Simply put, how can clerics have a shield, a weapon, and still pull of spells?
I have recently been playing a cleric, my first time in any rpg playing one. Nearly every image I see of a classic cleric, I see him carrying a shield on one arm and a weapon in the other hand.
But when I look at what is required to do the bulk of my spells (prayers), they require any combination of hand movements, holy symbol waving, and producing a random bit of something from a pouch.
I'm not sure how one can perform as a shield toting cleric while still having enough hands free to perform these tasks.
Given that the iconic cleric is almost always carrying a shield, I get the feeling that this is normal and not people getting around rules with technicalities (visions of a cleric constantly juggling weapons, shields, elements, holy symbols, etc every single turn just doesn't seem like intended role playing) and that I am clearly missing something.
Can you help me out understanding the logistics and rules involved? And please feel free to get technical, my DM is very picky about rules.
Simply put, how can clerics have a shield, a weapon, and still pull of spells?
I have recently been playing a cleric, my first time in any rpg playing one. Nearly every image I see of a classic cleric, I see him carrying a shield on one arm and a weapon in the other hand.
But when I look at what is required to do the bulk of my spells (prayers), they require any combination of hand movements, holy symbol waving, and producing a random bit of something from a pouch.
I'm not sure how one can perform as a shield toting cleric while still having enough hands free to perform these tasks.
Given that the iconic cleric is almost always carrying a shield, I get the feeling that this is normal and not people getting around rules with technicalities (visions of a cleric constantly juggling weapons, shields, elements, holy symbols, etc every single turn just doesn't seem like intended role playing) and that I am clearly missing something.
Can you help me out understanding the logistics and rules involved? And please feel free to get technical, my DM is very picky about rules.
"time in any rpg playing one. Nearly every image I see of a classic cleric, I see him carrying a shield on one arm and a weapon in the other hand."
You mean light Shild or Buckler?Because only Tower Shield and Heavy Shield block divine spellcaster if weilds a weapon.
Both a light Shield and buckler are unoccupied. Light shields block weapon useage in that hand, and Bucklers allow a weapon but deny AC bonus and give a hit penalty when used.
Never wear a heavy shield and a weapon if you plan on casting, you could hold a weapon cord (exception to no heavy sheilds, you drop, cast, undrop weaopon)
Clerics carry bucklers and light shields. both of which, allow through moving the weapon to the shield hand, a free hand to cast. a free action, then a second free action is taken to move it back to weapon hand afterwards.
it also bypasses the concept of clerics with 3 or more arms, prehensile tails, or prehensile hair gained through means of race choice or class dips.
or instead, carry a 2handed weapon, free action, remove one hand, cast as a standard, free action put hand back on weapon.