D&D 5E Eldritch Kinight and somatic components

[Pickaxe]

I'm unsure of how an Eldritch Knight using a shield operates with spells with somatic components and would appreciate advice.

If I'm an Eldritch Knight without the War Caster feat with a one-handed weapon and a shield and I want to cast the shield spell, I need a free hand for the somatic components. Does my hand need to be free when I use my reaction, or can I drop my weapon and cast the spell as part of my reaction? And does this issue make War Caster pretty much mandatory for EKs with a shield?

Thanks for the help!

--Axe

 

[Warmaster Horus]

As a DM I wouldn't allow someone to drop a weapon outside their turn. Take Warcaster or lose the shield. Or gain a third hand?

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

How strictly the table is going to adhere to stating which hands are doing what is going to differ from table to table.

At my own table, you'd have nothing to worry about because I don't care about tracking the minutia of what is or isn't in your hand at any given second (your character could easily toss their weapon up in the air, cast shield, and catch their weapon). I'm okay with that because there is still a cost to casting shield in that it uses your reaction for the round so you won't be doing anything else like making an opportunity attack or casting counterspell or feather fall.

At other tables, you might have to carefully plan out sheathing your weapon as part of your attack action (as your free object interaction mentioned by the rules) in order to have your hand free.

So ask your DM, see what their thoughts are on the matter.