Correct me if I’m wrong ... it seems like a Circle of Stars Druid who wants to use a shield during combat must put their star map (spellcasting focus) on their shield in order to have a free hand to cast S and V/S spells (such as Guiding Bolt, Thunderwave, Absorb Elements, etc.). The only way around this would be to have the War Caster feat, right?
That or you just stow away your star map using a free item interaction and proceed to cast your spell. When going strictly by RAW this doesn't seem to work for guiding bolt since the "Star map" ability states you only know guiding bolt while holding the map but i don't expect many dm's to make a problem of of that.
Here’s a follow-up question ... if the star map is on the shield, can the shield be held while shooting luminous arrows in archer form? That is, does archer form require two hands as if you were holding a bow?
Seems like a stars druid needs way too many hands!! One hand for a shield (if so desired). One hand for the star map (unless on the shield). Two hands for the bow in archer form (makes sense, right, even if not stated below?). And one free hand for S and V/S spells.
Archer. A constellation of an archer appears on you. When you activate this form, and as a bonus action on your subsequent turns while it lasts, you can make a ranged spell attack, hurling a luminous arrow that targets one creature within 60 feet of you. On a hit, the attack deals radiant damage equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier.
What makes you imagine that you can put the star map on a shield?
It is odd that all of the spells that the star map allows you to cast are V,S spells, but nothing indicates that you should treat the spells any differently than the rules tell you.
The fact that it seems to be impossible RAW to cast any of the spells that the map gives you without doffing your shield seems to be an oversight on the part of the designers. With that being said, within the framework of the game that seems exactly what you need to do. As for your follow up question, it seems as though you do not need two hands free - or even one - to use the ability provided by the archer form. That may be up to the DM, but the feature doesn't tell you. I would probably rule that "hurling a luminous arrow" requires a single hand free.
A spellcaster must have a hand free to access a spell's material components — or to hold a spellcasting focus — but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components.
No, you can hold your star map (focus) in the same hand you perform somatic components with.
A spellcaster must have a hand free to access a spell's material components — or to hold a spellcasting focus — but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components.
No, you can hold your star map (focus) in the same hand you perform somatic components with.
This is a quote describing spells with material components. It only applies to spells requiring material components.
ah yes. Dumb ruling, but true. I don't think i've ever seen someone enforce this in a game though.
You are probably right, I don't know that any group actually use the component rules as written. I also don't think the designers do either, because as has been pointed out in this thread, according to RAW, a star map that you must hold that provides VS spells is incompatible with a shield.
Posting here because I’m having trouble finding the answer.
is the star map something that’s in our inventory in the app? I have the circle of stars in my Druid, but. I’m not seeing it in my inventory- I wanted to make sure I equipped it so I’d be properly calculating things. 🙃
No, it's not something explicitly supported on DNDBeyond character sheets. I would tend to add a generic "Druidic focus" and customise its name to "Star Map".
So i got around this by crafting my star map onto a scythe(owlbear pelt), made the handle out of the spell focus (mistletoe). It is a two handed weapon but my DM lets me use it as a focus one handed then shield in other. Just cant attack with the scythe as a melee unless i drop the shield.
What makes you imagine that you can put the star map on a shield?
You can put it on an owlbear hide or chisel it out of stone. Seems reasonable that you can carve it on your wooden shield. A feisty DM might damage the Star Map when you get attacked, though.
My druid's star map is a crystal on the end of her staff. Like has been said I've never been part of a game that really enforced RAW casting when it comes to holding a weapon and shield, especially for a character that is primarily a caster. Who cares if they're holding a staff that can do 1d6-1 damage AND be able to cast a V,S,M spell?
My character does this as having an archer appear as a constellation on his right arm that then shoots the arrow through is forearm and out. The chalice appears on my right arm when I do healing spells. The Dragon appears on my chest if I do that form to maintain concentration. Neither me or my DM read that as needing two hands to shoot a physical crossbow.
So, in my DND campaign, we have two circle of star druids, both use the Archer constellation, one has Star bow as an attack but the other has luminous arrow, why are the attacks different under the same constellation.
So, in my DND campaign, we have two circle of star druids, both use the Archer constellation, one has Star bow as an attack but the other has luminous arrow, why are the attacks different under the same constellation.
Are you talking about the name of the attack as it appears in D&D beyond? It seems as though neither of those is how the attack appears by default. The description calls the attack a "luminous arrow" but it appears in the D&DBeyond character sheet under bonus actions as "Starry Form: Archer,"
So, in my DND campaign, we have two circle of star druids, both use the Archer constellation, one has Star bow as an attack but the other has luminous arrow, why are the attacks different under the same constellation.
Maybe they each made custom attacks for their ability?
The player had Star bow before I made my circle of stars druid and I got Luminous Arrow as my attack, we are trying to figure out why mine is different from hers, cause when she made hers, Circle of the stars had listed the attack as star bow
What makes you imagine that you can put the star map on a shield?
It is odd that all of the spells that the star map allows you to cast are V,S spells, but nothing indicates that you should treat the spells any differently than the rules tell you.
The fact that it seems to be impossible RAW to cast any of the spells that the map gives you without doffing your shield seems to be an oversight on the part of the designers. With that being said, within the framework of the game that seems exactly what you need to do. As for your follow up question, it seems as though you do not need two hands free - or even one - to use the ability provided by the archer form. That may be up to the DM, but the feature doesn't tell you. I would probably rule that "hurling a luminous arrow" requires a single hand free.
