From Bow to Rapier and Shield... how long does it take?

[smbakeresq]

I do admit it would be fun...even if it wouldn't change how I ruled this at the table...to see a YouTube video of somebody who had spent hundreds of hours practicing this switch.

It would be. The weapon is easy to imagine. Shield though vary by grip, some shields just have a handgrip, some have a forearm strap with a hand grip, some are worn on the forearm with a strap for the neck like most phalanx used shields, etc.

I also don’t think people realize the strength it takes to wield a shield effectively. The game doesn’t model this well but that’s ok, it’s not a simulator.

Charging with your shoulder behind a shield and using to crash into someone was a common use. Roman heavy infantry did it this way, that’s why they used a short sword as it was easier to use in tight quarters of the scrum after a charge.

In my game fighters and Paladins get to use shield bashes as part of their training. This encourages duel wielder feat which only sees limited use.

 

[Oofta]

The way I run it? You hold a bow in you non-primary hand so you can always pull a one-handed weapon and attack with it. You can even start attacking with your bow and switch to rapier (or vice versa I suppose). If you want to drop the bow you can, but don't be surprised if it's not there when you're done.

Putting on a shield requires an action (and a free hand). So you could draw your rapier and attack round one, sling your bow and put on a shield round two.

Or ... there's something like the picture below. Basically a cord attached to your bow so if you simply let go of it, it's still attached to you.

 

[Inchoroi]

RAW is that you can stow a weapon as a free interaction, or draw a weapon as a free interaction, but not both on the same turn (PHB, pg 190, Other Activities on Your Turn, and the Interacting with Objects Around You sidebar). That being said, however, there's no wording I can find that says dropping the bow (or any item) does not require a free interaction, either, but Crawford has said that dropping something requires no appreciable effort and does not use up your free interaction.

So, switching from bow to shield and rapier could concievably take a full turn: drop bow, draw rapier as free interaction (the sidebar states that it does not require an attack action as well), and then take the action to don the shield.

 

[smbakeresq]

I would let a rogue use fast hands though switch out weapons though on same turn.

I haven’t had a player request to use a small shield on their forearm for a +1 AC bonus, but I would.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Also, Legolas.

So there.

 

[MarkB]

Also, Legolas.

So there.

Legolas only ever uses a shieid as a skateboard.

Captain America, on the other hand, can unsling, throw, catch, and equip his shield in one turn. While punching Nazis in the face.

 

[Satyrn]

Hi everybody,
In my group one of my players plays a dex based elf fighter, who in combat often tries to shift as quickly as possible from using his bow to fighting hand to hand with his rapier and his shield.

My question is: how long does it take him, in terms of rounds, using the rules as written, to change his weapons and to embrace his shield?

I would say that in a round he could toss away (with some care...) his bow, unsheathe his rapier and attack with it, but he couldn't grab and embrace effectively his shield in the same round, because that would require the "Use an Item" Action, or a separate Action anyway.

Infact, I would say that, as long as he keeps attacking with his rapier on his turns, he can't grab and embrace his shield, and I find that it makes sense too.

What would you say, I mean using the rules as written?

Many thanks, happy life and happy gaming!

When it comes to the rules, yeah, you've got it.

For fun, I would let the player swap his bow for the Rapier and attack on round one. Then embrace the shield and attack on round two.

 

[Finglas]

I do admit it would be fun...even if it wouldn't change how I ruled this at the table...to see a YouTube video of somebody who had spent hundreds of hours practicing this switch.

For a similar effect, watch what Geddy Lee does during a Rush concert - I’m 100% sure he took a feat to be able to switch instruments so smoothly like that!

 

[Strider1973]

Many many thanks indeed to everybody, and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year, for your lives and your gaming!