So now we can use a buckler hand to cast a spell with somatic!

[Aesmael]

What if you want to use a light shield in your off hand and a heavy shield in the other?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is that sarcasm, or have the rules changed?

Hmm? No, and no.

If I have a shield, I can give it an enhancement bonus to its shield bonus, and shield special abilities; I can also give it an enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, and weapon special abilities, crafting it as a magic weapon.

If I add spikes to a shield, I have a spiked shield. I can give it an enhancement bonus to its shield bonus, and shield special abilities; I can also give it an enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, and weapon special abilities, crafting it as a magic weapon.

You don't add enhancement bonuses and weapon abilities to 'the spikes'. The spikes are not the weapon. The weapon is the 'spiked shield' (or 'the shield' in the case of a shield with no spikes), and that's what you enhance.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

What if you want to use a light shield in your off hand and a heavy shield in the other?

You run into a potentially murky area of rules - when you bash with a shield, you are 'using it as an off-hand weapon'. It's not 100% clear what effect this has when you attempt to TWF with two shields, since strictly, both would be treated as off-hand weapons...

-Hyp.

 

[AuraSeer]

No, no, no... not 'a magic shield with magic spikes'. 'A magic spiked shield'.

You're probably right about the terminology, but saying "a magic spiked shield" doesn't specify whether the magic enhances the AC bonus or the attack bonus, or both, or neither. I was pointing out that using a spiked shield as off-hand weapon is most effective if it has both kinds of bonus.

 

[Hypersmurf]

You're probably right about the terminology, but saying "a magic spiked shield" doesn't specify whether the magic enhances the AC bonus or the attack bonus, or both, or neither. I was pointing out that using a spiked shield as off-hand weapon is most effective if it has both kinds of bonus.

So how do you describe a non-spiked shield that has both kinds of bonus?

-Hyp.

 

[AuraSeer]

So how do you describe a non-spiked shield that has both kinds of bonus?

If I ever see a player use one, I'll let you know.

 

[Li Shenron]

Have you read the newest 3.5e FAQ (P.4). Now a hand with buckler is considered to be a "free hand" for spell casting purpose.

I guess we will see a lot of clerics with magic buckler.

I have mixed feelings about the FAQ. I used to allow the switch of weapon to the buckler's or light shield's hand and back as two free actions, and perhaps that was too easy, but two move actions is IMHO too much. Perhaps it would have been better to count both actions together as a single move action?

At the same time I don't like that you're still keeping the AC bonus while holding the weapon.

 

[Li Shenron]

You run into a potentially murky area of rules - when you bash with a shield, you are 'using it as an off-hand weapon'. It's not 100% clear what effect this has when you attempt to TWF with two shields, since strictly, both would be treated as off-hand weapons...

-Hyp.

Sorry to deviate from the discussion...

I thought that in 3.5 if you're using a shield in each hand you're definitely getting the higher bonus only, because they're both shield bonuses. Am I right?

 

[Hypersmurf]

I have mixed feelings about the FAQ. I used to allow the switch of weapon to the buckler's or light shield's hand and back as two free actions...

Gruntharg's Law

I thought that in 3.5 if you're using a shield in each hand you're definitely getting the higher bonus only, because they're both shield bonuses. Am I right?

Absolutely. I'm talking about using them both as weapons.

-Hyp.

 

[0-hr]

You don't add enhancement bonuses and weapon abilities to 'the spikes'. The spikes are not the weapon. The weapon is the 'spiked shield' (or 'the shield' in the case of a shield with no spikes), and that's what you enhance.
.

Interesting. Does the same apply to armor? I definitely recall having to enchant the spikes separately for armor, at least back in 3.0 - that's why I was wondering if something had changed...