I realize this is a super old quote, only referencing it because you posted in this thread recently. What makes you think you can't? It's a tiny object, and the Scroll, hide and Tablet could be attached to the inside of a shield very easily (I can't see any reason why they wouldn't be able to be), and the crystal could be embedded into the shield handle so you're directly holding it as you hold the shield. Of course DM can always just say 'no' and the glass discs or book forms would pose additional challenges anyway, but as long as it's in a suitable form nothing in the RAW precludes you doing so that I can see.
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Correct me if I’m wrong ... it seems like a Circle of Stars Druid who wants to use a shield during combat must put their star map (spellcasting focus) on their shield in order to have a free hand to cast S and V/S spells (such as Guiding Bolt, Thunderwave, Absorb Elements, etc.). The only way around this would be to have the War Caster feat, right?
That or you just stow away your star map using a free item interaction and proceed to cast your spell. When going strictly by RAW this doesn't seem to work for guiding bolt since the "Star map" ability states you only know guiding bolt while holding the map but i don't expect many dm's to make a problem of of that.
Or perhaps your DM will allow a hand holding a focus hand to perform S components regardless of whether there is an M component. That's what I do.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Here’s a follow-up question ... if the star map is on the shield, can the shield be held while shooting luminous arrows in archer form? That is, does archer form require two hands as if you were holding a bow?
Seems like a stars druid needs way too many hands!! One hand for a shield (if so desired). One hand for the star map (unless on the shield). Two hands for the bow in archer form (makes sense, right, even if not stated below?). And one free hand for S and V/S spells.
Archer. A constellation of an archer appears on you. When you activate this form, and as a bonus action on your subsequent turns while it lasts, you can make a ranged spell attack, hurling a luminous arrow that targets one creature within 60 feet of you. On a hit, the attack deals radiant damage equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier.
What makes you imagine that you can put the star map on a shield?
It is odd that all of the spells that the star map allows you to cast are V,S spells, but nothing indicates that you should treat the spells any differently than the rules tell you.
The fact that it seems to be impossible RAW to cast any of the spells that the map gives you without doffing your shield seems to be an oversight on the part of the designers. With that being said, within the framework of the game that seems exactly what you need to do. As for your follow up question, it seems as though you do not need two hands free - or even one - to use the ability provided by the archer form. That may be up to the DM, but the feature doesn't tell you. I would probably rule that "hurling a luminous arrow" requires a single hand free.
No, you can hold your star map (focus) in the same hand you perform somatic components with.
This is a quote describing spells with material components. It only applies to spells requiring material components.
ah yes. Dumb ruling, but true. I don't think i've ever seen someone enforce this in a game though.
You are probably right, I don't know that any group actually use the component rules as written. I also don't think the designers do either, because as has been pointed out in this thread, according to RAW, a star map that you must hold that provides VS spells is incompatible with a shield.
Posting here because I’m having trouble finding the answer.
is the star map something that’s in our inventory in the app? I have the circle of stars in my Druid, but. I’m not seeing it in my inventory- I wanted to make sure I equipped it so I’d be properly calculating things. 🙃
No, it's not something explicitly supported on DNDBeyond character sheets. I would tend to add a generic "Druidic focus" and customise its name to "Star Map".
So i got around this by crafting my star map onto a scythe(owlbear pelt), made the handle out of the spell focus (mistletoe). It is a two handed weapon but my DM lets me use it as a focus one handed then shield in other. Just cant attack with the scythe as a melee unless i drop the shield.
You can put it on an owlbear hide or chisel it out of stone. Seems reasonable that you can carve it on your wooden shield.
A feisty DM might damage the Star Map when you get attacked, though.
My druid's star map is a crystal on the end of her staff. Like has been said I've never been part of a game that really enforced RAW casting when it comes to holding a weapon and shield, especially for a character that is primarily a caster. Who cares if they're holding a staff that can do 1d6-1 damage AND be able to cast a V,S,M spell?
My character does this as having an archer appear as a constellation on his right arm that then shoots the arrow through is forearm and out. The chalice appears on my right arm when I do healing spells. The Dragon appears on my chest if I do that form to maintain concentration. Neither me or my DM read that as needing two hands to shoot a physical crossbow.
So, in my DND campaign, we have two circle of star druids, both use the Archer constellation, one has Star bow as an attack but the other has luminous arrow, why are the attacks different under the same constellation.
Are you talking about the name of the attack as it appears in D&D beyond? It seems as though neither of those is how the attack appears by default. The description calls the attack a "luminous arrow" but it appears in the D&DBeyond character sheet under bonus actions as "Starry Form: Archer,"
Maybe they each made custom attacks for their ability?
The player had Star bow before I made my circle of stars druid and I got Luminous Arrow as my attack, we are trying to figure out why mine is different from hers, cause when she made hers, Circle of the stars had listed the attack as star bow
I realize this is a super old quote, only referencing it because you posted in this thread recently. What makes you think you can't? It's a tiny object, and the Scroll, hide and Tablet could be attached to the inside of a shield very easily (I can't see any reason why they wouldn't be able to be), and the crystal could be embedded into the shield handle so you're directly holding it as you hold the shield. Of course DM can always just say 'no' and the glass discs or book forms would pose additional challenges anyway, but as long as it's in a suitable form nothing in the RAW precludes you doing so that I can see.