I’ve read many articles, but I am still confused as to what I can do with my shield without Warcaster. I mean, there isn’t any penalty showing up on my character sheet for having one equipped without Warcaster.
is there basically some kind of “unofficial” rule that you need to have Warcaster to cast spells as say a Hexblade with a shield that just isn’t baked into character creation?
With the Pact of the Blade pact boon and Improved Pact Weapon invocation, you can use your pact weapon as a focus. It doesn't really have anything to do with the Hexblade Patron per se, as the Hex Warrior stuff applies to your pact weapon anyway.
Edit: unfortunately, any warlock spells (including almost every single one on the Hexblade expanded spell list) that don't have an M component would still need a free hand. But often sheathing your sword can be done on the turn when you cast a spell. The thing about gishes (and hexblades in particular) is that they tend not to be casting spell after spell after spell. You use a slot for a concentration spell and maybe a pre-combat buff and you're out of slots anyway, so minute interactions of sheathing or drawing your weapon are incidental. So go into combat with your sword away, cast your spell, then draw your sword.
The one place where this gets a bit clumsy is if you want to spend a spell slot on shield - it is a reaction and has no M component so you can't cast it if your sword and shield are out. But using a lock slot for that spell can get very expensive.
I’ve read many articles, but I am still confused as to what I can do with my shield without Warcaster. I mean, there isn’t any penalty showing up on my character sheet for having one equipped without Warcaster.
is there basically some kind of “unofficial” rule that you need to have Warcaster to cast spells as say a Hexblade with a shield that just isn’t baked into character creation?
www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/Actionsparda_126661750.pdf
I’d like to apologize in advance. I’m sure this has come up plenty of times before, but I’m still having trouble understanding.
With the Pact of the Blade pact boon and Improved Pact Weapon invocation, you can use your pact weapon as a focus. It doesn't really have anything to do with the Hexblade Patron per se, as the Hex Warrior stuff applies to your pact weapon anyway.
Edit: unfortunately, any warlock spells (including almost every single one on the Hexblade expanded spell list) that don't have an M component would still need a free hand. But often sheathing your sword can be done on the turn when you cast a spell. The thing about gishes (and hexblades in particular) is that they tend not to be casting spell after spell after spell. You use a slot for a concentration spell and maybe a pre-combat buff and you're out of slots anyway, so minute interactions of sheathing or drawing your weapon are incidental. So go into combat with your sword away, cast your spell, then draw your sword.
The one place where this gets a bit clumsy is if you want to spend a spell slot on shield - it is a reaction and has no M component so you can't cast it if your sword and shield are out. But using a lock slot for that spell can get very expensive.