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Can you use this with a two handed weapon, or does this need to be wielded like a shield?
Thanks!
I see nothing where it says it's 'free' to wield, but Valeros in the pregens for the Campaign Paths is using one while TWF, so we need a clarification.
==Aelryinth
The Ring of Force Shield "must be wielded as if it were a Heavy Shield".
This means you have to dedicate a hand to it. If you want a shield you do not have to wield please look at the spell Shield or the Animated property to enchant a shield.
@Aelryinth
Just because a character has an item equipped doesn't mean they're using it or that they can activate it correctly. Perhaps this Valeros is simply prepared for a variety of combat and doesn't want to take encumbrance penalties for having a heavy shield.
And before you ask, no, most reasonable GMs won't let deactivate as free action, attack, and reactivate it as a free action, so you can block with it the same turn.
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| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
And before you ask, no, most reasonable GMs won't let deactivate as free action, attack, and reactivate it as a free action, so you can block with it the same turn.
Hmm... I'm pretty conservative and I think this is fairly reasonable, you can make as many free actions during your turn as you want.
My only complaint is making attacks of opportunity while you are getting the shield bonus because you cannot take free actions when it's not your turn.
Two weapon fighting you can 'wield' the shield in your off hand and still make attacks of opportunities with your primary hand. I don't see that being workable with a two handed weapon since you need that hand on the primary weapon.
This is correct, but depending on how you read the description of a heavy shield you may or may not have to drop your weapon in the other hand. Or let go of the two handed weapon (and not threaten).
"You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A heavy shield is so heavy that you can't use your shield hand for anything else."
I'd go with you can't have a weapon in your hand even though the shield is made of force, because the spell stipulates a heavy shield not a light shield. While wielding a light shield lets you hold things, but not wield them.
"You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A light shield's weight lets you carry other items in that hand, although you cannot use weapons with it."
Although I know the game references weight in these description, but I submit that it means weight, size, general proportion.
If you don't make that distinction, then you can easily come to the conclusion that since a ring makes a weightless shield then these stipulations no longer apply.
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Yeah, the ring of force shield has a lot of subject to interpretation bits. I'd let it fly myself and have no problems using it in a game that way (but if a GM questioned it I wouldn't argue with him).
In most cases you are just better off getting a +1 buckler for 1/4 the cost, and a higher shield bonus. If ghost touch is important then the force ring becomes a little more interesting.
In most cases you are just better off getting a +1 buckler for 1/4 the cost, and a higher shield bonus. If ghost touch is important then the force ring becomes a little more interesting.
A wise choice, and the best if you want to use weapons with your shield arm (since it is the only shield to actually say you can use weapons with it). Though an animated Heavy Shield is not a terrible choice either, just a bit expensive.
I'd personally go with a few scrolls of Shield. Maybe even a wand if you can craft one (not up to date on my wand crafting rules..).
Y
In most cases you are just better off getting a +1 buckler for 1/4 the cost, and a higher shield bonus.
But I didn't think you could wield a 2 handed or off hand weapon with a buckler. If you do, you lose the AC bonus of the buckler. Am I wrong?
But I didn't think you could wield a 2 handed or off hand weapon with a buckler. If you do, you lose the AC bonus of the buckler. Am I wrong?Y
In most cases you are just better off getting a +1 buckler for 1/4 the cost, and a higher shield bonus.
Wielding a buckler gives a -1 penalty to attack rolls with the weapon that arm is holding, including two-handed weapons. You also lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn if you use the weapon.
What I'd *like* to say is that a character should be able to turn off their shield at the beginning of their turn, make attacks, and turn it back on. My original idea was that a wizard would want to wield a dagger so he still threatened, with a shield so he had higher AC, and would turn it off at the beginning of a round, cast a spell, then reactivate it.
Still, I can understand why people wouldn't like this. Yes, the Ring of Force Shield is expensive, and should be competitive with the other shields -- but it doesn't have an Armor Check Penalty compared to the Heavy Shield, it has a higher AC than the Buckler, and it doesn't have any Arcane Spell Failure at all, which both shields do.
