Does a worn Holy Symbol take up an Item Slot?

[Particle_Man]

Does a worn Holy Symbol take up an Item Slot?

If so, would that be the neck, or could it be whatever slot you decide to slot it into?

If not, is there any reason to hold a Holy Symbol that is not a weapon in one's hand?

 

[GameJunkie]

Does a worn Holy Symbol take up an Item Slot?

If so, would that be the neck, or could it be whatever slot you decide to slot it into?

If not, is there any reason to hold a Holy Symbol that is not a weapon in one's hand?

I would say no because it is an implement. So I rule it like it is an Orb something that is not a weapon (unless you have a Holy Avenger weapon) but allows for implement bonuses for your powers with no particular slot being used.

 

[Drkfathr1]

Yeah, that confused me at first too, especially when I noticed the Cleric doesn't have any proficiency with shields.

I figured it was because they had to hold their holy symbol in the off hand, but since they don't and Holy Symbols can be worn, I'm not sure why they lost the shield...

 

[Don Incognito]

Tough question. On the one hand, I'd usually say that a holy symbol needs to be held in order to be used as an implement. What's the stop the party's wizard from taking a trip to the blacksmith and having his orb hanging from a chain from his backpack?

But the drawback is that characters who use both hands and need a holy symbol (paladins, avengers...clerics with a shield) are pretty much SOL unless they get a Crusader's Weapon.

It's a tough call. I'm gonna go with its fine to say that the holy symbol doesn't take up an item slot and can be used while hanging around your neck as long as the rule isn't abused (i.e. a laser cleric dual-wielding shields, or a person with 12 holy symbols hanging from their neck, each one keyed to killing a specific monster class).

 

[GameJunkie]

Tough question. On the one hand, I'd usually say that a holy symbol needs to be held in order to be used as an implement. What's the stop the party's wizard from taking a trip to the blacksmith and having his orb hanging from a chain from his backpack?

But the drawback is that characters who use both hands and need a holy symbol (paladins, avengers...clerics with a shield) are pretty much SOL unless they get a Crusader's Weapon.

It's a tough call. I'm gonna go with its fine to say that the holy symbol doesn't take up an item slot and can be used while hanging around your neck as long as the rule isn't abused (i.e. a laser cleric dual-wielding shields, or a person with 12 holy symbols hanging from their neck, each one keyed to killing a specific monster class).

I would say no, just because the Orb is hanging on a necklace does not do enough to "use" it by the way I understand it. To tap into into it you must have in your hand. Then again now you see why Holy Avenger weapons are so valued given they can be an implement and a weapon without having to spend a feat on it.

I would modify the Dual Implement Feat for Divine characters (I can see it coming anyway). Basically where you can use a holy symbol and a weapon or Weapon and Shield and ONE holy symbol (so that if you have a Holy Avenger Weapon my advice is retrain the feat. If the Holy Symbol doesn't have to be held (I assumed it did but no matter, just spend a feat for Shield Profenciency.

 

[CapnZapp]

This is what the PHB says.

Unlike other implements, you need only to wear a holy symbol for its property or power to function. If you are wearing or holding more than one holy symbol, none of your symbols function.

So holy symbols does not require an item slot. Or rather, I prefer to think of it as Holy Symbols occupying the "holy symbol" item slot, which amounts to the same thing.

It's a tough call. I'm gonna go with its fine to say that the holy symbol doesn't take up an item slot and can be used while hanging around your neck as long as the rule isn't abused (i.e. a laser cleric dual-wielding shields, or a person with 12 holy symbols hanging from their neck, each one keyed to killing a specific monster class).

I don't think you need to worry, not about these two cases anyway.

While a Holy Symbol is unique among "attack tools" (weapons and implements) in how it doesn't need to be handled in any way (in other words, even if you get both arms cut off, you can still use powers through a Holy Symbol), the rules for shields does specifically talk about the "shield arm" and the "shield hand". The implication is that you only wear one, but no, it isn't spelled out.

But in any event, the shield bonus to AC and Reflex doesn't stack. And you don't get to benefit from two magical shields, you only have one "arms" slot - so two magic shields can't be used at the same time. So I don't see any benefit from dual-wielding shields.

The other abuse case is simply not an issue - the rules clearly state "if you are wearing or holding more than one holy symbol, none of your symbols function."

 

[BASHMAN]

I cannot believe that there is any controversy over this at all. The character builder has a holy symbol slot-- it does not take up a neck slot, or an arm slot, or any other slot-- it is its own slot-- probably because it does not take up any official slot. In CB you can make a character with every slot filled AND a holy symbol. End of discussion.

 

[Christian]

I agree with the ruling, epochrpg, but not with your elevating the character builder to a rules source. Software always has bugs; the bugs in the character builder are not rules.

 

[Starfox]

This should answer the question.

Unlike other implements, you need only to wear a holy symbol for its property or power to function. If you are wearing or holding more than one holy symbol, none of your symbols function.

 

[Majushi]

I agree with the ruling, epochrpg, but not with your elevating the character builder to a rules source. Software always has bugs; the bugs in the character builder are not rules.

I don't know how anyone could even imagine a slot available for the Holy Symbol could be a bug.

It clearly isn't.

I agree with the sentiment that Character Builder isn't necessarily the best source for information, but in this case it clearly proves that Holy Symbols have their own "item slot".

That is not a bug. That is a game rule being expressed as a program feature.

Clearly.