Will Hand of the Acolyte work with a Heavy Shield?

[Imbicatus]

The magic domain power Hand of the Acolyte (and the Hand of the Apprentice school ability) allows you to make a ranged attack with any weapon. However, a shield is considered strapped to your arm by the rules. Would this prevent the shield from being thrown or returning?

Spoiler:

Hand of the Acolyte (Su): You can cause your melee weapon to fly from your grasp and strike a foe before instantly returning. As a standard action, you can make a single attack using a melee weapon at a range of 30 feet. This attack is treated as a ranged attack with a thrown weapon, except that you add your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll instead of your Dexterity modifier (damage still relies on Strength). This ability cannot be used to perform a combat maneuver. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

[SlimGauge]

It would work, but you would have to be holding (grasping) the heavy shield rather than wearing it. If you really want to do this, get quickdraw and use a quickdraw shield.

[Imbicatus]

I was thinking of using it in a core mode pfs game, so no QuickDraw shields. My reading of it is it would work as the magic causes it to instantly return, but I can see table variation.

[Amrel]

I wouldn't think it matters how it straps or attaches. The fly from your grasp portion is flavor text. The effect is that you can make a single melee attack at a range of 30 feet.

As a side note you strap a shield to your arm and grasp the handle. Since the spell says it flies from your grasp and doesn't mention any caveat, I would guess it always flies from your grasp (which can admittedly lead to silly scenarios, like what if you tied your shield to a boulder or a house and used this)

[SlimGauge]

If your weapon is attached to you (such as a shield strapped on your arm, or a weapon attached to your hand via a weapon cord or a locked gauntlet), Hand of the Acoylte can't function, so the spell will fail.

EDIT: replace "spell" with "supernatural ability"

[Amrel]

SlimGauge wrote:

If your weapon is attached to you (such as a shield strapped on your arm, or a weapon attached to your hand via a weapon cord or a locked gauntlet), Hand of the Acoylte can't function, so the spell will fail.

EDIT: replace "spell" with "supernatural ability"

I agree that this is RAI, but is there any text that you know of that actually states this kind of thing in general?

I would say that physics wouldn't allow this but its magic and it says the item instantly returns to your hand so we can't use that as a base.

[Magda Luckbender]

This are no rules about this. It's up to your GM. Perhaps avoid taunting your GM by trying to do this, though :-)

[SlimGauge]

Amrel wrote:

it says the item instantly returns to your hand

If you want to argue based on "returns to your hand", then it had to be in your hand in the first place to return there, right ?

[LazarX]

Just remember if you're wearing the shield, say hello to Arcane Failure Chance, when it comes to casting spells.

[Imbicatus]

LazarX wrote:

Just remember if you're wearing the shield, say hello to Arcane Failure Chance, when it comes to casting spells.

It doesn't matter for the magic domain ability.

[Amrel]

SlimGauge wrote:

Amrel wrote:

it says the item instantly returns to your hand

If you want to argue based on "returns to your hand", then it had to be in your hand in the first place to return there, right ?

Yes, A shield is both grasped in your hand via the handle and strapped to your arm, is it not?

[blackbloodtroll]

Amrel wrote:

SlimGauge wrote:

Amrel wrote:

it says the item instantly returns to your hand

If you want to argue based on "returns to your hand", then it had to be in your hand in the first place to return there, right ?

Yes, A shield is both grasped in your hand via the handle and strapped to your arm, is it not?

Not with all shields.