A level 1 paladin wields a mace and a shield with their goddess symbol painted on it (acting as their spellfocus). They have the Magic Initiate (wizard) Feat so they can cast Shield.
They intends to cast Divine Favor as a BA and then take the Attack action.
However, RAW, since DF has the somatic component but lacks the Material component, they can not use the hard holding the shield to make the required gesture.
Could they:
Drop the mace to the floor as a free action, cast DF as a BA and then during the Attack Action pick it up and hit?
Sheath the mace as a free objrct interaction, cast DF as a BA and then during the Attack Action unsheath it and hit?
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During their enemy turn an opponent hits them. They would not be able to cast Shield with their 1 reaction as their hands are both occupied and Shield has S but not M components.
Is there any way around it if the Warcaster feat is not an option?
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In the following round they would like to cast Aid as a Magic Action and drink a healing potion. Aid has S but not M components as well.
Could they:
Drop the mace to the floor as a free action, cast Aid as a magic action , drink the potion as a BA and pick it up as the free object interaction?
Sheath the mace to the floor as a free object interaction, cast Aid as a magic action , drink the potion as a BA and end the turn without a weapon in hand (won't be able to take an Opportunity Attack).
Dropping and Sheathing are effectively the same thing and use your free object interaction or as part of an [actions]Attack[/actions] action.
Drop or sheathing the weapon, cast Divine Focus as a Bonus Action, Pickup or draw the weapon during the Attack action is fine.
As far as I am aware, War Caster is the only option to cast Somatic spells that do not have material components while using a shield and/or weapon.
You can shield or drop the mace as your free object interaction but if you are not attacking, you cannot draw that turn if you cast Aid as a magic Action. Drinking a potion has no impact here since if you could attack as a Bonus Action, you cannot draw a weapon as part of the Bonus Action.
You have sheathed the weapon as your 1 free object interaction, casted Divine Focus as a Bonus Action, drawn the weapon during the Attack action again and ended your turn.
On the opponent turn a goblin hits you. Are you allowed to sheath or drop your weapon out of turn and cast Shield as a reaction? You won't have another reaction left for an opportunity attack anyway.
This is important because if you can not do that it means that it is impossible to use the Shield spell and a Shield together if you don't have Warcaster.
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Also, regarding this line
"Drinking a potion has no impact here since if you could attack as a Bonus Action, you cannot draw a weapon as part of the Bonus Action."
Are there Bonus Actions you can use after a Magic Action that grant an attack?
This is important because if you can not do that it means that it is impossible to use the Shield spell and a Shield together if you don't have Warcaster.
In normal circumstances, while holding a shield and a weapon, you cannot cast a spell that has material and somatic components. A spell focus allows you to bypass both restrictions if the spell has material components. War Caster allows you to bypass somatic components if you are holding a weapon and/or a shield. For a Paladin with a weapon and a shield, they cannot cast Shield without War Caster.
"Drinking a potion has no impact here since if you could attack as a Bonus Action, you cannot draw a weapon as part of the Bonus Action."
Are there Bonus Actions you can use after a Magic Action that grant an attack?
I think there is one in a recent Unearthed Arcana for the Hexblade update. The College of Dance Bard can make an unarmed attack as part of a Bonus Action to use Bardic Inspiration (it's not a weapon attack, but it's still an attack). You only get free equipping/unequipping of weapons during the Attack action.
[...] On the opponent turn a goblin hits you. Are you allowed to sheath or drop your weapon out of turn and cast Shield as a reaction? You won't have another reaction left for an opportunity attack anyway. [...]
Not sure if SmiteMakesRight_3_5 wanted to answer this part, or even if everyone agrees with me, but the way I interpret the rules, I think the intent for object interaction is to happen on your turn, so it wouldn't be allowed on another creature's turn, for example with the Reaction you described.
Your Turn
On your turn, you can move a distance up to your Speed and take one action. You decide whether to move first or take your action first. [...]
