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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dyntheos" data-source="post: 1518905" data-attributes="member: 18529">Casting a spell requires you to have at least one hand free to make the somatic gestures. A sheild larger than a light shield requires you to use a hand to hold the shield for use. Light Shields and bucklers are merely strapped to your arm.If you only need one hand free to make gestures, why does a shield provide a chance of arcane spell failure?Is it the weight of such an item? If so, then should not strength scores limit the effects of shield arcane spell failure? If it is a wieght issue then why is there not a "holding something in your offhand whilst casting an arcane spell V's arcane spell failure chance" table? Or similarly why don't all one handed weapons have an arcane spell failure chance listed next to thier weight?If it is because it is unwieldy or even a wieght issue, why is it only limited to shields? There is nothing that stipulates that a mage could not hold a heavy staff in one hand and cast in the other, even though the staff requires a hand to hold it and is heavier than a buckler. A mage could easily according to the rules then use the staff and cast a quickened spell in the same round with no chance of spell failure. To me the staff would be heavier and more awkward to hold than a buckler merely strapped to an arm which is not even used to cast, yet provides a penalty to casting spells.So is the rule based in anything resembling common sense or just a manifestation of 2nd edition D&D not allowing mages to wear armor and have a decent armor class so lets come up with a rule that really doesn't cover the reasoning behind it.Basically my question is,Why do shields provide arcane spell failure at all, when other heavier more unweildy objects held in the off hand do not?</blockquote>

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