I've never really been clear on this.
Does a cleric need a free hand to cast spells? The rules seem to say that they do (most spells have a somatic element), but I feel like I've seen an awful lot of clerics carrying maces and shields while casting spells.
In addition, do material components and divine focuses have to be manipulated by hand to be used? Can a cleric just have their holy symbol hanging on necklace, for instance? If so, can a wizard just have his or her material component in a pouch? I haven't found a place in the rules (yet) that tells me they have to manipulate their item.
If they do have to physically touch their material components or divine focuses does that count as being doable with the same free hand they need for somatic components?
If a spell does not have a somatic component, but does have a material component or divine focus does the caster still need a free hand?
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I've never really been clear on this.
Does a cleric need a free hand to cast spells? The rules seem to say that they do (most spells have a somatic element), but I feel like I've seen an awful lot of clerics carrying maces and shields while casting spells.
Heavy shields or light shields? If light shields, then keep in mind that the shield hand can still carry things (though it can't wield weapons). Thus, a cleric could pass the mace to the shield hand, use the now-empty hand to cast, and then pass the mace back. (Many people treat that kind of weapon-passing as a free action.)
On the other hand, since arcane casters don't usually have to think about a free hand (since they tend not to have their hands full anyway), it's easy to believe that people just forget about that detail and accidentally cast while their hands are full once they roll up a cleric (and the GM doesn't catch it either).
As for your other questions... I'd have to go digging to find out, and others will probably beat me to it anyway.
Does a cleric need a free hand to cast spells? The rules seem to say that they do (most spells have a somatic element), but I feel like I've seen an awful lot of clerics carrying maces and shields while casting spells.
Magic: "To cast a spell, you must be able to speak (if the spell has a verbal component), gesture (if it has a somatic component), and manipulate the material components or focus (if any)."
James Jacobs: "A light shield allows spellcasters to use their hand to cast" and even if it didn't, "Switching a held object from one hand to the other doesn't require an action, so the end result is the same whether or not you use the light shield hand to lay on hands or your weapon hand after switching your weapon to the off hand, and then back to your weapon hand." But also:
My take: you can do two of these three things in a round:1) cast a spell
2) gain AC from a buckler or light shield
3) threaten with a weapon so you can take attacks of opportunityPick the two you want and that's the two you get.
In addition, do material components and divine focuses have to be manipulated by hand to be used?
In addition to that above, you must present your holy symbol in order to channel energy.
If a spell does not have a somatic component, but does have a material component or divine focus does the caster still need a free hand?
Do you have any examples? I guess, technically, for a spell with M/DF but no Somatic, you need to be able to manipulate it. That kind of cripples Still Spell, though.
I think most people just rule that it's taken care of by whatever action the casting of the spell is.
