While reading the 2024 SAC, I saw this and it reminded me of this conversation. Just sharing in case it helps the OP, future readers, or folks in the thread:
. . .
If the spell, such as Aid, also requires a Somatic component, the Cleric can perform the Somatic component with the hand holding the Shield, allowing the Cleric to keep wielding the Mace.
. . .
This example given in the SAC is technically incorrect.
The fact that certain spellcasting foci such as the emblem borne on a shield provide an exception to the requirement for needing a free hand to access a Material component does not mean that any exception is also made for needing a free hand for the Somatic component. So, while this character can wield sword-and-board when casting a V,M spell, they would not be able to do this when casting a V,S,M spell since a free hand is still needed for the S component, as written.
While reading the 2024 SAC, I saw this and it reminded me of this conversation. Just sharing in case it helps the OP, future readers, or folks in the thread:
. . .
If the spell, such as Aid, also requires a Somatic component, the Cleric can perform the Somatic component with the hand holding the Shield, allowing the Cleric to keep wielding the Mace.
. . .
This example given in the SAC is technically incorrect.
The fact that certain spellcasting foci such as the emblem borne on a shield provide an exception to the requirement for needing a free hand to access a Material component does not mean that any exception is also made for needing a free hand for the Somatic component. So, while this character can wield sword-and-board when casting a V,M spell, they would not be able to do this when casting a V,S,M spell since a free hand is still needed for the S component, as written.
The 2024 Player's Handbook explicitly allows you to use the same hand for material and somatic components, though.
It also doesn't actually say you need a "free hand" for somatic components.
The 2024 Player's Handbook explicitly allows you to use the same hand for material and somatic components, though.
It also doesn't actually say you need a "free hand" for somatic components.
The written rules actually only allow for that under particular circumstances . . . which does not include sword-and-board fighting.
We begin with the requirement for the Somatic component:
A Somatic component is a forceful gesticulation or an intricate set of gestures. A spellcaster must use at least one of their hands to perform these movements.
Next, we have the requirement for the Material component:
A Material component . . . The spellcaster must have a hand free to access them, but it can be the same hand used to perform Somatic components, if any.
By default, you generally need a free hand to access the Material component, but that free hand can be currently performing gestures. But no matter what, the gestures must be performed by using at least one hand, as per the first rule above. If a specific rule changes the Material component requirement such that a free hand is no longer needed to access the materials, that doesn't absolve the requirement to use at least one hand to perform gestures -- those are two separate requirements.
The exception for the Material requirement (but not for the Somatic component) is given by:
If a spell doesn’t consume its materials and doesn’t specify a cost for them, . . . the spellcaster can substitute a Spellcasting Focus if the caster has a feature that allows that substitution . . . and to use a Spellcasting Focus, you must hold it unless its description says otherwise (see “Equipment” for descriptions).
As it turns out, some of the descriptions do say otherwise, such as the description for the emblem borne on a shield:
A Holy Symbol takes one of the forms in the Holy Symbol table . . . A Cleric or Paladin can use a Holy Symbol as a Spellcasting Focus.
The table indicates whether a Holy Symbol needs to be held, worn, or borne on fabric (such as a tabard or banner) or a Shield.
Because its "description says otherwise", the Emblem borne on a Shield creates an exception to the requirement for the Material component that that component requires a free hand since it is "borne" instead of "held". But that doesn't change the fact that if the spell also has an "S" component then the gestures must be performed with at least one hand. So, those hands cannot be occupied.
Under a slightly loose but totally reasonable interpretation, a hand could be already occupied and remain occupied with the Material component (and only the Material component) and still be used to perform gestures (as opposed to a more rigid interpretation requiring gesturing with the free hand and then "accessing" the Material component before or after or during the gestures, for example), but such a hand certainly cannot be occupied with something else, such as a sword or a shield. Nothing in the above rules permits that. The shield, of course, is not the spellcasting focus / Material component -- the Emblem itself is what satisfies that requirement. After all, the Shield is being held / wielded, but the emblem is not being held at all -- it is borne.
