Could someone please tell me the difference?
In what context ?
Wands, rods and other magic items often state "Hold it in hand" to function.
Lets use wand of enlarge person and Rod of absorption as our magic 2 items for this tread.
I have a light shield as well. It states: A light steel shield’s weight lets you carry other items in that hand, although you cannot use weapons with it.
In this Context, would the "carry other items in that hand" be any different then "Hold it in hand"?
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you are carrying something in your hand, you are also holding it in your hand.
Carry = hold, but may not equal wield or use. You can carry a great sword in one hand, you cannot wield/ use it in one.
Carry = hold, but may not equal wield or use. You can carry a great sword in one hand, you cannot wield/ use it in one.
Wield and use are not the same thing. For instance, take the Agile Alpenstock: Held in a hand it can be used to gain it's benefits but it can be wielded in two hands as a weapon.
Or to take that greatsword: If it has a Command Word ability, you could use it while holding it. It's only use activated abilities that require wielding the sword.
Yep, I am falling victim to the old english vs game term trap. So hold = carry might= use might= wield. Or might not.
I wouldn't go so far as to say hold = carry. If you are carrying something in your hand you are also holding it in your hand. The converse is not true. You can hold someone else's head in your hands without in any way carrying it, for instance. And the "in your hand" part is important, you can carry something on your back without holding it at all.
I'm not even going to touch wield or use without a specific context invoking them.
I should have said my statements are in reference to hand held sized objects in hand.
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I have to admire your dedication Vince, but wasn't this dead horse pounded into paste on your last thread? Yesterday?
Let me be even more specific. Would Rod of absorption work in the light shield hand while the wand in the other hand?
The rod only needs to be held. No action required.
Probably better for the rules forum.
However, a similar question is with the Rod of Splendor which says, "holds or carries the item" suggesting that "hold" and "carry" are two different things.
If I were to ask you where your character carries his potions at what would be your answer? If it wasn't "in his hand" then I think you can carry something without holding it in your hand.
Hold vs carry is not going to be answered.
You can carry items in many forms. In a bag, sheath, belt pouch, arms, bandoleer and of course, hands.
But there are every few ways to hold items. Two Hands are the only places on an average human.
Carry is not the same as holding. But holding is the same as carry.
I guess this is a word definition issue. Is carrying an item in your hand any different then holding an item in your hand?
I say no. You must do both. You must be able to wrap your finger around an item in order order to hold or carry. The two word are very similar. But in terms of hands. You're doing both.
Anything else is just word play.
Thank You for your all the help.
I can carry something in my backpack.
If I am holding something in my backpack then my hand is in there holding onto the thing.
I posted this exact same clarification on your other page Vince about whether you could use a wand in the same hand as your light shield, but I'd be happy to hear how others weigh in.
If you do a search function of the core rulebook PDF like I did.
"hold" then "carr" and see all the various reference each one makes all throughout the book.
You'll learn that held is a more precise term than carry.
Core Rulebook Examples: All thumbs are fingers, but not all fingers are thumbs. . Items held are considered carried, but carried items in your hand are not automatically considered held.
Specific trumps general.
Climb says "You need both hands free to climb, but you may cling to a wall with one hand while you cast a spell or take some other action that requires only one hand. You also can’t use a shield while climbing."
If you had your shield in one hand and sword in the other, could you deflect or snatch arrows? No. "You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat."
If you're carrying a net in your shield hand, you can't "control the trailing rope by succeeding on an opposed Strength check while holding it."
Tower shield has a sentence "targeting the shield you are holding." Now light shields aren't tower, but are still held.
Can you hold a charge in your light shield hand? No. A held charge considers you armed, and you can't wield weapons.
Now if you were a monster with the grab ability and you shield bashed then attempted to grab the target with your shield hand at a -20, I'd say yes because the rules apply penalties for not having hands free.
If i cast command and tell you to drop, you would drop your weapon, then shield, and by default, your carried wand becomes held, then dropped. "Drop: On its turn, the subject drops whatever it is holding."
If you're carrying a map in your shield hand, and i cast erase then touch it. You're left with a blank piece of paper."Nonmagical writing is automatically erased if you touch it and no one else is holding it."
Haste would grant you another shield bash but not an attack with a carried weapon in shield hand "a hasted creature may make one extra attack with any weapon he is holding."
Irresistable Dance references shields as being held "it negates any AC bonus granted by a shield the target holds."
Sandstorms "contaminating carried gear."
Urban adventures states "Different cities have different laws about such issues as carrying weapons in public.."
Magic items on the body "Of course, a character may carry or possess as many items of the same type as he wishes. However, additional items beyond those in the slots listed above have no effect. Some items can be worn or carried without taking up a slot on a character’s body."
Slot: Most magic items can only be utilized if worn or wielded in their proper slots. If the item is stowed or placed elsewhere, it does not function. If the slot lists “none,” the item must be held or otherwise carried to function.
Ring of shooting stars says "Those wearing metal armor and/or carrying a metal weapon take 4d8 points of damage."
Rod of Splendor proves this point "The possessor of this fantastically bejeweled rod gains a +4 enhancement bonus to her Charisma score for as long as she holds or carries the item."
Horn of blasting :Crystalline objects and creatures take 7d6 points of sonic damage, with no save unless they’re held, worn, or carried by creatures (Fortitude DC 16 negates).
Mirror of life trapping: "A victim’s equipment (including clothing and anything being carried) remains behind."
Etc. Etc. Etc.
"If you are a player, you make all of the decisions for your character, from what abilities your character has to the type of weapon he carries."
Conclusion:
If a wand requires you to hold it in your hand, but a light shield only allows you to carry items in your hand, then you can't use the wand, because you're already holding a shield in your hand.
Specific Trumps General. Items held are considered carried, but carried items in your hand are not automatically considered held.
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.