So 'it must have a niche' is not an argument for using the Force Shield in that way, since it has a niche even without that use
Wielding a buckler gives a -1 penalty to attack rolls with the weapon that arm is holding, including two-handed weapons.
So this has been clarified then? If so, where?
So this has been clarified then? If so, where?Wielding a buckler gives a -1 penalty to attack rolls with the weapon that arm is holding, including two-handed weapons.
As trouble shooter noted, and the PRD says, "In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn."
So unless this been eratta-ed, a buckler would be less than useless if you are attacking, since you'd get no AC bonus, and you'd have -1 to hit.
P
So this has been clarified then? If so, where?Wielding a buckler gives a -1 penalty to attack rolls with the weapon that arm is holding, including two-handed weapons.
Ummm, when was this ever contended?
I'm AFB at the moment, so the PRD will have to suffice.
Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can't make a shield bash with a buckler.
*emphasis mine*
Unless the book is different from the PRD, it's quite clear that if you wield a weapon with you shield arm, regardless of "whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon" you take a -1 penalty on attack roll.
Ummm, when was this ever contended?
I was just asking for clarification on Orge's comment "In most cases you are just better off getting a +1 buckler for 1/4 the cost, and a higher shield bonus."
Since this thread is about two handed weapons, I thought he might mean using a buckler with a two handed weapon.
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Ummm, when was this ever contended?I was just asking for clarification on Orge's comment "In most cases you are just better off getting a +1 buckler for 1/4 the cost, and a higher shield bonus."
Since this thread is about two handed weapons, I thought he might mean using a buckler with a two handed weapon.
You are correct on the penalties/ limitations of the buckler.
Just pointing out that the ring is expensive and has few benefits compared to the much cheaper buckler. Particularly if you can't use it with things like two weapon fighting.
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Ring of Force Shield is 8.5k gp, provides a +2 shield bonus to AC. The PRD describes it as "weightless and encumbrance-free" (Link Here). I see no reason why it would impede your ability to swing a weapon with your off-hand. It benefits you by providing an alternative to a deflection bonus for your ring slot, and it functions against incorporeal attacks as it mimics a force effect.
Ring of Protection +2 is 8k gp, provides a +2 deflection bonus to AC. The Ring of Force Shield is more expensive, and deflection counts to your AC against incorporeal and touch attacks, so the benefits of a force shield do not exceed the benefits of the Ring of Protection. In terms of balance, I see no reason to penalize a player for carrying a weightless, encumbrance-free shield, even if they're swinging a weapon with the arm the shield is attached to.
Sure, you can stack the both of them for a whopping +4 to your AC, at the cost of both your ring slots and 16.5k gp. Or you could by a Ring of Protection +4. For 16k gp. I'm still not floored by this. Ring of Force Shield doesn't say it imposes any of the same penalties as a shield. In fact, in explicitly states that it provides the benefits of a heavy shield with none of the weight or encumbrance based penalties. I'm inclined to just let people with full hands get away with their incredibly (read: not especially) overpowered ring.
Ring of Protection +4 is 32k
Ring of Protection +4 is 32k
Yep, you're quite right. I was looking at the crafting cost.
Ring of Protection +4 is 32kYep, you're quite right. I was looking at the crafting cost.
Seems like if it is weightless and encumbrance free, you could use a two handed weapon with it.
On the other hand, if you can not wield a weapon because it has a definite shape, you should be able to shield bash with it. Can you? If you can, you should be able to affect incorporeal creatures because it would be a force effect.
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So this has been clarified then? If so, where?Wielding a buckler gives a -1 penalty to attack rolls with the weapon that arm is holding, including two-handed weapons.
Ummm, when was this ever contended?
I'm AFB at the moment, so the PRD will have to suffice.
Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can't make a shield bash with a buckler.*emphasis mine*
Unless the book is different from the PRD, it's quite clear that if you wield a weapon with you shield arm, regardless of "whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon" you take a -1 penalty on attack roll.
