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So. What options are out there for a character who wields a one-handed weapon, but is none of the following:
- a Free-Hand Fighter
- a shield-wielder of any sort
- a stencil-swizzling Wayang
- someone who uses the Steal maneuver
- a friggin' Magus or faux-Magus (like the Phantom Blade)
- a Kineticist
- a Flagbearer
- someone who casts some obscure spell that requires an empty hand
- anyone else with a class/Archetype-specific quirk that requires a free hand (though if someone just felt like name-dropping classes/Archetypes like this, I wouldn't mind hearing about them)
In case you wonder "well gee, what's left?", I'm hoping people can name things like feats and odd items (in particular, not exclusively).
You don't *have* to be a monk (although it's easier) to use Snapping Turtle Style, you can get a shield bonus from that empty had if you do.
The feat Deflect Arrows is kinda situational, but when it's handy, it's really handy.
You can use these tricks only while wearing light or no armor, wielding a light or one-handed manufactured weapon in one hand, and holding nothing in your off hand.
Feat, requires BAB 1, gives things as you qualify. Probably not the greatest set of weapon tricks, but it exists.
Technically one doesn't have an offhand unless you engage in two weapon fighting. The correct question would be 'stuff to do with an empty free hand'.
Hold the lantern. It's a thankless job, but the party needs to SEE in those dark dungeons.
Hold a healing potion so you can pour it down someone's throat if necessary.
Hold a splash weapon (holy water, alchemist's fire, acid, etc.) so you can throw it quickly if necessary.
Shield Gauntlet Style encourages you to have an empty hand with only a spiked gauntlet equipped.
The dueling dagger grants you +1 AC while holding it and using combat expertise/fighting defensively.
Most of these things can be held by a character who is carrying a buckler or a light shield in his off hand. I am not sure how a character benefits from an empty hand if the options in the first post are excluded.
Well... what if the character wants the option of dropping his melee weapon and drawing his bow? If he has a buckler or shield strapped on, the rules say he can't use a weapon with that hand, so firing a bow is out.
(Mind you, as a GM, I've always ignored that rule and allowed characters to fire bows anyway. But I don't know if anyone else does that.)
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Well... what if the character wants the option of dropping his melee weapon and drawing his bow? If he has a buckler or shield strapped on, the rules say he can't use a weapon with that hand, so firing a bow is out.
(Mind you, as a GM, I've always ignored that rule and allowed characters to fire bows anyway. But I don't know if anyone else does that.)
You CAN use a bow with a buckler. And with NO penalties.
A character with a hand that wanders off on its own.
a wand, a light source, a thrown weapon (including splash weapons), a holy symbol, using your second hand on your 1 handed weapon to get better damage, hold a familiar, or you could just be classy with it.
You CAN use a bow with a buckler. And with NO penalties.Well... what if the character wants the option of dropping his melee weapon and drawing his bow? If he has a buckler or shield strapped on, the rules say he can't use a weapon with that hand, so firing a bow is out.
(Mind you, as a GM, I've always ignored that rule and allowed characters to fire bows anyway. But I don't know if anyone else does that.)
Dang! You're right! There it is, in the CRB, page 150. I stand corrected.
Okay, a light shield then. That's strapped to your forearm too.
Wands are popular, especially for in combat mobility or etc
Magus and Wizards can be quite good with wands, able to use their own int score. Wizards can even use their own CL
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A character with a hand that wanders off on its own.
Possessed Hand is a great feat for any dex-to-dama-.... ehm, any casual build that happens to involve a free hand.
There's a very obvious dirty joke here just waiting to be said.
Slashing or fencing grace require a free hand.
You can hold a cigar smokestick in your free hand and blow 10ft cubes of smoke.
Slow Burn (Craft [alchemy] 1 rank): You can burn a smokestick just slowly enough to not consume it immediately. You must choose to use this trick when you light a smokestick. A slow-burning smokestick is not consumed after 1 round, and the smoke produced only lasts for 1 round. For the next hour, as a swift action when you are holding a slow-burning smokestick, you can use the smokestick to produce a cloud of smoke that lasts for only 1 round. The slow-burning smokestick lasts for 1 hour or until you have created a total of 10 clouds, at which point it is consumed.
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Summon birds. Well, at least one.
Pick stuff up.
Get stuff out of your pack.
Disarm someone and hold thd disarmed item.
Grapple someone.
Flip yoir enemies the bird.
Flip your friends the bird.
Grab the ledge when your friends chuck you off a cliff for flipping them the bird.
Pull a lever.
Push a button.
Scratch yourself.
Unarmed strike.
Cast a spell with somatic components.
Open a door.
Shut the door in the face of your friends after flipping them the bird.
Check that your moustache is in good order.
The possibilities are endless!
So you can speak... Sakvroth [drow sign language], canto or flail-snail.
You could be holding a Master Vidlian's squeeze-box.
Makes me think of an old tune by The Who.
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Hold a Ring Gate.
On the other side of the Ring Gate, you can have (many of these ideas aren't originally mine):
A friend with a reach weapon.
A friend with a bow.
A friend with Lightning Bolt (etc.).
A friend with a cannon or ballista.
A friend hanging out in Ye Olde Magic Shoppe, passing you whatever you need.
A friend who can heal.
A friend who can summon.
A friend who can cast Shrink Item and then give/take said item through the gate.
A friend who can cast Gaseous Form and get you through the gate.
A friend who can take a good look around through the gate, and then teleport in as backup.
A friend who can flip the bird.
They are also useful for telling when you enter a shielded area. "Oh dang, the ring gate just stopped working. Better be really careful."
Or all of the above.
Flip yoir enemies the bird.
Flip your friends the bird.
Grab the ledge when your friends chuck you off a cliff for flipping them the bird.
That provided my laugh for the day. Thanks for that.
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Slashing or fencing grace require a free hand.I'm pretty sure they are the reason why the OP is asking this question.
Nope, just one possibility of many!
Possessed Hand was one I knew about (although you need certain additional feats to make it useful as an empty hand, and when you're making use of those, of course, you're forgoing the attack/damage bonuses).
Feat, requires BAB 1, gives things as you qualify. Probably not the greatest set of weapon tricks, but it exists.You can use these tricks only while wearing light or no armor, wielding a light or one-handed manufactured weapon in one hand, and holding nothing in your off hand.
Thanks for the tip-off! If nothing else, it's good to be reminded all that stuff exists.
Wield a +1 training weapon
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Some relevant magic items are a Padma blossom or a mirror of guarding reflections.
You generally need a free hand to be able to climb.
High five your own vestigial arm?