Wizard using a shield?

[Streetguru]

hi there new to D&D and just starting in 4e, if a wizard were to train in/use a light shield he would still have the ability to cast spells and the like correct?

going for a battle mage kinda character.

[VeliciaL]

If they get the proficiency, there's nothing stopping the character from casting spells while wearing one, so long as they've got an implement in the main hand.

That said, there are other ways to get a shield bonus than actually wielding a shield, that might fit a wizard better. It's your character though :)

[Dimers]

And for that matter, if you can get proficiency with an implement that doesn't require a hand -- like a holy symbol or a ki focus -- then you don't even need a hand free for good-quality casting.

Please keep in mind, though, that a good majority of wizard powers are ranged and area attacks, which means they provoke opportunity attacks.

[VeliciaL]

I'd completely forgotten the hands-free implements. There's also weapliments, i.e. weapons that can also be used as an implement.

I think there are ways of dealing with Opportunity Attacks while casting spells, although the only one that comes immediately to mind is Staff Expertise, and if you're going staves you might as well grab Hafted Defense instead of a shield. It'd cost you Dual Implement Expertise, but so would a shield.

[Mando Knight]

It's probably a waste of feats, however, unless you get something else in the package. Light Shield grants a +1 to AC and Ref, Ref being the Wizard's second-best NAD... while Leather and Unarmored Defense grant +2 to AC, which is the most critical defense.

[Tegu8788]

In 4E, you can walk around in full on plate armor with a heavy shield and a big hammer and cast spells all day long. None of the helps your spellcasting, but none of it hurts you either. Implements boost your casting accuracy, but you never need one to use a spell.

[Shatteredtower]

In 4E, you can walk around in full on plate armor with a heavy shield and a big hammer and cast spells all day long. None of the helps your spellcasting, but none of it hurts you either.

If none of the powers you use require you to make an attack roll, this can work in your favour, since you don't need to be proficient with armor to gain its benefits, so long as you're willing to accept the penalty to attack rolls. Enchantment can be a good school for this. Conjuration isn't a preferred option for wizards, but the extra boost to AC and Reflex can make such resources more durable. They don't hurt you either, and you might find some of the magical properties available only for heavy armor to your liking. (No promises.)

If you're trying to avoid opportunity attacks while spellcasting, you might want to look into shimmering cloth armor or Staff Expertise, as someone else mentioned. (You don't need two hands free to use a staff as an implement.)


Implements boost your casting accuracy, but you never need one to use a spell.

This won't cause you too many problems in early heroic tier, where it's generally the difference between missing up to 15% more often. (The difference between casting with nothing up your sleeve and having the Expertise feat for your +1 accurate implement.) It's suicidally unforgiving at epic tier, assuming you wish to play on to those levels.

[Hal]

Please keep in mind, though, that a good majority of wizard powers are ranged and area attacks, which means they provoke opportunity attacks.

However, I don't think close burst/blast attacks provoke OAs; I'm dreadfully unfamiliar with wizard powers, but surely there are options in this category.

All that said, a Swordmage is also a reasonable "wizard with a shield" character, assuming you're not sold on being a controller instead of a defender.

[Badgerish]

the "hafted defence" feat turns a staff INTO a light shield. It provides +1 shield to AC and Reflex, when you are using a staff/polearm in two hands.
Added to staff expertise, seems like a great defensive option.

Swordmages need to keep are strongly incentivised to keep a hand free, so a shield isn't a good option unless you are ising a spiked shield or fighting shield in your main hand.

[VeliciaL]

the "hafted defence" feat turns a staff INTO a light shield. It provides +1 shield to AC and Reflex, when you are using a staff/polearm in two hands.
Added to staff expertise, seems like a great defensive option.

I did this once just to experiment: A human wizard with 20 Int, Staff of Defense (wizard feature), Unarmored Agility, and Hafted Defense gets a lvl 1 AC of 19, which is about what a fighter in scale and a heavy shield manages :P Add in Staff Expertise, and you have a wizard who's not afraid to mix it up in melee. Or at least to cast spells right in the monster's face.

[Mando Knight]

In 4E, you can walk around in full on plate armor with a heavy shield and a big hammer and cast spells all day long. None of the helps your spellcasting, but none of it hurts you either. Implements boost your casting accuracy, but you never need one to use a spell.
You could do that in 3.5, too. It's called being a Cleric. :smalltongue: (though you would probably need to drop the hammer when actually casting)

Swordmages need to keep are strongly incentivised to keep a hand free, so a shield isn't a good option unless you are ising a spiked shield or fighting shield in your main hand.
You have a shield... it's your sword.

[Dimers]

However, I don't think close burst/blast attacks provoke OAs; I'm dreadfully unfamiliar with wizard powers, but surely there are options in this category.

Yes, a substantial minority. The only category wizards really don't get is melee. And some bursts/blasts are quite effective. But restricting yourself from ranged and area powers means you miss out on many excellent options, provoking OAs is bad regardless of shield proficiency :smallamused:, and to use close attacks requires you to be ... um ... close. Near the front line. Your defender ally is going to say to you, "How am I supposed to keep these guys away from you if you keep walking right up to them?" So it's worth pointing out that the wizard class has lots of incentive to find ways to use ranged and area powers without provoking.

[Streetguru]

Thanks for the info

trying to make a swordmage/battlemage ect...

reading the handbook atm but i was thinking of picking up...
Unarmored Agility for the +2 with no armor
i only get 1 feat at level 1 right?
Toughness for more HP later on...

Eladrin is the race so i get the bonus to longswords, int and dex

i was also thinking of doing the whole hybrid class with a fighter or something...

[Tegu8788]

Only way to get a second feat at level one is to be a human, unless your DM handwaves something.

As for the hybrid issue, I'm a self proclaimed hybrid expert, and if you are a new player, then there are a number of things you have to consider before you make a hybrid character. I've got a link in my signature that has some good information, I suggest you read it before you attempt a hybrid. I've also got my "good hybrid" chart down there.

Not saying you shouldn't make a hybrid, I did for my first character, and have never really looked back. If you want to make a hybrid, I'll gladly help make it good, but some forethought needs to go into it first.

[Mando Knight]

and if you are a new player, then there are a number of things you have to consider before you make a hybrid character.

The first of which is "Are you ready for a hybrid character?" Seriously, don't go Hybrid unless you know what you're getting out of the combination of two classes that makes it better than just one. This requires a degree of general system mastery that newbies often don't have unless they're experienced at picking up system mechanics.

For a melee spellcaster, the Artificer and Bard have their own flavor of arcane magic and can be melee, and the Hexblade, Bladesinger, and Swordmage do well enough in their roles as dedicated Arcane melee combatants without hybridizing.

As for Unarmored Defense, Leather Armor proficiency is usually better, unless the character has a class feature that works only in cloth. There are some cloth-only armor enchantments, but they're usually made for classes that either have an unarmored fighting feature or don't get into melee ever. Leather and Hide tend to get better direct combat enchantments, and they won't take up the Feat bonus to your AC, either.

[Streetguru]

ya just going with sword mage for my group for now...also looking for a second group atm...i can do any day/time but thursday if anyone needs a player willing to play/learn any game

[Leon]

(though you would probably need to drop the hammer when actually casting)



As long as your not attacking with the weapon you can cast a spell while holding a 2handed weapon as they don't require both hands to hold and if you are attacking with it there is a feat that fixes that anyway