Using a buckler

[LokiDR]

Yeah sure, this IS D&D. But I wouldn't allow it either.

Friend of mine cut his bowstring with a blade on his forearm (though the blade was blunted...). Since I assume he's proficient in bow use as well as with that blade...

I would doubt the proficency with the fore-arm blade, as that is something you would need to wing. Archer is widely practiced sport. Wrist-blades aren't, at least in any circles I run in.

 

[Sejs]

Friend of mine cut his bowstring with a blade on his forearm (though the blade was blunted...). Since I assume he's proficient in bow use as well as with that blade...

What in the sweaty hell, may I ask, were you and your friend doing in which he was firing a bow while wearing some form of bladed bracer?


Oh, and spikes? Not bladed. You could poke a bowstring in two... but that would take some doing.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

Wizard's response

Hello, just to close this interesting debate, here are the answers i received from WOTC.

1) Does the penalty for wearing a buckler apply when using a 2-handed melee weapon?

yes

2) Do you benefit from a buckler (on your left arm) when you are holding something in your left hand?

no

3) Situation: buckler on left arm, bow in left hand, right hand used to shoot arrows. On your turn, you shoot arrows. At the end of your turn, can you get into a "defensive" mode (i'm not talking about fighting defensively) and benefit from your buckler?

b]no, because you are effectively using your off hand to hold the bow that round. You would need to switch weapons to get any benefit from the buckler[/b]

Maitre D

 

[LokiDR]

Customer support stikes again.

 

[Sejs]

2) Do you benefit from a buckler (on your left arm) when you are holding something in your left hand?

no

They were incorrect. Flat out. Holding something in your hand does not restrict the use of a buckler. As long as you're not attacking with the buckler-bearing arm for your action you get the Ac benefit.

3) Situation: buckler on left arm, bow in left hand, right hand used to shoot arrows. On your turn, you shoot arrows. At the end of your turn, can you get into a "defensive" mode (i'm not talking about fighting defensively) and benefit from your buckler?

no, because you are effectively using your off hand to hold the bow that round. You would need to switch weapons to get any benefit from the buckler

You wouldn't need to switch weapons, but you did attack with that hand on your action, so no Ac benefit. If there was some Quick-Shield Ready feat or ability that let you bring a shield to bear as a free action, however, you could get the ac back at the same time you unready the bow.

 

[Hypersmurf]

They were incorrect. Flat out.

Well, duh I could have told you that before they even replied

-Hyp.

 

[Camarath]

However, I'm going to agree with you on Armor Spikes. Notice that a monk, for example, is explicitly only allowed to make an unarmed strike as an off-hand attack if he is using a one-handed weapon... despite the fact that his unarmed strikes are described as being punches, kicks, knees, headbutts, or whatever.

So no greatsword-plus-kick even if you're a monk.

Given the monk precedent - that someone who is specially trained in using parts of his body that are not hands cannot make an off-hand attack if he's using a two-handed weapon - I have no trouble declaring that you can't use armor spikes or a spiked gauntlet if you're using a two-handed weapon like a greatsword or a bow.

Hypersmurf I was reading the FAQ and found this section and thought of this thread.

From the Main FAQ page 7
"If the monk wields a two-handed weapon, she can use a kick or similar attack as an off-hand attack. This works just like an off-hand attack made along with a one-handed weapon attack."

 

[Sejs]

Thank you for finding that, Camarath - I was looking in the wrong places apparently.


Man that FAQ is my biggest blindspot, I swear.

 

[Camarath]

Yeah I can never find what I am looking for in the FAQ. They need an Index or summarized questions with links or something. I just stumbled across this looking for something completely unrelated.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hypersmurf I was reading the FAQ and found this section and thought of this thread.

Yeah, I came across that the other day too.

The FAQ's making up new rules again.

-Hyp.