So in that case if you aren't weilding a weapon in your off-hand say unarmed combat do you still take the -1 to hit?
Seems like if it is weightless and encumbrance free, you could use a two handed weapon with it.
I think the idea (in this thread) is that you couldn't actually wield the shield to defend yourself, if you're attacking with a two-handed weapon. So it could be on.. but wouldn't be useful.
So in that case if you aren't weilding a weapon in your off-hand say unarmed combat do you still take the -1 to hit?
Hey there Mathwei :)
If you are making an unarmed strike strike (or a natural attack in your case), with that off-hand, yes, you would get the penalty. The language used is for wielding a weapon, since PCs making natural attacks was a fairly rare thing in the Core Rulebook.
Seems like if it is weightless and encumbrance free, you could use a two handed weapon with it.
The answer is no. As I have stated before. You have to wield the shield, even if it is weightless, as it does not float around you.
The shield created by the ring is not a buckler. It is a heavy shield and follows all rules for heavy shields. A buckler is the only physical shield you can wield while using a two handed weapon and the rules account for this.
If you want to use your ring then you hold your two handed weapon in one hand (and can't attack with it) and have your shield in the other.
I am not arguing that it can. I myself quoted the rule that it can't.
But, it it acts like a large shield, and gets in the way to wielding something in the same hand, then it must be tangible. Can you shield bash with it? If so, it would be good against incorporeals because it is a force affect.
So in that case if you aren't weilding a weapon in your off-hand say unarmed combat do you still take the -1 to hit?
This is a lot more vague, but I'd go with yes. I'd still go with yes if the player asked to use armor spikes with the buckler.
I am not arguing that it can. I myself quoted the rule that it can't.
Ah, ok then. Glad that's settled
But, it it acts like a large shield, and gets in the way to wielding something in the same hand, then it must be tangible. Can you shield bash with it? If so, it would be good against incorporeals because it is a force affect.
I'd go with yes it can be used vs incorporeals. I read the spell required to make it Wall of Force and it specifically calls out that it forms a barrier vs ethereal creatures.
So yeah, I see no problem if you wanted to bash a ghost with the shield. Essentially it's a Ghost Touch Heavy Shield.
Edit: Although... ghost touch is a +3 enchantment and this ring is much more affordable. I guess what I'm saying is, I agree with your idea, but I'm not sure exactly what would happen if you shield bash with it.
Yep. Just seems like if it will get in the way of a sword and fills up your hand so you can't wield with it, you could bash something with it.
I've always played it as it's like free shield you wield in addition to any weapons so it could be used with Two Handed Weapon or with 2 Weapon fighting. It just doesn't make much sense otherwise really. It expensive at 8500 GP for that price I could buy +3 Large Shield for 660 more GP. That would give you +5 to your AC vs +2. Now being made of Force I can see it applying to your touch AC as well. So you lose 3 AC and use up your ring and shield slots. That's just not worth it unless it gives you the benefit of heavy shield while wielding a Two Handed weapon or Two weapons. Otherwise you'd just buy magic shield and free up a ring slot for something actually useful.
Yep. Just seems like if it will get in the way of a sword and fills up your hand so you can't wield with it, you could bash something with it.
Err.. if you don't wield the shield (hold it in your hand and nothing else) you can't bash with it. I think we're saying the same thing, but just clarifying.
I've always played it as it's like free shield you wield in addition to any weapons so it could be used with Two Handed Weapon or with 2 Weapon fighting. It just doesn't make much sense otherwise really. It expensive at 8500 GP for that price I could buy +3 Large Shield for 660 more GP. That would give you +5 to your AC vs +2. Now being made of Force I can see it applying to your touch AC as well. So you lose 3 AC and use up your ring and shield slots. That's just not worth it unless it gives you the benefit of heavy shield while wielding a Two Handed weapon or Two weapons. Otherwise you'd just buy magic shield and free up a ring slot for something actually useful.
In your game I'd feel ripped off if I did not buy the Ring of Force Shield, for each and every character I ever made.
