D&D 5E Can I handle two shields and cast spell with War Caster feat?

[D-03-109 MeltingLove]

I'm a wizard with shield prof. and I wanna grab two shields just for COOL(not for +4ac or etc. Just for COOL).Then I picked the War Caster feat for my shield-ing casting.
But my DM tells me that, the War Caster feat can only allows you handle one shield in one hand, not two.

• You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one or both hands.

I don't know how to explain my ideas... I thought S components only uses one of my hands. Did it?

 

[Oofta]

I'm a wizard with shield prof. and I wanna grab two shields just for COOL(not for +4ac or etc. Just for COOL).Then I picked the War Caster feat for my shield-ing casting.
But my DM tells me that, the War Caster feat can only allows you handle one shield in one hand, not two.

I don't know how to explain my ideas... I thought S components only uses one of my hands. Did it?

While I don't enforce the rule personally because it's just silly for clerics and paladins, the rule states

If a spell requires a somatic component, the caster must have free use of at least one hand to perform these gestures.​

So War Caster gets rid of the free use of at least one hand under normal circumstances. There may well be exceptions, like hands being bound and tied where you still can't cast a spell with somatic components. But 2 shields (which sounds cool/fun)? I don't see why it would not work since it would work if you were wielding 2 weapons, something normal players do.

As always, when in doubt ask your DM.

 

[FrogReaver]

I'm a wizard with shield prof. and I wanna grab two shields just for COOL(not for +4ac or etc. Just for COOL).Then I picked the War Caster feat for my shield-ing casting.

Just to be clear you expect only to have +2 ac as if you were using a single shield?

But my DM tells me that, the War Caster feat can only allows you handle one shield in one hand, not two.

Your DM is right for your game. The rule as written would allow spell casting with 2 shields to function the same as spell casting with a sword and shield or 2 swords.

*No DM is going to allow that to give +4 ac though.

I don't know how to explain my ideas... I thought S components only uses one of my hands. Did it?

Its a bit more complicated.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

By the wording, having shields in both hands shouldn't cancel the feat.
Are you sure your DM wasn't talking about Material components?

 

[DEFCON 1]

Heh... best way I can think of to get what you want is to just say to your DM "I'm wanting to use two shields because it's cool, and my AC only goes up 2 points. Would you rather I use one shield but also prepare the Shield spell all the time, thereby raising my AC by 5 points whenever I need it?"

Can't speak for anyone else... but I'd much rather have a wizard PC who only has 2 more points of AC via a second shield than the 5-point bump from the Shield spell that they cast repeatedly, LOL.

Of course... if you were hoping to wield two shields AND have the Shield spell prepared to thus maximize your AC potential... at that point I'd probably say "Nuh uh!" Only one ridiculous AC bump is enough! Heh heh!

 

[Clint_L]

I'm a wizard with shield prof. and I wanna grab two shields just for COOL(not for +4ac or etc. Just for COOL).Then I picked the War Caster feat for my shield-ing casting.
But my DM tells me that, the War Caster feat can only allows you handle one shield in one hand, not two.

I don't know how to explain my ideas... I thought S components only uses one of my hands. Did it?

If you're just doing it for flavour, I think your DM is being lame. If the player isn't trying to get around rules for an advantage and just wants to look cool, let them do it, regardless of RAW.

Of course, you would have to stick with that and not later try to sneak in an advantage from having two shields. It's a two-way street.

 

[ninjayeti]

It is a close enough case that that a reasonable DM could rule either way. The rule says "weapons or a shield in one or both hands." "Weapons" is plural, "a shield" is singular. Since you can't wield multiple weapons in the same hand this suggests it is referring to what you are holding altogether. If it was intended to be used with two shields it would say: " weapons or shields in one or both hands."

The rules for shields say you can benefit from only one shield at a time (PHB 144), so you can't get +4 AC regardless of the feat. If you are just doing this because you think it is cool, I would emphasize this to the DM. I think you are going to have more success with this approach than trying to parse the language of the feat and trying to rules lawyer him into letting you do it.

 

[Charlaquin]

While there would be no benefit to holding two mundane shields, I can imagine the DM might be concerned with the possibility of stacking magic shield bonuses, since most magic shields only say you need to be “holding” them to get the bonus.

Personally, I’d just rule that you have to have a shield equipped in such a way that you are receiving its AC bonus to benefit from its magical properties, and allow you to use the feat this way just for aesthetics if you wanted to. But, I’m not your DM. Ultimately they have final say.

 

[ECMO3]

nm

 

[D-03-109 MeltingLove]

Just to be clear you expect only to have +2 ac as if you were using a single shield?

Your DM is right for your game. The rule as written would allow spell casting with 2 shields to function the same as spell casting with a sword and shield or 2 swords.

*No DM is going to allow that to give +4 ac though.

Its a bit more complicated.

Yes, only +2. I'm making some cool things only.
Dm is right. But yesterday, he allowed! My dual-shield-ing-casting-wizard character!