Likewise, if we were discussing a worn amulet, it would work the same way. The worn amulet satisfies the Material component without needing a free hand to access it -- so the character can wield a sword and a shield while satisfying the Material component for a spell. But such a character would not be able to perform gestures since even under the loose interpretation the fact that the character would be allowed to access the Material component with the "same hand" that is being used to perform gestures doesn't really help anything since we already don't need a free hand for the Material component due to using the worn amulet, but we still need some way to perform the gestures with at least one hand.
It's certainly possible that the intention is that it works as suggested by the SAC example. But the written rules technically do not allow it.
If you want the Watsonian explanation, MS spells specifically involve waving the object around in some way, while S spells involve shaping your hand into particular patterns.
The system would be better if there were no MS spells, only M or S - then the rule could be you either need an empty hand to do the hand symbols (S), or you need a hand to touch and manipulate the components/focus (M).
Personally I find it easier to actually do the conversion when working out the casting requirements. Treat a VSM as VM and a SM as M. Basically, if there is an M then the S is irrelevant so please ignore it. It is then much easier to assess the requirement for empty hands and access to components/focuses
My hot take is all spells should require a M component so you can disarm mages.
The 2024 Player's Handbook explicitly allows you to use the same hand for material and somatic components, though.
It also doesn't actually say you need a "free hand" for somatic components.
The written rules actually only allow for that under particular circumstances . . . which does not include sword-and-board fighting.
We begin with the requirement for the Somatic component:
A Somatic component is a forceful gesticulation or an intricate set of gestures. A spellcaster must use at least one of their hands to perform these movements.
Next, we have the requirement for the Material component:
A Material component . . . The spellcaster must have a hand free to access them, but it can be the same hand used to perform Somatic components, if any.
By default, you generally need a free hand to access the Material component, but that free hand can be currently performing gestures. But no matter what, the gestures must be performed by using at least one hand, as per the first rule above. If a specific rule changes the Material component requirement such that a free hand is no longer needed to access the materials, that doesn't absolve the requirement to use at least one hand to perform gestures -- those are two separate requirements.
The exception for the Material requirement (but not for the Somatic component) is given by:
If a spell doesn’t consume its materials and doesn’t specify a cost for them, . . . the spellcaster can substitute a Spellcasting Focus if the caster has a feature that allows that substitution . . . and to use a Spellcasting Focus, you must hold it unless its description says otherwise (see “Equipment” for descriptions).
As it turns out, some of the descriptions do say otherwise, such as the description for the emblem borne on a shield:
A Holy Symbol takes one of the forms in the Holy Symbol table . . . A Cleric or Paladin can use a Holy Symbol as a Spellcasting Focus.
The table indicates whether a Holy Symbol needs to be held, worn, or borne on fabric (such as a tabard or banner) or a Shield.
Because its "description says otherwise", the Emblem borne on a Shield creates an exception to the requirement for the Material component that that component requires a free hand since it is "borne" instead of "held". But that doesn't change the fact that if the spell also has an "S" component then the gestures must be performed with at least one hand. So, those hands cannot be occupied.
Under a slightly loose but totally reasonable interpretation, a hand could be already occupied and remain occupied with the Material component (and only the Material component) and still be used to perform gestures (as opposed to a more rigid interpretation requiring gesturing with the free hand and then "accessing" the Material component before or after or during the gestures, for example), but such a hand certainly cannot be occupied with something else, such as a sword or a shield. Nothing in the above rules permits that. The shield, of course, is not the spellcasting focus / Material component -- the Emblem itself is what satisfies that requirement. After all, the Shield is being held / wielded, but the emblem is not being held at all -- it is borne.
Likewise, if we were discussing a worn amulet, it would work the same way. The worn amulet satisfies the Material component without needing a free hand to access it -- so the character can wield a sword and a shield while satisfying the Material component for a spell. But such a character would not be able to perform gestures since even under the loose interpretation the fact that the character would be allowed to access the Material component with the "same hand" that is being used to perform gestures doesn't really help anything since we already don't need a free hand for the Material component due to using the worn amulet, but we still need some way to perform the gestures with at least one hand.
It's certainly possible that the intention is that it works as suggested by the SAC example. But the written rules technically do not allow it.
This kind of nonsense would be why I never enforce this rule, ever.
This kind of nonsense would be why I never enforce this rule, ever.
