Buckler enchantments when two-handing

[Qaianna]

OK, so bucklers can be used when using a two-handed weapon, as long as you don't mind a -1 to hit and losing the shield bonuses. Do enchantments (like, say, Fortification) count as being lost when you're trying to be this cheesy?

On a related note, how free is your hand when using a light shield? I know you can't wield a weapon in that hand ... can you reload one? Hold one without wielding? Hold a rope? And would any of these cost you your shield stuff like above?

[SlimGauge]

Qaianna wrote:

Do enchantments (like, say, Fortification) count as being lost when you're trying to be this cheesy?

RAW says only that you lose the buckler's armor class bonus. Be aware, however, that most shield enchantments are USE ACTIVATED. That is you must actively use the shield as a shield for them to function. While you're two-handing your weapon, the buckler is not being used, although the bulk and weight still affect you. If you've got something else, like a shield ability that's command word activated (maybe it gives off light like a torch on command), that should continue to function just fine.

Qaianna wrote:

On a related note, how free is your hand when using a light shield? I know you can't wield a weapon in that hand ... can you reload one? Hold one without wielding? Hold a rope? And would any of these cost you your shield stuff like above?

Not free enough to count as a free hand for most abilities that require a free hand (like deflect/snatch arrows for example)

a) reloading: questionable, ask your GM, but probably not
b) Holding an item ? Yes, done all the time by clerics to get a hand free for somatic components
c) Hold a rope ? Sure, why not ? But it's not a free hand as required by the climb skill.

[Devilkiller]

Would a hand with a buckler count as being free? Does using the buckler hand for actions other than attacking cause you to lose the AC bonus from the buckler? I've got two PCs who use bucklers right now, so I wonder about stuff like this from time to time. One of those PCs has a prehensile tail (actually a Tentacle), so the "hand" in question gets used for a lot of stuff ranging from grappling enemies to using wands.

[Kazaan]

PRD wrote:

You strap a light steel shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A light steel shield's weight lets you carry other items in that hand, although you cannot use weapons with it. Whether wooden or steel, a light shield offers the same basic protection and attack benefits, though the two varieties respond differently to some spells and effects (such as rusting grasp). A druid can use a light wooden shield, but not a light steel shield.

A light shield doesn't give you a free hand at all; just a caveat that you can carry items in that hand. So carrying a torch, rope, holy symbol, etc, are fine, but actions like reloading or climbing or grappling are no-go. A Buckler, on the other hand (no pun intended), doesn't occupy your hand at all; it occupies your forearm, but translates certain penalties for specific uses of that arm's hand.

[NikolaiJuno]

I would think you could hold the crossbow in the light shield hand and reload it with the other. Then return it to the free hand to fire.