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I'm currently interested in playing a melee-based bard. I was curious as to how spellcasting works if the bard uses a two-handed weapon like a greatsword or falchion. I know you have to have at least one hand free to cast a spell. If you wield a greatsword and then try to cast a spell, can you cast the spell and still "hold on" to the greatsword with the other hand but can't do stuff like attack with it until you're done with the spell, at which point you put your hand back on the weapon, or do you basically drop the weapon and have to pick it up after you're done?
Am I just better off using a one-handed weapon like a longsword in two hands so I ignore this issue?
I'm currently interested in playing a melee-based bard. I was curious as to how spellcasting works if the bard uses a two-handed weapon like a greatsword or falchion. I know you have to have at least one hand free to cast a spell. If you wield a greatsword and then try to cast a spell, can you cast the spell and still "hold on" to the greatsword with the other hand but can't do stuff like attack with it until you're done with the spell, at which point you put your hand back on the weapon, or do you basically drop the weapon and have to pick it up after you're done?
Am I just better off using a one-handed weapon like a longsword in two hands so I ignore this issue?
You would still have to let go of the weapon with one hand to cast spells.
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You would still have to let go of the weapon with one hand to cast spells.I'm currently interested in playing a melee-based bard. I was curious as to how spellcasting works if the bard uses a two-handed weapon like a greatsword or falchion. I know you have to have at least one hand free to cast a spell. If you wield a greatsword and then try to cast a spell, can you cast the spell and still "hold on" to the greatsword with the other hand but can't do stuff like attack with it until you're done with the spell, at which point you put your hand back on the weapon, or do you basically drop the weapon and have to pick it up after you're done?
Am I just better off using a one-handed weapon like a longsword in two hands so I ignore this issue?
I know that. I'm asking if a greatsword is a good idea, or if I'd have to basically waste 2 rounds sheathing and unsheathing it between spells and such.
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I think what Belle is saying is that you can wield the greatsword with two hands or cast a spell without dropping/sheathing it. You can cast a spell with a single hand (pretty sure), so you can just hold your sword in one hand while the other one does the wiggly magic stuff to cast a spell. I see no reason why you'd need to sheathe it at all or drop it. You'd still only be able to perform one standard action per round (generally) but you can pick spell or melee attack.
You don't have to sheathe, just take your hand off of it. Free action to take it off, cast, free action to put your hand back on. Just because you have to not wield it doesn't mean you can't hold it.
Is a Bard with a Greatsword a Bardbarian?
Yeah, wielding a two-handed weapon should be fine. I would rule that the free action to take your hand off of it and the free action to put your hand back on it didn't happen in the same round-- no AoO for you until your next turn.
If you want to be 100% sure, pick the Arcane Duelist archetype. At 5th level, your weapon becomes your arcane bond, and the text specifically states that you can use the hand gripping the weapon for somatic components.
But yeah, free action to take one hand off, cast, free action to grip weapon again should work just fine, unless you are facing a very pedantic GM.
Ask your DM if you can have a Earth breaker lute.
Call yourself Thunderlute.
Brilliant!
I indistinctly remember seeing a sword being used as a flute. It had holes in the blade for that purpose. I think it was in some anime series or movie.
Is a Bard with a Greatsword a Bardbarian?
One of my favorite characters ever was a Barbarian/Bard, it was great fun (though a tiny bit underpowered)