I think the main problem with this rule is that it's just not very fun for the players. It follows a design philosophy of being restrictive instead of empowering. So, a player has an idea and just wants to cast a cool spell. But the rules sort of say that yes, spellcasting is very powerful! So, because of that, you can't do this, and you can't do that, and you can't do this other thing. That's generally not what players want to hear.
Yeah, the SAC is clarifying how the rules should be interpreted. And I do think the rules support that interpretation.
In this case, the written rules don't quite get there. They say that S needs a free hand. They say that M needs a free hand. They also say that if you need the free hand for M that it can be the same free hand that is used for S. But the rules do not say that if for some reason you don't need a free hand for M then you also don't need a free hand for S. It just doesn't say that anywhere even though that's a common interpretation.
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This example given in the SAC is technically incorrect.
The fact that certain spellcasting foci such as the emblem borne on a shield provide an exception to the requirement for needing a free hand to access a Material component does not mean that any exception is also made for needing a free hand for the Somatic component. So, while this character can wield sword-and-board when casting a V,M spell, they would not be able to do this when casting a V,S,M spell since a free hand is still needed for the S component, as written.
The 2024 Player's Handbook explicitly allows you to use the same hand for material and somatic components, though.
It also doesn't actually say you need a "free hand" for somatic components.
pronouns: he/she/they
The written rules actually only allow for that under particular circumstances . . . which does not include sword-and-board fighting.
We begin with the requirement for the Somatic component:
Next, we have the requirement for the Material component:
By default, you generally need a free hand to access the Material component, but that free hand can be currently performing gestures. But no matter what, the gestures must be performed by using at least one hand, as per the first rule above. If a specific rule changes the Material component requirement such that a free hand is no longer needed to access the materials, that doesn't absolve the requirement to use at least one hand to perform gestures -- those are two separate requirements.
The exception for the Material requirement (but not for the Somatic component) is given by:
As it turns out, some of the descriptions do say otherwise, such as the description for the emblem borne on a shield:
Because its "description says otherwise", the Emblem borne on a Shield creates an exception to the requirement for the Material component that that component requires a free hand since it is "borne" instead of "held". But that doesn't change the fact that if the spell also has an "S" component then the gestures must be performed with at least one hand. So, those hands cannot be occupied.
Under a slightly loose but totally reasonable interpretation, a hand could be already occupied and remain occupied with the Material component (and only the Material component) and still be used to perform gestures (as opposed to a more rigid interpretation requiring gesturing with the free hand and then "accessing" the Material component before or after or during the gestures, for example), but such a hand certainly cannot be occupied with something else, such as a sword or a shield. Nothing in the above rules permits that. The shield, of course, is not the spellcasting focus / Material component -- the Emblem itself is what satisfies that requirement. After all, the Shield is being held / wielded, but the emblem is not being held at all -- it is borne.
Likewise, if we were discussing a worn amulet, it would work the same way. The worn amulet satisfies the Material component without needing a free hand to access it -- so the character can wield a sword and a shield while satisfying the Material component for a spell. But such a character would not be able to perform gestures since even under the loose interpretation the fact that the character would be allowed to access the Material component with the "same hand" that is being used to perform gestures doesn't really help anything since we already don't need a free hand for the Material component due to using the worn amulet, but we still need some way to perform the gestures with at least one hand.
It's certainly possible that the intention is that it works as suggested by the SAC example. But the written rules technically do not allow it.
Yeah, the SAC is clarifying how the rules should be interpreted. And I do think the rules support that interpretation.
My hot take is all spells should require a M component so you can disarm mages.
This kind of nonsense would be why I never enforce this rule, ever.
pronouns: he/she/they
I think the main problem with this rule is that it's just not very fun for the players. It follows a design philosophy of being restrictive instead of empowering. So, a player has an idea and just wants to cast a cool spell. But the rules sort of say that yes, spellcasting is very powerful! So, because of that, you can't do this, and you can't do that, and you can't do this other thing. That's generally not what players want to hear.
In this case, the written rules don't quite get there. They say that S needs a free hand. They say that M needs a free hand. They also say that if you need the free hand for M that it can be the same free hand that is used for S. But the rules do not say that if for some reason you don't need a free hand for M then you also don't need a free hand for S. It just doesn't say that anywhere even though that's a common interpretation.