there you go.
You can use a hand with which you carry a buckler and cast somatic component spells at the same time, you do, however, lose the AC bonus from the shield.
What all this means, is that you can have a mithral light shield, and still cast arcane spells with somatic components, provided you are only holding one other object at the time.
In fact, I see no reason to use the buckler, unless that one lbs a light shield (½ lbs with mithral) weighs more than a buckler does, is enough to crush you beneath its mighty weight. Oh and a light shield does cost an astonishing four gold more. You can also get a quickdraw version of a light shield, no such luck for a buckler. Yes, this means that for 50 gold extra, you can get a light shield that you can don quicker than you could ever don a buckler. This does increase the armour check penalty by one, and the weight by one.
Am I missing something here?
Now if you don't agree with James Jakobs, you can always use a shield spike, and be armed while carrying a light shield and still have one hand free.
And if you don't agree with James Jakobs, a cleric can't really use a shield in any meaningful way, neither can a paladin that wants to cast spells or use lay on hands, nor can a bard.
The rules for spellcasting and shields are bloody bonkers IMHO. You can easily circumvent them as someone who is probably not meant to use a shield (wizard sorcerer), but they completely blocks a big part of a class that is somewhat of a synonym with shield use (paladin).
Utter stupidity, from a moronic rule holdover from 3.X.
If you put a shield spike on a light shield, it is now also a light martial weapon, and the spikes can be enchanted as such. As a spellcaster you are probably not proficient with it though.
Duelling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons#TOC-Dueling) is a nice weapon enchantment, cost 14000 gp, but gives you a +4 enhancement bonus on initiative, as well as +2 on feint and disarm (offensive and defensive).
Guardian (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons#TOC-Guardian) is also very nice, gives your the opportunity to turn your shield spike weapon into a resistance item, that stacks with your other resistance items.
Both of these are probably better on a shield spike than a melee weapon, because both needs the weapon to be wielded, and you almost always wield your shield. Or you could get the quickdraw version and the quickdraw feat, which lets you don the shield as a free action.
The Allying (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons#TOC-Allying) could potentially also be useful, though it is probably not worth it.
Any other tricks out there?