Okay, so I understand Precise Strike to work with bucklers:
Quote: Precise Strike (Ex): At 3rd level, while she has at least 1 panache point, a swashbuckler gains the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon (though not natural weapon attacks), adding her swashbuckler level to the damage dealt. To use this deed, a swashbuckler cannot attack with a weapon in her other hand or use a shield other than a buckler. And with weapon finesse (with a penalty, if it isn't masterwork):
Quote: Weapon Finesse (Combat)
You are trained in using your agility in melee combat, as opposed to brute strength.
Benefit: With a light weapon, elven curve blade, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls. If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls.
So why, oh why, does Unhindering Shield read like this?
Quote: Unhindering Shield (Shield Mastery)
You are accustomed to fighting with your shield.
Prerequisite(s): Shield Focus, base attack bonus +6 or fighter level 4th, proficiency with bucklers.
Benefit(s): You still gain a buckler’s bonus to AC even if you use your shield hand for some other purpose. When you wield a buckler, your shield hand is considered free for the purposes of casting spells, wielding weapons, and using any other abilities that require you to have a free hand or interact with your shield, such as the swashbuckler’s precise strike deed or the Weapon Finesse feat.
Did those creating this feat forget that it works already with bucklers? Literally nothing I've found implies that bucklers impact Swashbuckler abilities.
A misunderstanding, yeah. Bucklers are fine for swashbucklers, they're even in the class name.
It was more intended that with Unhindering Shield, you can use a buckler and the Slashing Grace feat which is sorta assumed that all swashbucklers will pick up.
Wow. One of the few feats that actually goes out of its way to be perfectly clear in its wording and intent still gets a question in the rules arena.
Unhindering Shield is a safeguard against GM's more than anything... just in case anyone wants to argue if your buckler hand is considered a free hand... this feat removes all doubt.
Does another feat require a free hand? Does a class ability require a free hand? Does the combat maneuver you want to use require a free hand?
With this feat, all things requiring a free hand are possible with your buckler hand...
To be as clear as possible, they included some examples, even if it makes for redundant text...
AwesomenessDog wrote: It was more intended that with Unhindering Shield, you can use a buckler and the Slashing Grace feat which is sorta assumed that all swashbucklers will pick up. slashing grace already works with bucklers???
Depends... some GM's don't assume the buckler hand is considered a "free hand"...
This feat removes all doubt.
It also gives a buckler a +2, due to Shield Focus. And allows you to keep your AC after doing stuff with that hand...
It's worth it. It is always worth it. Unhindering Shield is one of my favorite feats in the game... I take it on 2H Fighters before Power Attack...
VoodistMonk wrote: Wow. One of the few feats that actually goes out of its way to be perfectly clear in its wording and intent still gets a question in the rules arena.
Unhindering Shield is a safeguard against GM's more than anything... just in case anyone wants to argue if your buckler hand is considered a free hand... this feat removes all doubt.
Does another feat require a free hand? Does a class ability require a free hand? Does the combat maneuver you want to use require a free hand?
With this feat, all things requiring a free hand are possible with your buckler hand...
To be as clear as possible, they included some examples, even if it makes for redundant text...
Slashing Grace's entry has a clarification regarding bucklers:
Quote:
What exactly does it mean that “You do not gain this benefit while fighting with two weapons or using flurry of blows, or any time another hand is otherwise occupied?” Can I use a shield? What about a buckler? Can I use flurry of blows? Brawler’s flurry? Two-weapon fighting? Spell combat? Attack with natural weapons? What if I throw the weapon? What about swordmaster’s flair?
Slashing Grace does not allow most shields, but bucklers work because they don’t occupy the hand. Flurry of blows, brawler’s flurry, two-weapon fighting, and spell combat all don’t work with Slashing Grace. Attacking with natural weapons beyond the weapon you chose for Slashing Grace also does not work. Slashing Grace only works with melee attacks, not thrown attacks with a melee weapon. Swordmaster’s flair should have a sentence added to it that says “Carrying a swordmaster’s flair counts as having that hand free for the purpose of abilities that require a free hand, though you still can’t hold another object in that hand.”
They did choose poor examples, but bless them for trying...
Unhindering Shield is one of my favorite feats simply because I thought it needed so little explanation... they actually wrote this one correctly... it works...
I like it so I can keep my +2 AC as I swing away with my Greatsword, no questions asked. It works for Monks and spellcasters, too.
If you don't already need it, then you probably don't need it... what's the actual question?
VoodistMonk wrote: They did choose poor examples, but bless them for trying...
Unhindering Shield is one of my favorite feats simply because I thought it needed so little explanation... they actually wrote this one correctly... it works...
I like it so I can keep my +2 AC as I swing away with my Greatsword, no questions asked. It works for Monks and spellcasters, too.
If you don't already need it, then you probably don't need it... what's the actual question?
but still get -1 to hit from a buckler
VoodistMonk wrote: They did choose poor examples, but bless them for trying...
Unhindering Shield is one of my favorite feats simply because I thought it needed so little explanation... they actually wrote this one correctly... it works...
I like it so I can keep my +2 AC as I swing away with my Greatsword, no questions asked. It works for Monks and spellcasters, too.
If you don't already need it, then you probably don't need it... what's the actual question?
The feat references a swashbuckler needing the feat to use a buckler.
Every other reference indicates that they don't - not for weapon finesse, not for precise strike, not even for slashing/fencing grace. It was an observation.
A great feat for 2-handed fighter, but not sure why they bring up swashes.
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