Horizon Walker PrC

[Hypersmurf]

Just use the shield (preferably a spiked shield) as your off-hand weapon (or even as your primary weapon).

Shield Bash Attacks: You can bash an opponent with a shield, using it as an off-hand weapon.

-Hyp.

 

[Shadowdweller]

Also, I'm pretty sure armor spikes may be used as an off-hand weapon while still retaining the AC bonus from a shield.

 

[Sidekick]

Quote form Hypersmurf

A 1st level ranger can use a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.

Is that joke Hype or did I miss something. I thought that to use a wand you hand to have that spell available to cast (ie of sufficient level and on spell list).

I guessing I missed something huh?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is that joke Hype or did I miss something. I thought that to use a wand you hand to have that spell available to cast (ie of sufficient level and on spell list).

I guessing I missed something huh?

It just has to be on your class list. Your level is irrelevant.

Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it’s even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Anyone with a spell on his or her spell list knows how to use a spell trigger item that stores that spell. (This is the case even for a character who can’t actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin.) The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

-Hyp.

 

[Piratecat]

Whoa! I always thought that you had to be able to cast spells in order to have it on your list. That's a huge surprise to me.

 

[Nail]

...It's amazing what that little smurf can dig up.....

 

[Shadeus]

Who can use a wand or other item that is activated with
a spell trigger? I would think that you would have to be
able to cast the stored spell. That is, you must have levels in
a class that can cast the spell, have enough levels in that
class to cast the stored spell, and have an ability score
sufficient to cast that spell. If you’re a fighter with an
Intelligence score of 9, you can’t just pick up a level of
wizard and start using a wand of fireball, can you? Wands
and other spell trigger items are for dedicated spellcasters
who use them to carry around a few extra spells in case
they run out, right? These are not items that allow dabblers
to mimic true spellcasting ability. Still, some of my friends
insist that you can use any spell trigger item (wand or staff)
if you have at least one level in a class that could possibly
cast the spell. They point to the term "spell list" in the
description of spell trigger items in the Dungeon Master’s
Guide. Surely, that refers to the list of spell you can
conceivably cast, not to a class’s entire spell list. After all,
the Dungeon Master’s Guide does not use the term "class
spell list" when talking about spell trigger items. Please
preserve play balance in our local campaign by telling me
that I’m right.

Sorry, but your friends are correct. If you’re a member of a
class that has spellcasting ability, you can use any spell trigger
item that stores a spell that’s on your class’s spell list, even
when you don’t have the class level or the ability score to cast
the stored spell. This even applies when you don’t have enough
class levels to cast any spells at all. For example, a paladin of
1st, 2nd, or 3rd level has not yet gained any spellcasting ability,
but she still can use spell trigger items that store spells on the
paladin class list. If you’re a specialist wizard, spells from your
opposition schools aren’t part of your class spell list, and you
can’t use spell trigger items that store those spells.

There's a bit more to it, but I snipped uninteresting parts. It's on p. 11

 

[Saeviomagy]

Shield Bash Attacks: You can bash an opponent with a shield, using it as an off-hand weapon.

-Hyp.

Bummer eh? Seems a little odd though. Anyway - guess you'd be best off with either a shield and armour spikes, or a light shield.

 

[Capellan]

Que? Since when does TWF entail giving up a shield? Just use the shield (preferably a spiked shield) as your off-hand weapon (or even as your primary weapon). Even if you don't have improved shield bash, you can use this to improve your AC when you cannot get the benefit of your second attack (which is any time you move and then attack, remember?)

My money would be on TWF with improved shield bash over two weapon defense anyday. Enhancement bonuses to armour (or shield bonus) are one of the cheapest forms of AC.

TWF doesn't mean giving up a shield (if you choose to shield bash) but TWo Weapon Defence (which he said he was getting) does.

TWD vs Imp Shield Bash is definitely a win for the latter in terms of AC, but the damage potential of the former is usually higher (since shields are less effective as a weapon than say, a shortsword). Also, while magical AC bonuses from shields are cheap, combining them with magical weapon bonuses as well becomes more expensive than just having to enchant weapons.

Personally, I really like the style of sword and shield two weapon fighting, but there are pros and cons to both.

A 1st level ranger can use a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.

Well .... dang. And huzzah! I'm playing a ranger currently, and that's handy to know

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Whoa! I always thought that you had to be able to cast spells in order to have it on your list. That's a huge surprise to me.

Whoa! I am surprised the Piratecat missed that trick. (Consider that a compliment.)

A Ranger 1 can use a Wand of CLW just as well as a Wizard 1 could use a Wand of Gate (if the DM put it in the treasure). Perfectly.

I have seen a few SomethingN/Sorceror1 PCs pick up a Wand of Blur or similar defensive spell. A Wand of Slow make an excellent choice, BTW.