Be mindful of what you're saying here. If you can use this ring (shield effect) and a weapon in that same hand, then for 8500 gold you're giving away an Animated Magic Heavy Shield of Ghost Touch that has no armor check and no spell failure (essentially Mithral).
To put that into perspective, you'd have to spend 37,200 GP to create such a shield..
20 GP (Heavy Steel Shield Base)
1000 GP (Mithral, No ACP, 5% armor failure)
+1 Enhancment Bonus (+1 Bonus)
Ghost Touch (+3 Bonus)
Animated (+2 Bonus)
This would cost you 37200 GP per RAW and you'd only be able to use it animated (not holding it and with two weapons or a 2H weapon) for only four rounds at a time. You'd still have 5% spell failure.
I sincerely doubt that this is what the Ring of Force Shield is meant to do for 8500.
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treat it as a heavy shield.
At the beginning of your turn, free action to turn it off, then make attacks with your greatsword, then free action to turn it back on.
Until your next turn you threaten with a heavy shield and not your greatsword, 'cause you're effectively resting the greatsword on your shoulder when the ring of force shield is active...
Isn't activating a magic item a standard action?
Isn't activating a magic item a standard action?
Excellent question, the rule of thumb is a standard action, unless the item specifically says otherwise.
If you look at the description of Ring of Force Shield it states you can activate/deactivate the item as a free action (at will).
That being said: If I was a GM I would rule against what Purple Dragon Knight is recommending you do. You must "ready" a shield in order for it to be in position to defend. Readying a shield is a move action.
Attack with Greatsword (single attack)
Free action: Move Greatsword to one hand
Free action: Activate Ring
Move action: Ready the shield for defense.
No full attack IMO.
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force shield is usually used by casters to give them one free hand to cast as a standard or full round action, then only to reappear at the end of the round when they're done. so yes, full attacks would be allowed (and any other full round action). relax guys it's just a +2 shield bonus that can't be enhanced...
Ready or Drop a Shield
Strapping a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to your AC, or unstrapping and dropping a shield so you can use your shield hand for another purpose, requires a move action. If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can ready or drop a shield as a free action combined with a regular move.Dropping a carried (but not worn) shield is a free action.
I disagree, since Ring of Force shield specifically calls out that it functions like a heavy shield - it does not float, you must wield it not carry it, but it's up to your GM.
I wouldn't want someone to take a full power attack 2h with a Bastard Sword, switch it to one hand and whip out a ring of force shield as you describe. Even Quickdraw Shields require the Quickdraw feat to use in this way.
read the item description: it's a free action to activate/deactivate. what part of free action don't you understand?
You activate Ring of Force Shield.. congratulations! You are carrying a Heavy Shield in your hand.
You are not wielding (readying) the heavy shield, that requires a move action. You cannot benefit from its AC bonuses.
Please see my above posts. Please be aware that I did not write the rules on wielding and readying a shield.
The SRD says "Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action."
Seems like readying a shield involves strapping it to your arm. What would you strap this thing to your arm with, straps of magical force? That might be why it "has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free"
Since "It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action" and it doesn't say anything about readying it, I am assuming what Purple is saying is RAW.
If you want to house rule that there are these straps of force that have to be fastened, I could see why you would want to do so, but it seems like a house rule to me.
Actually, such a ring wouldn't be QUITE that great for two-handed weapon fighters. If you deactivate it, full attack, then activate the shield, you are only holding the weapon one-handed. If you are using a two-handed weapon, then you cannot make attacks of opportunity with it at all, and even if you're using a one-handed weapon you'll lose the benefit of the 1.5x Strength bonus on AoOs.
With an Animated shield, at least you'd get your full strength bonus all the time that it's active.
The SRD says "Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action."
Seems like readying a shield involves strapping it to your arm. What would you strap this thing to your arm with, straps of magical force? That might be why "has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free"
Since
"It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action."
and it doesn't say anything about readying it, I am assuming what Purple is saying is RAW.
If you want to house rule that there are these straps of force that have to be fastened, I could see why you would want to do so.
