Rules Question: Shields

[Harkone]

This may seem like a simple/dumb question, but here it is. When using a weapon and a heavy shield, can you cast a spell with a somatic component? Would you have to have a light shield instead (where the shield hand can be used for other things)? The PHB and DMG are very vague on this point, and the WOTC site rules FAQ is of no help either.

[Koji]

The shield has, in its stats, a spell failure %. Any spells with somatic components that the shield-holder is casting have to be rolled for as long as his shield is out. So if it's 15% and he tries to cast burning hands, there is a 15% chance his spell will fail when he tries to cast it.

[Townopolis]

I can't remember if it says specifically that casters must have a hand free to cast a spell with somatic/material components. If so, neither light nor heavy shields leave your hand free (bucklers do), so you would have to drop either the sword or the shield to cast. If not, then you just have the ASF from the shield (and any armor you are wearing) to worry about.

[Matthew]

No, you need a free hand to Cast a Spell with a Somatic Component. It is questionable whether one can even freely cast with a Light Shield, as the hand is by no means 'Free', though it can be used to hold items. Check out the FAQ for more information.

[Jasdoif]

Since you're using a heavy shield and a weapon, you cannot cast a spell with a somatic component unless you free your weapon hand by dropping/sheathing the weapon.

My DM says that my cleric has to drop his morningstar to cast spells. Is he right?

Yes and no. To cast a spell with a somatic (S) component, you must gesture freely with at least one hand. (Player’s Handbook, page 140) A cleric (or any caster, for that matter) who holds a weapon in one hand and wears a heavy shield on the other arm doesn’t have a hand free to cast a spell with a somatic component (which includes most spells in the game). To cast such a spell, the character must either drop or sheathe his weapon.

Another simple option is for the cleric to carry a buckler or light shield instead of a heavy shield. The buckler leaves one hand free for spellcasting, and you don’t even lose the buckler’s shield bonus to AC when casting with that hand. The light shield doesn’t give you a free hand for spellcasting, but since you can hold an item in the same hand that holds the light shield, you could switch your weapon to that hand to free up a hand for spellcasting. (You can’t use the weapon while it’s held in the same hand as your shield, of course.) The rules don’t state what type of action is required to switch hands on a weapon, but it seems reasonable to assume that it’s the equivalent of drawing a weapon (a move action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity).

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The shield has, in its stats, a spell failure %. Any spells with somatic components that the shield-holder is casting have to be rolled for as long as his shield is out. So if it's 15% and he tries to cast burning hands, there is a 15% chance his spell will fail when he tries to cast it.

This applies only to arcane casters, and still requires a hand free.

[Khoran]

You cannot cast spells with somatic coponents both your hands are occupied. However, IIRC, there is a feat somewhere that lets you do Somatic Copponents with a weapon in hand.

[Harkone]

Quote:
Originally Posted by FAQ
My DM says that my cleric has to drop his morningstar to cast spells. Is he right?

Yes and no. To cast a spell with a somatic (S) component, you must gesture freely with at least one hand. (Player’s Handbook, page 140) A cleric (or any caster, for that matter) who holds a weapon in one hand and wears a heavy shield on the other arm doesn’t have a hand free to cast a spell with a somatic component (which includes most spells in the game). To cast such a spell, the character must either drop or sheathe his weapon.

Another simple option is for the cleric to carry a buckler or light shield instead of a heavy shield. The buckler leaves one hand free for spellcasting, and you don’t even lose the buckler’s shield bonus to AC when casting with that hand. The light shield doesn’t give you a free hand for spellcasting, but since you can hold an item in the same hand that holds the light shield, you could switch your weapon to that hand to free up a hand for spellcasting. (You can’t use the weapon while it’s held in the same hand as your shield, of course.) The rules don’t state what type of action is required to switch hands on a weapon, but it seems reasonable to assume that it’s the equivalent of drawing a weapon (a move action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity).

Thanks

And I'm interested if anyone can tell me what tht feat is that Khoran mentioned.

[Tellah]

IIRC, there is a feat somewhere that lets you do Somatic Copponents with a weapon in hand.

Somatic Weaponry, page 47 of Complete Mage. I'd rather use a light shield and save the feat, personally.

[Matthew]

You mean to move a weapon from one hand to the other? You're better off with a Buckler than a Light Shield, really. Saying that, all my Clerics are Heavy Shield users at low levels...

[Desaril]

It's interesting that the FAQ suggests that you don't lose your sheild bonus for a buckler while casting, but you do lose it for firing a bow. I'm not asking for a rules clarification, just noting that this seems to create (yet another) inconsistency.

[Jasdoif]

It's interesting that the FAQ suggests that you don't lose your sheild bonus for a buckler while casting, but you do lose it for firing a bow. I'm not asking for a rules clarification, just noting that this seems to create (yet another) inconsistency.

What inconsistency? A bow is a two-handed weapon, you lose your shield's AC bonus when firing your bow like you would with any other two-handed weapon.

Meanwhile, using a free hand for somatic components isn't using a free hand as a weapon.

[Sutremaine]

A high-level character can climb a brick wall bare-handed and jump a 20ft gap while wearing armour, but he can't pass an object from one hand to the other without taking a second or two to think about it. Brilliant.

[Harkone]

Yeah, it seems pretty silly. The way I've been doing it (the wrong way, as it turns out) is that if a character wielded a weapon and a light shield, the hand holding the light shield was considered "free enough" to be able to cast spells with somatic components (arcane spell failure still applies of course, but this whole line of inquiry was more about divine casters, since they often use a weapon and a shield). Perhaps the "wrong" way I've been doing it would be better then the switch-hands-as-a-move-action every round you want to cast "official" rule.

[Jasdoif]

Consider just taking Still Spell, if you plan on casting like that a lot.

[TheOOB]

Hmm, i've always ran it that a light shield allows spellcaster too, not that it matters, 9 out of 10 characters will be better served by a buckler then a light shield for all but flavor purposes.