Shields and Wands

[invokethehojo]

Trying out the new hybrid rules to make an Eladrin Warlord/Wizard.

Qustion: can you wield a wand in the same hand as a light shield?

In the PHB it says, "You need to use your shield hand to wield a light shield properly. You can still use that hand to hold another item, to climb, or the like. However, you can’t use your shield hand to make attacks."

But it seems to me like you're just holding a wand and channeling energy through it, not really attacking with it. It seems logical to me that a person could hold a wand in the same hand as a light shield and still use it, but I could be wrong.

Anyone know for sure?

 

[Flipguarder]

For combat rules I would say "attacking with it" for a shield hand would mean "use anything with it". I don't see how using a wand with a light shield could be imbalanced, but I'd just as well not allow it in case my party gets a little too creative with the slack.
Thats just me though, a lil paranoid.

EDIT: And to actually answer your question I think that there is no "for sure" solution to your question, its not spoken of anywhere in the phb about the synergy of shields and wands so your decision is gonna be based on your interpretation of what "attacking" is

 

[Hereticus]

Trying out the new hybrid rules to make an Eladrin Warlord/Wizard.

Qustion: can you wield a wand in the same hand as a light shield?

Duct Tape.

Seriously, one implement/weapon per hand.

However 3.5E allowed other items such as a weapon to be wielded by the shield hand if it was a buckler.

 

[Flipguarder]

Id be fine with my pcs holding a sword, dagger, wand, whatever in their shield hand. using it/attacking is an entirely different thing in my book though

 

[Pale Jackal]

Personally, when it comes to weapons and implements, I'm pretty sure I'm just going to let the PC use the better bonus of the two. And by that I mean: screw the wand, point your sword at the enemy and zap them with arcane energy. It's pointy like a wand, right? Good enough. If you really need a fluffy justification, I'm sure you can come up with one. Whatever you come up with, it'll be cooler than your Eladrin Warlord wielding a sword in one hand and a wand in the other. I don't think any noticeable imbalance will result from you just needing one magic item to use the abilities you spent feats for. Ask your GM if he's amendable to such a solution.

 

[mach1.9pants]

I am afraid you are wrong, you could carry the wand in that hand, but not wield it. Therefore if you made an implement attack you wouldn't get any of the wands bonuses but you would get the advantage of the wands properties. The same way you could wield a wep in that hand, 4E treats implements and weps as pretty much the same thing; they only differentiate because of the AC/proficiency thing. All wise and knowing M1.9P has spoken and will not be trifled with, there is no correct answer but M1.9Ps answer... bow down lowly mortal, etc, etc...

However if you don't believe me (may you burn for your blasphemy!) you could always check out the PHB FAQ

3. If you wield a light shield, you can also hold an item as well, although you can’t attack with it. What if that item is an implement? Can you apply its implement bonus to your powers?

No. Using an implement to gain its bonuses is considered attacking with that implement. If you wield a light shield and hold an implement in the same hand, you would not get the implement enhancement bonus to your powers, but you would still benefit from any property that the implement has.

PHB FAQ

 

[Victim]

You can hold things with the shield hand, so it should be possible to switch back and forth between the wand and sword.

 

[mach1.9pants]

You can hold things with the shield hand, so it should be possible to switch back and forth between the wand and sword.

20. I wield a longsword. When I change from one hand to two (or vice versa), what type of action is that?

Changing the number of hands you are using to hold a weapon can be done as a free action.

From the the most holy FAQ, praise it! Some people use this ruling to say swapping an item in your hands is a free action, for me I use a minor (in the same way as retrieving or stowing an item). Nothing official as far as I know

 

[invokethehojo]

I am afraid you are wrong, you could carry the wand in that hand, but not wield it. Therefore if you made an implement attack you wouldn't get any of the wands bonuses but you would get the advantage of the wands properties. The same way you could wield a wep in that hand, 4E treats implements and weps as pretty much the same thing; they only differentiate because of the AC/proficiency thing. All wise and knowing M1.9P has spoken and will not be trifled with, there is no correct answer but M1.9Ps answer... bow down lowly mortal, etc, etc...

However if you don't believe me (may you burn for your blasphemy!) you could always check out the PHB FAQ
PHB FAQ

Thank you for the crunch... However, a friend of mine has the character builder and when I posed him this question he was in the middle of making a "turtle" wizard (AC build) and the builder allowed him to have a light shield and still wield his staff (of defense). A staff is a two handed weapon so you are technically attacking with both hands... hmm...

I suppose I'll just have to download the builder and make this character to see if it works... next month, after the hybrid update

Thanks everyone.

 

[ppaladin123]

Thank you for the crunch... However, a friend of mine has the character builder and when I posed him this question he was in the middle of making a "turtle" wizard (AC build) and the builder allowed him to have a light shield and still wield his staff (of defense). A staff is a two handed weapon so you are technically attacking with both hands... hmm...

I suppose I'll just have to download the builder and make this character to see if it works... next month, after the hybrid update

Thanks everyone.

It is very dangerous to use the character builder as a source for rules adjudication. There are constant revisions in the monthly updates as the programmers find errors and contradictions to the FAQ.

A staff is a two handed weapon so you are technically attacking with both hands... hmm...

This is incorrect. The FAQ states that you wield a staff with one hand when using it as an implement. A quarterstaff is a two-handed weapon. They are not the same.