Duskblade question.

[Pink]

Okay, just a question concerning magic in general actually, but duskblade specifically would run into this problem. Now, you need at least one hand free to cast a spell correct? So, can a Duskblade cast a spell, or channel it into an attack, if they have a shield in one hand and a weapon in the other?

[Fax Celestis]

No, but the Somatic Weaponry feat from CMage solves that issue handily. It is the Duskblade feat, just as Adaptive Style is the Swordsage feat.

[Pink]

Good to know. I was kinda wondering, "What is the point of shields if you can only have them animated to benefit?" Danke Danke fax

[Fax Celestis]

No problem.

[Tellah]

Far better, I think, to carry around a light shield and simply switch your weapon to your shield hand when you need to cast. Better still is to use a two-handed weapon, preferably with reach, and simply remove one hand from the haft as necessary. If you take Combat Reflexes and Stand Still--both wondrous choices in their own right--then things without 10' or better reach won't have much chance to test out your moderately lower AC, anyway.

[FdL]

Nice idea, Tellah, but wouldn't using a weapon that's not a sword deviate from the concept of a duskblade?

[Pink]

Swords Can be used one or two handed easily enough. However i actuall have a dwarven war aze That was the origina of my question. However if you're allowed to hold both a light shield and weapon in one hand, then there goes my problem I think.

[TheThan]

Duskblade is just a name, it even says you can switch it to whatever you feel like, for instance Duskspikedchain, but that doesn’t sound as cool. Really it depends on what your DM has in mind. Since alot of weapons have blades, it shouldn't matter anyway oh and mechanically its not limited to swords.

[TheOOB]

I belive you can cast just fine with a buckler. Theres no real reason to use a light shield unless you are planning on shield bashings.

You can also try to convince your DM to allow you to hold a 2h weapon in one hand while you cast with the other. My DM allows me to do so, but makes it so I don't threaten an area until I hold my weapon in 2h again.

[Leon]

I belive you can cast just fine with a buckler. Theres no real reason to use a light shield unless you are planning on shield bashings.

You can also try to convince your DM to allow you to hold a 2h weapon in one hand while you cast with the other. My DM allows me to do so, but makes it so I don't threaten an area until I hold my weapon in 2h again.

Ive always read it as you can cast when holding a 2H weapon, since you dont need 2 hands to hold the thing (unless its a really heavy or cumbersome weapon)

[Borogove]

I belive you can cast just fine with a buckler. Theres no real reason to use a light shield unless you are planning on shield bashings.

You can cast with a light shield anyway, via the weapon switching technique. But, as pointed out, unless you're trying to use the PHBII shield feats, you should be using a buckler anyway.

[TheOOB]

You can cast with a light shield anyway, via the weapon switching technique. But, as pointed out, unless you're trying to use the PHBII shield feats, you should be using a buckler anyway.

Depending on the rules you are following weapon switching might take an action however. I person say it's a free action (beings you can toss a weapon from hand to hand much quicker then you can draw it), though I would still say as a DM that if you cast a spell that way you wouldn't threaten with your weapon.

[Mr the Geoff]

I think that mechanically you are just fine holding (but not swinging) a dwarven war axe 1 handed while you twiddle your fingers then putting your hand back on the hilt for a swing (also the dwarven waraxe is a one handed weapon anyway in my PHB).

Then again the only Duskblade I have played has natural weapons right now anyway as the game at the moment has left her bereft of kit

[Soepvork]

also the dwarven waraxe is a one handed weapon anyway in my PHB).

Depends on whether you have taken the exotic weapon proficiency or not (or whether you're a dwarf of not)