The Force Shield stays with the ring, as per the text. It cannot be strapped on because it cannot be removed from the ring.
read the item description: it's a free action to activate/deactivate. what part of free action don't you understand?You activate Ring of Force Shield.. congratulations! You are carrying a Heavy Shield in your hand.
You are not wielding (readying) the heavy shield, that requires a move action. You cannot benefit from its AC bonuses.
Please see my above posts. Please be aware that I did not write the rules on wielding and readying a shield.
Stank, it's not being put on or taken off. It's being activated or deactivated. While on, it's considered wielded. While off, it's not.
based on free to activate and deactivate, it basically means you have a shield when you want it, and you don't when you don't.
Have to agree with the others that you can use it with a weapon in the same hand or 2H weapon. You just turn it off, then turn it back on.
Although it now beggars the question as to why Valeros has TW Defense, giving him a +1 Shield bonus, which doesn't stack with his Ring.
Gah! such an idiotic build.
==Aelryinth
while I see the point everyone is making about the shield being attached to the ring, I have to say that the Ring of Force shield in no way says "this shield does not function as per a normal shield and thus does not need to be readied"
"An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC)."
Note that it says can and not is wielded, I'm not seeing why people assume it is automatic. It would be nice, but I don't believe it is the case. Shields need to be readied to be put into a position to defend.
Animated Shields are the exception to this.
There's no need to be insulting.
I have nothing against Stynkk using his interpretation. I just don't think it is RAW.
Stynkk, how can you strap something on that has no straps? How can you unready something that you can't put down or take off?
And then, it is clear a free action to activate it or deactivate it, so you should be able to do that and get a full attack in the same round. The question is, can you do two free actions of the same kind in the same round, turning it on and off?
Could you
Turn off the shield (free action)
Full Attack
Turn on the shield (free action)
Most free actions like speaking aren't really things that you do twice.
Other free actions that you could do twice are like dropping prone or dropping an item.
Could you drop two items in one round?
Could you drop prone for free, stand up as a move action and then drop prone again in the same round?
Valeros uses it in his character statblock, and he's a TWF, so Paizo obviously thinks that you can.
Can be readied means you have the option not to have it up and running, it doesn't infer that you need an action to ready it. Actually, look at it from the other end...it comes into play as readied, you can have the option NOT to ready it, in which case its useless and you would just dismiss it.
==Aelryinth
A healthy discussion here.
Stynkk, how can you strap something on that has no straps? How can you unready something that you can't put down or take off?
If a shield is strapped to you then it is possible to not ready it. While most shields have straps this one does not. I do not think the rules terminology here is broad enough to cover a ring of force shield such as this.
You must ready all shields to wield them appropriately. You have to use a move action to ready a Buckler, and a Light Shield and a Heavy Shield. Imo this would apply to a Force Shield as well.
Why?
As we discussed at length, the force shield needs to be wielded and gripped in some way to be employed effectively. This is because it must meet the requirements outlined by a Heavy Shield. You cannot hold a weapon in that hand so that implies (to me) that you have to take some extra effort in grasping/manipulating the item. This is not a Green Lantern ring. If this was not the case then why not just let the character have it activated and attack with it? (with a two handed weapon, or two weapons).
As I have said above using a Move Action to "ready" would involve raising it to a defensive position. Without this readied action you are merely "wearing the shield" and it is not applying to your defense. The ring is on, but you must be actively guarding with your shield. This is a common assumption about shields, that they always guard when you're wearing them and it is simply not true.
I have outlined above the proper cost for an item that functions as you all are describing and it would cost approximately four times the worth of the Ring of Force shield.
About my position: I am making my assumptions based on the rules governing shields, not just flying out of no where. I am curious as to why you maintain that this is not RAW Prawn as I am using only RAW to make an argument. There is no language on the Ring of Force Shield that describes it working in a way different than normal shields. Just because it's eminating out of a ring does not mean:
As a move action, an animated shield can be loosed to defend its wielder on its own. For the following 4 rounds, the shield grants its bonus to the one who loosed it and then drops. While animated, the shield provides its shield bonus and the bonuses from all of the other shield special abilities it possesses,
Clearly we see above the example of an item that defends "on its own" without any active input from the user after the special ability is activated. Without such a clause an item like a ring of force shield would not defend on its own or "automatically" it would need to be employed as a shield.
