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<blockquote data-quote="redrick" data-source="post: 6569437" data-attributes="member: 6777696">I have mostly ignored free-hand requirements in my game and am slightly regretting it. Our Eldritch Knight went sword and board in plate armor. As a result, he could throw up shield and get his AC up to 25. It's a limited resource, so not game breaking, but it did make combats a lot tougher for me. Since he could go most rounds without taking a hit anyway, the party could easily shut down any control point with no real risk of attrition.I think the game definitely intends the decision to wear a shield to require a serious trade-off in offensive flexibility. An AC of 20 (or 21 with the defensive fighting style) is a huge AC that makes a character feel pretty invulnerable, especially in levels 3-5, where a lot of the opponents are still only getting +5 to hit.On the other hand, one thing that I've been reminded of elsewhere on this forum is that casting shield burns a character's reaction, which means that a character loses the ability to make attacks of opportunity. So, monsters who would be aware of the in-world action economy, would recognize that the dude who just waved up a big force field is no longer going to pose a threat if they want to blow past him and go for the squishy guy in the back.But, back on topic, yes, I would have appreciated a succinct summary of the intended affect of two-handed weapons on somatic casting components. If a character frees a hand from their great-sword to cast a spell, can they use that great-sword to make an opportunity attack as a reaction?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="redrick, post: 6569437, member: 6777696"] I have mostly ignored free-hand requirements in my game and am slightly regretting it. Our Eldritch Knight went sword and board in plate armor. As a result, he could throw up shield and get his AC up to 25. It's a limited resource, so not game breaking, but it did make combats a lot tougher for me. Since he could go most rounds without taking a hit anyway, the party could easily shut down any control point with no real risk of attrition. I think the game definitely intends the decision to wear a shield to require a serious trade-off in offensive flexibility. An AC of 20 (or 21 with the defensive fighting style) is a huge AC that makes a character feel pretty invulnerable, especially in levels 3-5, where a lot of the opponents are still only getting +5 to hit. On the other hand, one thing that I've been reminded of elsewhere on this forum is that casting shield burns a character's reaction, which means that a character loses the ability to make attacks of opportunity. So, monsters who would be aware of the in-world action economy, would recognize that the dude who just waved up a big force field is no longer going to pose a threat if they want to blow past him and go for the squishy guy in the back. But, back on topic, yes, I would have appreciated a succinct summary of the intended affect of two-handed weapons on somatic casting components. If a character frees a hand from their great-sword to cast a spell, can they use that great-sword to make an opportunity attack as a reaction? [/QUOTE]

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