Interacting with Things.You can interact with one object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move or action. For example, you could open a door during your move as you stride toward a foe.
And:
Time-Limited Object Interactions
When time is short, such as in combat, interactions with objects are limited: one free interaction per turn. That interaction must occurduring a creature’s movement or action. Any additional interactions require the Utilize action, as explained in “Combat” later in this chapter.
However I'd say it's fine if you use your turn to take the Ready Action and consume your Reaction off-turn to recover at least your dropped weapon.
This is important because if you can not do that it means that it is impossible to use the Shield spell and a Shield together if you don't have Warcaster.
Well Yes, that's inteded and why warcaster exist (not only the reaction spell attack), as SmiteMakesRight_3_5 answered. You can't cast the Shield spell with both of your hands full... only if you sheath your mace or doff your shield to leave a hand open for that exactly. (A player in a campaing I play does this since we arent 4th lvl yet, so they unsheath its sword to attack and then sheath it to leave the hand open to cast Shield while carrying his own shield on the other hand).
Until you grab the feat, its a choice you'll have to do, each round depending on what actions you take.
A level 1 paladin wields a mace and a shield with their goddess symbol painted on it (acting as their spellfocus). They have the Magic Initiate (wizard) Feat so they can cast Shield. ... During their enemy turn an opponent hits them. They would not be able to cast Shield with their 1 reaction as their hands are both occupied and Shield has S but not M components.
FWIW, the shield can only be used as a focus for their Paladin/Cleric spells, and Magic Initiate does not add its spells to any class list. So Shield couldn't be used with the shield even if it had a M component. But Warcaster would let them cast it with their hands full.
Just to add, if following the next ruling from the SAC, the Shield won't be a Paladin or Cleric spell as you mentioned, but it would still be a Sorcerer or Wizard spell.
Which of a character’s spells count as class spells? For example, if I’m playing a Sorcerer, which of my character’s spells are Sorcerer spells?
A class’s spell list specifies the spells that belong to the class. For example, a Sorcerer spell is a spell on the Sorcerer spell list, and if a Sorcerer knows spells that aren’t on that list, those spells aren’t Sorcerer spells unless a feature says otherwise.
A level 1 paladin wields a mace and a shield with their goddess symbol painted on it (acting as their spellfocus). They have the Magic Initiate (wizard) Feat so they can cast Shield. ... During their enemy turn an opponent hits them. They would not be able to cast Shield with their 1 reaction as their hands are both occupied and Shield has S but not M components.
FWIW, the shield can only be used as a focus for their Paladin/Cleric spells, and Magic Initiate does not add its spells to any class list. So Shield couldn't be used with the shield even if it had a M component. But Warcaster would let them cast it with their hands full.
Thanks! :)
I didn't add it as it wasn't immediately pertinent, but my character is a Pal 1/Warlock 1 (Pact of the blade). His Pact Weapon, RAW, acts as a global spellcasting focus, for spell from all lists. If Shield had a M component, casting it would not be an issue while wielding the weapon.
I'm just puzzled by the fact that until level 4 a Paladin with Sword and Board, the most basic of weapon setups, needs to do this insane dance to cast something as normal as Divine Favor.
I'm just puzzle drawd by the fact that until level 4 a Paladin with Sword and Board, the most basic of weapon setups, needs to do this insane dance to cast something as normal as Divine Favor.
A level 1 paladin wields a mace and a shield with their goddess symbol painted on it (acting as their spellfocus). They have the Magic Initiate (wizard) Feat so they can cast Shield.
They intends to cast Divine Favor as a BA and then take the Attack action.
However, RAW, since DF has the somatic component but lacks the Material component, they can not use the hard holding the shield to make the required gesture.
Could they:
Drop the mace to the floor as a free action, cast DF as a BA and then during the Attack Action pick it up and hit?
Sheath the mace as a free objrct interaction, cast DF as a BA and then during the Attack Action unsheath it and hit?
