Casting spells while your hands are full?

[ash2dust]

As a DM, I'd see no particular reason to disallow this, but I haven't done 4E past 2nd level yet. You're gonna end up screwed on implement powers, though, since you won't be able to have an enhancement bonus or apply any item properties to your spells, unless you take the Wizard of the Spiral Tower paragon path, which allows you to use a longsword as an implement.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Does it specify that you must have the implement in your hand in order for it to give you bonuses ?

What if its held in the hand of the arm carrying a light shield ?

 

[eamon]

You're not punishing the wizard players any more for needing to be able to verbalise and gesture than the fighter for needing a weapon - and in combat, it'll almost never occur anyhow. That means this is easily a campaign-dependent bit of fluff.

For continuity with a standard 3.5 world, requiring a free hand or verbalisation (or both) isn't a terrible thing - but a wizard might just as well cast a spell with the flick of his left ear, if you want.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Answering my own question

p.90

"A paladin wearing or holding a holy symbol can add its enhancement..."

 

[Gloombunny]

Answering my own question

p.90

"A paladin wearing or holding a holy symbol can add its enhancement..."

Note that this is how it works for clerics and paladins using holy symbols, but not for warlocks and wizards using wands, rods, staves, or orbs. Those implements have to be wielded, not just worn.

 

[BASHMAN]

Yeah I've been wondering...

How do you stop a Warlock or Wizard from casting spells in 4e?

In all previous editions a bound and gagged wizard was SOL (unless he happened to have a stilled and silenced spell memorized in 3e.) In 4e it seems like there is no way to stop the blastiness. This becomes a problem if the PCs ever want to take a spellcaster prisoner. Or the DM wants to take the PCs prisoner for that matter. Would NPCs just cut the throats of all arcane casters out of pure self defense?

Blindfold them. If they cannot see, they cannot target their spells. Tie up their hands so they cannot take the blindfold off.

 

[Rechan]

Blindfold them. If they cannot see, they cannot target their spells.

Wrong. When enemies have full concealment (read: You Cannot See Them), and you attack them, it only incurs a -5 penalty to the attack.

In fact there's rules in the combat chapter about attacking invisible foes, and when you're blinded, everybody's invisible.

 

[ForbidenMaster]

Note that this is how it works for clerics and paladins using holy symbols, but not for warlocks and wizards using wands, rods, staves, or orbs. Those implements have to be wielded, not just worn.

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.

http://wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin...GV4dD1wbGF5ZXJzIGhhbmRib29r&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

[small pumpkin man]

Yeah I've been wondering...

How do you stop a Warlock or Wizard from casting spells in 4e?

In all previous editions a bound and gagged wizard was SOL (unless he happened to have a stilled and silenced spell memorized in 3e.) In 4e it seems like there is no way to stop the blastiness. This becomes a problem if the PCs ever want to take a spellcaster prisoner. Or the DM wants to take the PCs prisoner for that matter. Would NPCs just cut the throats of all arcane casters out of pure self defense?

The game doesn't really say getting tied up stops you from casting magic missile, but it doesn't say it stops you from punching people either, there's also very little to differentiate Implement and Weapon powers, they generally get the same penalties and bonuses (like CA, blind, etc.), thus it really isn't that much of stretch to argue that anything which stops characters from attacking with a weapon stops them from attacking with an implement power (even if they aren't using an implement.)

Just think of it like Avatar or something (Technically not Anime!)