Can you shoot a bow and wear a shield at the same time?

[zaratan]

Riiight. You put even 5 mediaeval crossbows into a sack, loaded and under tension. Now carry it around for a bit, then try reaching in there and grabbing one out in 4 seconds or so ready to use. Bearing in mind that trigger guards and safeties weren't generally around then.

As to the original question: Think of how much strength is required to use a warbow; not just to draw it, but to keep it steady when drawn to aim. Now consider doing that with a weight strapped to your aiming arm and holding the shield handle as well as the bow in your hand.

Because of that, RAI >>>> RAW in many cases.

 

[Shaghayegh]

Buy a real shield and bow and figure it out.

 

[Lanliss]

Buy a real shield and bow and figure it out.

Since OP is presumably average, or a "Commoner" in game terms, he will have to train up to the required strength and dexterity of the example adventurer. I would aim for a pair of 15s, to be safe. Since Olympians are considered something like 10-12, this may take a while.

 

[n00b f00]

The rules of 5e preclude this action normally speaking. It is intentional from a thematic and mechanical perspective. Legolas and Robin Hood weren't holding tower shields while they were smoking fools up. And mechanically they wanted ranged users to be a little less resilient than melee. Ranged users already have distance and likely cover on their side as far as AC goes. So it's not really balanced.

Now they can get this effect if they use the aforementioned magic shield, or if they have extra arms, go bugman! But generally no. Now in real life I'd buy that some archers had tiny bucklers on one arm hoping they didn't eat one to their wrist / center mass. But I imagine it was not super common, and it would do little in melee. 5e doesn't bother modeling how sword and board fighters regularly used shields as devastating weapons, or rapier plus dagger, they're not likely to model a +1 AC from ranged attacks for a fsorly obscure practice.

I can imagine a superhuman Legolas clone being fast enough to quick draw a shield to protect himself. But I'd rule it AC fluff, as again not particularly balanced. Also I'd imagine that he's not getting full AC value using it that way.

So rules wise no. Flavor wise perhaps, but mechanically it's too strong IMO.

 

[Traxe]

Native Americans were known to ride horses and shoot bows while having a small shield strapped to their hand. The shield would be equivalent of a buckler except made out of animal hide. They didn't actively use both at the same time (i.e. shoot a bow and block an attack simultaneously) but they did shoot bows with their shield strapped to their arm. (I think I've seen this in some western movies... granted they are movies but it does provide a visual example at least).

By RAW, it isn't allowed. However, I wouldn't have a problem allowing it with a buckler but you would not receive any benefit from the buckler while doing so.

 

[CaptainWaffles90]

Anyone who's ever handled any type of bow knows this is absolute nonsense.

well this might change your mind

 

[CaptainWaffles90]

Anyone who's ever handled any type of bow knows this is absolute nonsense.

This might change your mind

 

[Iry]

I would say a shield could be "worn" (as in you do not have to drop the item), but you gain no AC benefit on the round the bow was used.

This is my vote. There are documented examples of people using small shields strapped to the arm while firing a bow. If they can do it, mildly superhuman characters that can lift thousands of lbs or turn into dragons can do it. But you should gain no AC benefit on the round the bow is used.

 

[TheLibrarian]

Completely possible. Couple examples below.

That said... the videos below don't show what kind of accuracy the shooters have. They seem like they're more for historical demonstration. And I question how much defensive value the guy with the buckler really gets.

I'd probably allow it, but craft some kind of feat or feat tree to make it useful.

 

[Oofta]

The pictures are not of someone wielding a shield though. It's someone hanging a shield on their arm and what we would consider in D&D terms a buckler. I could see a potential houserule for such items that grant a +1.

That's different from using a shield a shield works in D&D. In the game it needs to be wielded and strapped to your arm. You need to have both hands free to wield a two-handed weapon.