Remastered raise a shield

[GM JP]

I am still very new to the game, so please forgive me if this question is beyond basic. The shield rules state: "All shields, unless specifically noted or described otherwise, must be strapped to your arm and held in one hand, so you cant hold anything with that hand and Raise a shield, and you lose the shields benefits if that hand is no longer free."

So here is my question; if I have a shield strapped to my arm, but I am not actively using it to get the benefit of the AC bonus via Raise a Shield, can I use that hand as a Free Hand for certain feats that require a free hand?

I did a quick search of the forums, but everything seems to be prior to the remaster.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

[Powers128]

No, you would still be holding the shield. You could release it to free the hand, or pick up nimble shield hand from the bastion archetype which does allow you to interact with a held shield

[Finoan]

Pre-Remaster the general rules for shields didn't involve being strapped to your arm.

Core Rulebook Shield wrote:

Your character must be wielding a shield in one hand to make use of it...

Most shields must be held in one hand, so you can’t hold anything with that hand and Raise a Shield.

The Remaster adds this bit about the shield being both strapped to the arm and held in one hand.

Player Core Shield wrote:

All shields, unless specifically noted or described

otherwise, must be strapped to your arm and held in one
hand, so you can’t hold anything with that hand and
Raise a Shield, and you lose the shield’s benefits if that
hand is no longer free.

Unfortunately, I am not seeing anywhere that it completely specifies what happens to the shield if you are no longer holding it and it is only strapped to your arm.

What does happen if you release the shield and hold something else is that you can't use the shield any more. You have to at least remove the item from that hand before you can use the shield again.

What I assume the intent is is that having the shield strapped means that you don't drop it on the ground if you release it to use your hand for something. That also implies that you would have to use an action to grab and wield the shield with that hand again in order to use the shield.

So in the specific case you are mentioning:

Quote:

if I have a shield strapped to my arm, but I am not actively using it to get the benefit of the AC bonus via Raise a Shield, can I use that hand as a Free Hand for certain feats that require a free hand?

I would let you release the shield as a free action where it would remain strapped to your arm. Then you could consider that hand free for whatever else you want to use it for. Afterwards, you would need to use an Interact action to regrip your shield in order to use Raise Shield again.

Pre-remaster, you could still free action release your shield in order to use your free-hand abilities, but the shield would end up laying unattended on the ground in your space.

[Baarogue]

Finoan wrote:

What I assume the intent is is that having the shield strapped means that you don't drop it on the ground if you release it to use your hand for something. That also implies that you would have to use an action to grab and wield the shield with that hand again in order to use the shield.

So in the specific case you are mentioning:

Quote:

if I have a shield strapped to my arm, but I am not actively using it to get the benefit of the AC bonus via Raise a Shield, can I use that hand as a Free Hand for certain feats that require a free hand?

I would let you release the shield as a free action where it would remain strapped to your arm. Then you could consider that hand free for whatever else you want to use it for. Afterwards, you would need to use an Interact action to regrip your shield in order to use Raise Shield again.

This is my take as well and that would be how I would rule it too. One action to regrip the shield, and another to Raise it.

[Finoan]

Also, the intent seems to be in line with the addition of the Swap option for Interact that lets you both stow one weapon and draw a different one with one action.

Previous to Remaster, the option that people would use when they need to switch weapons mid-combat is to release their weapon and drop it on the ground, then draw their new weapon.

It works, but it means that your weapon is left on the ground afterwards. Which isn't the most safe or convenient place for your necessary equipment to be during a battle. Unattended, the items don't have any protection from being damaged by AoE effects. Or from being picked up and run off with by NPCs.

[GM JP]

Excellent, thank you for the answers!

[Bluemagetim]

i think this is a great for bastard sword users if this works like I think it does.
They can let go of the shield for free and swing with dual handed assault to get a two handed swing in.
Then afterward release one hand on the bastard sword as a free action and regrip the shield for 1 action. use the last action to raise the shield.
Its a defensive turn but at least you got two handed damage on a single full bonus attack.

No problem with this right?

Edit:Forgot to put the 1 action for the regrip of the shield in my first post

[Finoan]

Bluemagetim wrote:

i think this is a great for bastard sword users if this works like I think it does.

They can let go of the shield for free and swing with dual handed assault to get a two handed swing in.
Then afterward release one hand on the bastard sword as a free action and regrip the shield. use the last action to raise the shield.
Its a defensive turn but at least you got two handed damage on a single full bonus attack.

No problem with this right?

I don't see any problems with that.

And pre-Remaster it would still work. You could release the shield and drop it on the ground as a free action, dual-handed assault, pick up your shield from the ground as an interact action, then raise shield.

[Bluemagetim]

Ok so same effect but it probably looks less clunky as a scene.

[Easl]

Side note, but with the remastered shield rules I'm wondering if we will see some repeats of the Kineticist's "The hand wielding this shield counts as a free hand for..." in PC2. Alchemist, Champion, and Swash could also benefit from either a feat or subclass ability that does that.