D&D 5E Subtle change to component/focus rules

[Prism]

Bards, warlocks and eldritch knights don't have a quick fix shield option. I don't think paladins and clerics are special cases that need it

 

[Yaarel]

In 5e, there are three kinds of spellcasting focuses, that a Cleric can use. Amulet, Shield, and Reliquary.

A reliquary is a box that contains a relic (or fragment of a relic).

The relic itself need not be displayed. The box can remain shut.

By simply holding the relic, the box itself becomes the spellcasting focus.

Similarly, by holding the design, the shield itself becomes the spellcasting focus.

 

[Prism]

In 5e, there are three kinds of spellcasting focuses, that a Cleric can use. Amulet, Shield, and Reliquary.



A reliquary is a box that contains a relic (or fragment of a relic).



The relic itself need not be displayed. The box can remain shut.



By simply holding the relic, the box itself becomes the spellcasting focus.



Similarly, by holding the design, the shield itself becomes the spellcasting focus.

However that's not what it says, but I do think its a way of keeping casting simple for clerics and paladins. The symbol is on the shield. The shield is not the symbol. We play it like that

 

[pming]

Hiya!

Obviously this is important to the OP...but for me and my group this sort of "rules niggling" would never come up for more than about 11 seconds. It's just not that important to us. That said...

I'm always amazed how some RPG'ers will read a rule, understand what it was trying to emulate/portray/support, think about it and find one particular instance in the game where that is false/odd/backwards...and then decide that the rule is "confusing" or "needs to be changed for everyone in the game".

Honestly, if the one primary "But in this situation/case, it doesn't make any sense!" reason is holding up your game...just make an exception rather than try and 'change the rule to include everybody'. For example, in my games a cleric can use his/her shield as the focus because they are clerics. I don't have to include any other class for that. Druids? Nope, need a 'free hand'. Wizards? Nope, need a 'free hand'. Paladins? Nope, need a free hand. Clerics? Yup, it's a perk of being a cleric I guess. POOF! "Problem" solved.

Also, how someone can be confuse as what "having a free hand" means is honestly beyond me. Go up to one of your non-roleplaying friends or family members and ask them "Hey, what does it mean to have a free hand? Or a hand free?" Once they get over the oddness of the question, I'm pretty sure they'd all say "Well, when you don't have anything in your hand I guess". That tells you what "free hand" means.

Welp, I'm off to get a root canal done in 30 minutes. Good times... ...

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Yaarel]

In the Players Handbook, the Cleric class description defers to the Equipment description. There the holy symbol description says: You can ‘use the holy symbol’ when you ‘bear it on a shield’.

The latest clarification of the Basic Rules says:

‘A free hand’ can ‘hold a spellcasting focus’ while you ‘perform somatic components’.



Casters that can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus, can likewise perform their somatic component while their hand is holding their painted shield.

 

[Yaarel]

Welp, I'm off to get a root canal done in 30 minutes. Good times.

Yikes!

I hope your dentist can Cure.

 

[Hriston]

Precedence should be decided by specificity. The "worn clearly" rule, applying only to holy symbols, is more specific than the "free hand" rule.

 

[Yaarel]

Precedence should be decided by specificity. The "worn clearly" rule, applying only to holy symbols, is more specific than the "free hand" rule.

I agree that is the gist of what is meant by a holy symbol: a symbol that requires display.



The Original Post seems to worry about the shield getting in the way of a somatic component, if a spell requires the somatic component but doesnt require the shield.

In this case, the ability to do somatic components while holding the shield, means it is still possible to do somatic components while holding the shield, whether the shield is necessary or not.

 

[Mirtek]

Clerics cast spells while holding a shield and weapon. That's a tradition that goes back to the start of the game.

actually they could not do so in 3.x either

 

[Pauper]

In this case, the ability to do somatic components while holding the shield, means it is still possible to do somatic components while holding the shield, whether the shield is necessary or not.

Here's my problem with that interpretation -- it makes one of the benefits of the War Caster feat largely irrelevant.

If you're OK with that (for example, if you don't use feats in your game), feel free to go with that ruling.

--
Pauper