If i am reading this right no. Proficincy in shields is needed for what you state literally. To be clear, what scenario or problem are you trying to solve?
The Book of Shadows isn't a spell focus for the cantrips it gives. Per RAW " While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will." To me that means it stays in your pack, or perhaps a pouch, depending on what it is. No need for it to be in your hand for cantrips. If it were a replacement for a spell focus/spell component pouch it would say so.
It by itself doesn't cost anything to replace either: "If you lose your Book of Shadows, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron." Now there is a separate question if you have the invocation, "Book of Ancient Secrets" if you put rituals in and it gets destroyed, when you get your book back, does it have the rituals still? My DM's have said yes to this, but its a table rule, and I don't recall a formal ruling on it.
Now, I have pulled it out for doing a ritual...but that doesn't seem very risky (10 minute combats of 60 rounds to cast a ritual sounds unfun and the wrong thing to do).
So I'm very curious on what is putting your book at risk? I admit I could be missing something.
If you want to pay someone to armor your book of shadows you can, but as Nthal said there's no real reason it should be out of your backpack during combat so it is unlikely to get damaged. Warlocks only get proficiency in light armor, so if you want to use a shield (either an armored book or normal shield) without penalty then you would need to take levels in a class that grants shield proficiency or take the Moderately Armored feat.
I was under the impression that the added spells, cantrips and rituals needed to be referenced in the book when cast. I was also looking to "cheat" and buff my AC a bit... Thanks!
Keep in mind that 50% cover nets +2 ac, even a similar sized friend in your path can grant it. Use terrain like everything else - to your advantage. Oh and if your being shot at but melee is not a threat, lie down, thats disadvantage for all ranged, just dont let melee get in range or its advantage to them.
Does the War Caster feat allow a Warlock to use a shield without armor disadvantages?
Im a Pact of the Tome lock and have ask a blacksmith to craft a “book cover” for my Book of Shadows. Id love to add the AC from that to myself...
Nothing in the War Caster feat grants proficiency with any kind of weapons or armor. It merely says that holding weapons and/or a shield in both hands does not prevent you from performing the somatic components of a spell. Unless you're a Hexblade that part of the feat will be the least useful, far less so than having advantage on Concentration saves, and the ability to cast a spell as an opportunity attack.
Does the War Caster feat allow a Warlock to use a shield without armor disadvantages?
Im a Pact of the Tome lock and have ask a blacksmith to craft a “book cover” for my Book of Shadows. Id love to add the AC from that to myself...
If i am reading this right no. Proficincy in shields is needed for what you state literally. To be clear, what scenario or problem are you trying to solve?
Im trying to keep my Book of Shadows from getting destroyed. Its costly to replace. Also a +2 to AC would be nice...
I'm unclear on the risk here.
The Book of Shadows isn't a spell focus for the cantrips it gives. Per RAW " While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will." To me that means it stays in your pack, or perhaps a pouch, depending on what it is. No need for it to be in your hand for cantrips. If it were a replacement for a spell focus/spell component pouch it would say so.
It by itself doesn't cost anything to replace either: "If you lose your Book of Shadows, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron." Now there is a separate question if you have the invocation, "Book of Ancient Secrets" if you put rituals in and it gets destroyed, when you get your book back, does it have the rituals still? My DM's have said yes to this, but its a table rule, and I don't recall a formal ruling on it.
Now, I have pulled it out for doing a ritual...but that doesn't seem very risky (10 minute combats of 60 rounds to cast a ritual sounds unfun and the wrong thing to do).
So I'm very curious on what is putting your book at risk? I admit I could be missing something.
If you want to pay someone to armor your book of shadows you can, but as Nthal said there's no real reason it should be out of your backpack during combat so it is unlikely to get damaged. Warlocks only get proficiency in light armor, so if you want to use a shield (either an armored book or normal shield) without penalty then you would need to take levels in a class that grants shield proficiency or take the Moderately Armored feat.
I was under the impression that the added spells, cantrips and rituals needed to be referenced in the book when cast. I was also looking to "cheat" and buff my AC a bit... Thanks!
I would say for the rituals, yes it would. But that would be low risk, and I doubt a problem. But certainly not the cantrips.
Doesn't mean you can't protect the book as desired, but as Unruly_Cow already stated, you still need the proficiency from a feat or a class level.
The other alternative is a Hex Blade warlock if you started there, with the Tome, but it sounds like we are past that point.
Have fun!
Maybe i'll multi-class as a Lock/Lock and do both. Ha!
Cant multiclass into the same class. So you are stuck with the path you chose as a warlock.
Keep in mind that 50% cover nets +2 ac, even a similar sized friend in your path can grant it. Use terrain like everything else - to your advantage. Oh and if your being shot at but melee is not a threat, lie down, thats disadvantage for all ranged, just dont let melee get in range or its advantage to them.
Nothing in the War Caster feat grants proficiency with any kind of weapons or armor. It merely says that holding weapons and/or a shield in both hands does not prevent you from performing the somatic components of a spell. Unless you're a Hexblade that part of the feat will be the least useful, far less so than having advantage on Concentration saves, and the ability to cast a spell as an opportunity attack.
a 1 lvl dip into a class that has shields in their proficiencies.
Cleric, Fighter, Paladin.
"Normality is but an Illusion, Whats normal to the Spider, is only madness for the Fly"
Kain de Frostberg- Dark Knight - (Vengeance Pal3/ Hexblade 9), Port Mourn
Kain de Draakberg-Dark Knight lvl8-Avergreen(DitA)