D&D 5E Forging Arcane Focus or Holy Symbol into a Weapon or Shield?

[keterys]

Actually it would because they could put away their weapon as a bonus action, cast the spell is their action. Then on next turn draw their weapon again as a bonus action.

Not a bonus action, as mentioned, but their once per round messing with an item; but note that takes up their once a round messing with an item (so they're not opening a door, picking up an item, readying a wand, what have you), and that their ability to take opportunity attacks and such suffers whenever they decide to cast a spell.

But yes, that's exactly what I told the cleric who wondered how he was supposed to cast. Just sheathe your weapon one round, unsheathe it the next. He instead chose to use a polearm.

 

[Andor]

You don't even need to sheath it really. You could either pass it to your shield hand, as a grip strap isn't bulky enough to prevent you from gripping something else, or just have a retaining strap looped around your wrist and let the mace dangle while you cast.

If you're really cool you could make a slight of hand check to juggle it. Tossing it up in the air, throwing a Guiding Bolt and catching it again in one smooth motion. Just because you can.

 

[SilverBulletKY]

So the rules say

A spellcaster must have a hand free to access these
components, but it can be the same hand that he or she
uses to perform somatic components.

So by allowing this to be on a weapon, you could get an extra attack every few turns. Let's say a cleric was 2 weapon fighting and had the holy symbol etched on his main weapon. On a turn he could put away his off-hand weapon and cast the spell. Then on the next turn, could draw his off-hand weapon and attack with it. If you required the holy symbol to be held, he could attack with his off-hand weapon, then put it away. Pull out the holy symbol and cast a spell. Then on the next turn he if he wanted to use the weapon again, all he could do it put away the symbol and draw the weapon as the main action, no attack. I'm not sure it's a huge deal, but by allowing this you'd get an extra attack every 3 turns or so.

I think I would only allow it if they took this feat

War Caster
Advantage on CON saves that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage.You can perform the somatic components of spells even when you have weapons or a shield in one orboth hands. When a hostile creature’s movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, rather than making an opportunity attack. The spell must have a casting time o f 1 action and must target only that creature.

 

[Stalker0]

Well, you need a free hand to cast a spell with a somatic component, so clerics can't cast most of their spells with a weapon and shield (For two-handed it seems easy to have a hand off momentarily).

Not that having your focus on your shield alleviates that problem.

Yep I wanted to check on that. Do the rules just let you wear the symbol or put it on a shield...or are you supposed to have it in hand?

This + war caster could allow a cleric to use sword and shield and cast most of his spells.


While I am on the subject, did 3.5 have this restriction where clerics couldn't technically cast most spells with sword and shield (and I just ignored it) or is that new to 5e?