Using a holy symbol

[ulrikbb]

My cleric has taken the Shield Proficiency and Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword) feats. He wields a bastard sword in one hand and his shield in the other. When he uses a power that benefits from an implement, does he have to free a hand to make use of his holy symbol?

Is it the same for all the other implement wielding classes?

 

[James McMurray]

Holy symbols do not need a free hand. They're currently the only implements that work that way.

 

[Byronic]

To balance this out you can only carry one holy symbol at a time.

 

[ulrikbb]

Ah, thanks for the answers!

This means that clerics do well to go with two handed weapons if they do not plan on making use of a shield, doesn't it?

 

[Kordeth]

Ah, thanks for the answers!

This means that clerics do well to go with two handed weapons if they do not plan on making use of a shield, doesn't it?

Correct; clerics have no real incentive to use a single one-handed weapon and nothing else--unless you want to spend some feats on two-weapon fighting, you're better off with the AC/Ref from a shield or the extra damage from a two-handed weapon.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

That's a handy clarification - thanks for that. Definitely means that when my Warforged Cleric hits second level he'll be taking light shield proficiency as his feat, since the group doesn't have a defender at the moment.