-------------
During their enemy turn an opponent hits them. They would not be able to cast Shield with their 1 reaction as their hands are both occupied and Shield has S but not M components.
Is there any way around it if the Warcaster feat is not an option?
----------
In the following round they would like to cast Aid as a Magic Action and drink a healing potion. Aid has S but not M components as well.
Could they:
Drop the mace to the floor as a free action, cast Aid as a magic action , drink the potion as a BA and pick it up as the free object interaction?
Sheath the mace to the floor as a free object interaction, cast Aid as a magic action , drink the potion as a BA and end the turn without a weapon in hand (won't be able to take an Opportunity Attack).
Dropping and Sheathing are effectively the same thing and use your free object interaction or as part of an [actions]Attack[/actions] action.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
Ok great. 😀
How about the shield spell case?
You have sheathed the weapon as your 1 free object interaction, casted Divine Focus as a Bonus Action, drawn the weapon during the Attack action again and ended your turn.
On the opponent turn a goblin hits you. Are you allowed to sheath or drop your weapon out of turn and cast Shield as a reaction? You won't have another reaction left for an opportunity attack anyway.
This is important because if you can not do that it means that it is impossible to use the Shield spell and a Shield together if you don't have Warcaster.
---------
Also, regarding this line
"Drinking a potion has no impact here since if you could attack as a Bonus Action, you cannot draw a weapon as part of the Bonus Action."
Are there Bonus Actions you can use after a Magic Action that grant an attack?
In normal circumstances, while holding a shield and a weapon, you cannot cast a spell that has material and somatic components. A spell focus allows you to bypass both restrictions if the spell has material components. War Caster allows you to bypass somatic components if you are holding a weapon and/or a shield. For a Paladin with a weapon and a shield, they cannot cast Shield without War Caster.
I think there is one in a recent Unearthed Arcana for the Hexblade update. The College of Dance Bard can make an unarmed attack as part of a Bonus Action to use Bardic Inspiration (it's not a weapon attack, but it's still an attack). You only get free equipping/unequipping of weapons during the Attack action.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
Not sure if SmiteMakesRight_3_5 wanted to answer this part, or even if everyone agrees with me, but the way I interpret the rules, I think the intent for object interaction is to happen on your turn, so it wouldn't be allowed on another creature's turn, for example with the Reaction you described.
And:
However I'd say it's fine if you use your turn to take the Ready Action and consume your Reaction off-turn to recover at least your dropped weapon.
Well Yes, that's inteded and why warcaster exist (not only the reaction spell attack), as SmiteMakesRight_3_5 answered.
You can't cast the Shield spell with both of your hands full... only if you sheath your mace or doff your shield to leave a hand open for that exactly. (A player in a campaing I play does this since we arent 4th lvl yet, so they unsheath its sword to attack and then sheath it to leave the hand open to cast Shield while carrying his own shield on the other hand).
Until you grab the feat, its a choice you'll have to do, each round depending on what actions you take.
FWIW, the shield can only be used as a focus for their Paladin/Cleric spells, and Magic Initiate does not add its spells to any class list. So Shield couldn't be used with the shield even if it had a M component. But Warcaster would let them cast it with their hands full.
That's very true.
Just to add, if following the next ruling from the SAC, the Shield won't be a Paladin or Cleric spell as you mentioned, but it would still be a Sorcerer or Wizard spell.
Thanks! :)
I didn't add it as it wasn't immediately pertinent, but my character is a Pal 1/Warlock 1 (Pact of the blade). His Pact Weapon, RAW, acts as a global spellcasting focus, for spell from all lists. If Shield had a M component, casting it would not be an issue while wielding the weapon.
I'm just puzzled by the fact that until level 4 a Paladin with Sword and Board, the most basic of weapon setups, needs to do this insane dance to cast something as normal as Divine Favor.
Turn 1: Bonus Action cast Divine Favor, Attack Action draw weapon and attack.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.