Spare Hand to use a shield

[RNightstalker]

Spare hand can hold a shield when you burn a 2nd-level infusion. Is it cost effective to find an item to provide the infusion or is it simpler (and cheaper?) to just have an animated shield?

[Inevitability]

How enchanted is the shield?

[tyckspoon]

Cost effectiveness depends on how much extra stuff you want to put on that shield - a basic Animated Shield costs 9,000 gp (plus cost of whatever the shield is actually made of) as a +3 equivalent item. If you are paying for more base enhancement plusses or wanting to stack additional special traits on there that cost rapidly increases to the point where making a spare hand work could become much more cost effective.

..but I think the main problem you're going to run into is you don't just need a 2nd level infusion/infusion slot to spend on the item. You explicitly need to be an Artificer. Which means either investing at least one class level (not necessarily a bad thing, Artificer's a strong class) or getting enough Use Magic Device to reliably fake being an Artificer in order to actually activate the spare hand in the way you want. So there's more build resources than just gold costs to be considered - it is definitely -simpler- to just get an Animated Shield.

[RNightstalker]

How enchanted is the shield?

Long term, very.


Cost effectiveness depends on how much extra stuff you want to put on that shield - a basic Animated Shield costs 9,000 gp (plus cost of whatever the shield is actually made of) as a +3 equivalent item. If you are paying for more base enhancement plusses or wanting to stack additional special traits on there that cost rapidly increases to the point where making a spare hand work could become much more cost effective.

..but I think the main problem you're going to run into is you don't just need a 2nd level infusion/infusion slot to spend on the item. You explicitly need to be an Artificer. Which means either investing at least one class level (not necessarily a bad thing, Artificer's a strong class) or getting enough Use Magic Device to reliably fake being an Artificer in order to actually activate the spare hand in the way you want. So there's more build resources than just gold costs to be considered - it is definitely -simpler- to just get an Animated Shield.

Maybe RAI you have to be an Artificer, but RAW you don't have to be. It talks about powering and expending an infusion...why can't someone expend an infusion via a custom item?

[tyckspoon]

Long term, very.



Maybe RAI you have to be an Artificer, but RAW you don't have to be. It talks about powering and expending an infusion...why can't someone expend an infusion via a custom item?


Activation: While some features of the spare hand
function continuously, this item is more effective when
worn by an artificer. If you are an artificer, while wearing
the belt, you can use your infusions to power the spare hand,
enabling more complex functions.

You do in fact specifically need to be an artificer. It's not just 'be able to use an infusion somehow' - all of the 'artificer items' have that clause.

[RNightstalker]

You do in fact specifically need to be an artificer. It's not just 'be able to use an infusion somehow' - all of the 'artificer items' have that clause.

MIC version doesn't have that clause.

[AnonJr]

True, but you still need a way to cast an infusion. A dip in Artificer, there's a couple PrC that give infusions, and maybe a minor schema if your DM allows that to count as expending an infusion.

[tyckspoon]

MIC version doesn't have that clause.

Fair enough - when I went to check what the item was, all the results just referenced the original print in Magic of Eberron. Wasn't aware it had been reprinted in MIC. You're still looking at 'how do I gain access to an infusion', then, but getting a spare hand + an item that can cast a level 2 infusion is probably cheaper in the long run than paying for the Animated property. Especially if you have any intention of making the shield more than just your basic +1 Animated, due to how costs for additional +'s scale... although getting that infusion may still end up requiring either a dip into Artificer or a significant investment in UMD to make use of an infusion item.

[YellowJohn]

You can get a 2nd Level infusion (with no Xp or expensive components) out of a Minor Schema (Magic of Eberron). Costs 2*3*400 = 2,400gp, and requires a DC23 UMD check.

[daremetoidareyo]

Shield gauntlet from races of stone is an exotic shield that does what u want

A favorite of divine spellcasters, this exotic shield is a heavy steel shield built with a special bracing gauntlet. The special gauntlet allows you to carry other items in your shield hand (such as material spell components), although you cannot use weapons with it. The shield hand is likewise free to perform somatic spell components.

[RNightstalker]

Shield gauntlet from races of stone is an exotic shield that does what u want

A favorite of divine spellcasters, this exotic shield is a heavy steel shield built with a special bracing gauntlet. The special gauntlet allows you to carry other items in your shield hand (such as material spell components), although you cannot use weapons with it. The shield hand is likewise free to perform somatic spell components.

I'll have to keep that in mind for future builds as the one I'm currently working on is a TWF build. Thanks y'all!

[YellowJohn]

You probably don't have the feat to spare in a TWF build, but Complete Warrior has the 'Improved Buckler Defense' feat - attack with a weapon in your off-hand without losing your shield bonus.
I have a character with this feat who then dual-wields bucklers - one for AC and one for special abilities.

[RNightstalker]

You probably don't have the feat to spare in a TWF build, but Complete Warrior has the 'Improved Buckler Defense' feat - attack with a weapon in your off-hand without losing your shield bonus.
I have a character with this feat who then dual-wields bucklers - one for AC and one for special abilities.

Already a step ahead of ya lol, though just with one shield and then bracers of armor using the A&EG supplemental rule.