somatic, verbal and material

[Diomeneus]

sorry for making three new threads in all of about 5 minutes but i just remembered a question i had about somatic, verbal and material components for spells.

how do these work with the duskblade? does using a sword and shield prevent you from casting spells with a somatic component or is all of that figured into spell chance failure of armor? does casting spells while carrying a two handed weapon require you take a hand off etc etc... i am a little fuzzy on details for casting spells and using weapons at the same time, as a duskblade is specialized to do.

 

[delericho]

You need a free hand to cast any spell with a somatic component, and you need to have any material component to hand to cast a spell with a material component. In effect, this means you also need a hand free to cast spells with a material component (even Still spells with a material component). However, these can be the same hand.

In effect, this means that a Duskblade cannot weild a sword and a shield and cast spells (with somatic or material components) at the same time.

Note, however, that you can use a buckler and use the hand for some other purpose at the same time. And, if you're using a light shield you can hold (but not weild) items in that hand at the same time. So, the Duskblade could transfer his sword to his shield hand, and use the hand thus freed to cast a spell. Similarly, you can hold (but not weild) a two-handed weapon in one hand, allowing the Duskblade to release his greatsword, cast his spell, and ready the weapon again.

It is not clear what action would be required to transfer a weapon between hands like this. I would rule the transfer from 'ready' to 'held' positions is free, but the transition from 'held' back to 'ready' is a move action, just like drawing the weapon in the first place. In particular, I would allow the Quick Draw feat to reduce this latter to a free action.

 

[Diomeneus]

does armored mage (heavy shield) effect that? the desciption of it says something to the effect of ignoring somatic component failure with a shield or at least allowing you too... don't have the book handy (PHBII) can anyone check that for me?

 

[delericho]

Nope. They're affecting different things. In order to cast spells at all, the character has to have a hand free. After that, he still has to beat the Arcane Spell Failure.

Armoured Wizard will allow him to ignore the ASF for the shield (I think - I would have to look the feat up, and don't have the book in front of me), but the character will still need a hand free - there is no way around that other than the Still Spell feat (as far as I'm aware).

 

[brehobit]

Nope. They're affecting different things. In order to cast spells at all, the character has to have a hand free. After that, he still has to beat the Arcane Spell Failure.

Armoured Wizard will allow him to ignore the ASF for the shield (I think - I would have to look the feat up, and don't have the book in front of me), but the character will still need a hand free - there is no way around that other than the Still Spell feat (as far as I'm aware).

There is a complete mage feat called "Somatic weapon" or some such that lets you cast a spell using a somatic component with a weapon in-hand. I think I have the name wrong...

Mark

 

[brehobit]

Humm,
If you have still spell and the spell needs a material component (or focus) does that mean you can't cast the spell if held?

Mark

 

[Diomeneus]

guess its back to still spell for me.... now i just have to decide whether i take sudden still or simply still spell... keeping in mind tha ti don't need ot prepare anything ahead of time because my DM is using the spell point variant (meaning i would only have to use still spell if i was incapable at the moment of doing the somatic)

 

[delericho]

There is a complete mage feat called "Somatic weapon" or some such that lets you cast a spell using a somatic component with a weapon in-hand. I think I have the name wrong...

I don't own Complete Mage, but that definately sounds like a feat Duskblades need to take

If you have still spell and the spell needs a material component (or focus) does that mean you can't cast the spell if held?

You can cast the spell if you already have the required components/focuses already in hand. If you do not, you cannot cast the spell. (In theory, another character could find the components for you, and place those in your hands, allowing you to cast the spell.)