You are making an argument based on price, and using that to guess at RAI. Let's ignore price, and say this ring is 12K or 15K instead, so that price is not an issue.
Taking price out of the equation, if a shield does not have straps, but only a handle, I can't imagine how you could pick it up in one hand and not have it ready for use. It's not like the ring makes a shield you have to pick up. It comes out of the ring, which is already in your hand. Are you saying it is so magic you can activate it and deactivate it at will as a free action, but it is not magic enough that it appears in your hand where the ring is?
As for shields not having straps, are you saying the force shield has forece straps?
Bucklers, small and large shields all have straps:
"Buckler: This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm."
"Shield, Heavy; Wooden or Steel: You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand."
"Shield, Light; Wooden or Steel: You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand"
SInce the SRD says "Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action" it is the strapping which takes the action. Even if you ahve it in your hand,it is not ready until it has been strapped on.
So unless there are straps of force here which need to be attached, then I think it does not need to readied. Saying it has straps seems implausible since it is "a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and .... has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free."
No straps means you don't have to ready it.
P
And then, it is clear a free action to activate it or deactivate it, so you should be able to do that and get a full attack in the same round. The question is, can you do two free actions of the same kind in the same round, turning it on and off?
By the strictest sense you're not doing the same action, you're doing two different ones. You're activating and de-activating.
Could you drop two items in one round?
Could you drop prone for free, stand up as a move action and then drop prone again in the same round?
Yes, they are two different items. You could use two move actions to pick up your items as well.
Free actions don't take any time at all, though there may be limits to the number of free actions you can perform in a turn. Free actions rarely incur attacks of opportunity.
You should be able to do as many as your GM finds "reasonable".
Could you
Turn off the shield (free action)
Full Attack
Turn on the shield (free action)
This is where we get into dangerous territory involving action economy. This is why I'm advocating my move action stance. This does not seem correct.
If you used a normal heavy shield you'd have to draw it (move or combined with a move) and to strap it on/ready/don the item (move). How is this possible?
If we look at quickdraw shield it clears up this confusion:
"If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may don or put away a quickdraw shield as a swift action combined with a regular move. [...] If you have the Quick Draw feat, you may don or put away a quickdraw shield as a free action. "
It is key to remember that the language here is Don not Draw. A normal shield takes two steps, draw and don, a quickdraw shield can be drawn easily and skips straight to don.
No straps means you don't have to ready it.
Where is that written? I can't seem to find it anywhere.
You must don a shield to use it...
Table: Donning Armor
Armor Type
Shield (any)Don
1 moveDon Hastily
action n/aRemove
1 move action
So unless there are straps of force here which need to be attached, then I think it does not need to readied. Saying it has straps seems implausible since it is "a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and .... has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free."
Please remember that it says it can be wielded as a heavy shield. What if you activate it and don't wield it like a heavy shield?
An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC).
It does not imply that you "must" wield it or that you "automatically" wield it. You do not wield a ring, you wear a ring.
Does the shield of force created by the ring of force shield (DMG 232) require a free hand to use, or can I use it when wielding two weapons or a two-handed weapon?The item is silent on the issue, so the Sage believes it appropriate to assume that the ring’s shield functions just like a normal heavy shield (except for the lack of armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance). Thus, it requires a free hand to gain the shield’s benefit.
Of course, a character wielding a weapon in that hand could activate the ring after making his attacks for the round (thus gaining its benefit while enemies attack) and deactivate it at the start of his next turn (allowing attacks with that hand). While you wouldn’t be able to use the shield hand to make attacks of opportunity while the shield was active, you’d otherwise be nearly as effectively protected as if the shield were active continuously.
I had missed the AoO aspect of it before, but since free actions can only happen on your turn, that makes sense.