Mithral Animated Tower Shield, sweet defense but confusing rules-wise...

[shilsen]

I am questioning the in hand items saving better that a non in hand item. Maybe you can say your moving the item around avoiding the damage, or some how putting behinf your back to protect it? But again the rose in hand is more resilient than a sword on the ground by several fold.

Thorncrest

I understood what you were questioning the first time. What I was saying is that your stated assumption that it is neither realistic or reasonable is based upon quite narrow and arbitrary definitions of what realism and reason are. My answer specifically references the fact that items in a creature's possession are treated differently than those which are not, in the D&D game. In short: (a) It's magic. (b) Reality isn't the same in the D&D world as it is for us.