The protection from the shield comes from actively using it not just having it strapped to your hand.
The actions that all the characters take in combat in DnD happen in the same period of time, the turn-based system is used to just make the game playable.
If the above statements are true, then a PC should not gain the +2AC from the shield when he is reloading because at this moment he is not actively trying to protect himself with the shield. If he tries to deflect a blow while reloading he has to put his hand in a certain position and tense his muscles, so he is unable to reload. Of course the PC wouldn't be loading all his turn but an enemy would strike at the moment the PC would drop his shield.
My opinion:
A PC can still gain the +2AC from the shield if he uses the hand crossbow only once and then puts it away without reloading it or if he doesn't use it at all and takes a different action such as dodge.
Other solutions:
Taking a feat: War caster/I am teaching my pet squirrel to do the loading/I am making my hand crossbow an automatic weapon or any other thing that could help the PC accomplish this as long as it is a feat because from my understanding +2AC in 5e is a lot.
Allowing the PC to construct something that will help reload the hand crossbow with the same hand that he is using it or paying an NPC to do it. This option is more cost-efficient than the first one in my opinion so I recomend giving a penalty. For example on a roll of 1 or 2 something bad happens and the hand crossbow requires to be repaired.
Allowing the PC to have portable cover that can give protection against distant attacks, like a shield installed on a platform.
Note: Crossbow expert allows you to ignore the loading property but not the ammunition property. The loading property doesn't allow you to use multiattack. It's the ammunition one that requires you to have a free hand.
The thing is, its a balance consideration. Having +2 ac (up to +5 with magic shields) is worth a lot.
Realistically, the hand crossbow is probably such a light draw that you could have bolts and a hook on the back side of the shield and awkwardly reload it and be fine. Doing this maneuver while also attempting to use the shield against someone trying to hit you with a club would likely be harder.
In real life, there was actually a "shield" called a pavise, which is something like what your number 3 was. Basically a tall shield with spikes on the bottom, the archer would deploy into the ground, to have their own cover while reloading.
There is nothing in DnD preventing you from carrying a large piece of wood and using it as cover (other than your encumbrance). Ironically enough, half cover gives you +2 AC (much like a shield). With the downside of likely taking an action to deploy (a lenient dm might allow an item interaction), and it not working well in melee when someone may just step around it.
If you are bound and determined to use the hand crossbow + shield combo legally, I recommend artificer, as its repeating shot infusion gives you a truly 1 handed weapon (allowing you to ignore the loading and (optionally) the ammunition property of it. And you get proficiency with shields. The other option is to use an animated shield magic item.
Thanks for the answer, honestly I made this post only to provide the people who are frustrated by the "because the rules say so" or "it's not balanced" with a plausible and logical answer in case they come up to the same question.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
My explication:
The protection from the shield comes from actively using it not just having it strapped to your hand.
The actions that all the characters take in combat in DnD happen in the same period of time, the turn-based system is used to just make the game playable.
If the above statements are true, then a PC should not gain the +2AC from the shield when he is reloading because at this moment he is not actively trying to protect himself with the shield. If he tries to deflect a blow while reloading he has to put his hand in a certain position and tense his muscles, so he is unable to reload. Of course the PC wouldn't be loading all his turn but an enemy would strike at the moment the PC would drop his shield.
My opinion:
A PC can still gain the +2AC from the shield if he uses the hand crossbow only once and then puts it away without reloading it or if he doesn't use it at all and takes a different action such as dodge.
Other solutions:
Taking a feat: War caster/I am teaching my pet squirrel to do the loading/I am making my hand crossbow an automatic weapon or any other thing that could help the PC accomplish this as long as it is a feat because from my understanding +2AC in 5e is a lot.
Allowing the PC to construct something that will help reload the hand crossbow with the same hand that he is using it or paying an NPC to do it. This option is more cost-efficient than the first one in my opinion so I recomend giving a penalty. For example on a roll of 1 or 2 something bad happens and the hand crossbow requires to be repaired.
Allowing the PC to have portable cover that can give protection against distant attacks, like a shield installed on a platform.
Note: Crossbow expert allows you to ignore the loading property but not the ammunition property. The loading property doesn't allow you to use multiattack. It's the ammunition one that requires you to have a free hand.
The thing is, its a balance consideration. Having +2 ac (up to +5 with magic shields) is worth a lot.
Realistically, the hand crossbow is probably such a light draw that you could have bolts and a hook on the back side of the shield and awkwardly reload it and be fine. Doing this maneuver while also attempting to use the shield against someone trying to hit you with a club would likely be harder.
In real life, there was actually a "shield" called a pavise, which is something like what your number 3 was. Basically a tall shield with spikes on the bottom, the archer would deploy into the ground, to have their own cover while reloading.
There is nothing in DnD preventing you from carrying a large piece of wood and using it as cover (other than your encumbrance). Ironically enough, half cover gives you +2 AC (much like a shield). With the downside of likely taking an action to deploy (a lenient dm might allow an item interaction), and it not working well in melee when someone may just step around it.
If you are bound and determined to use the hand crossbow + shield combo legally, I recommend artificer, as its repeating shot infusion gives you a truly 1 handed weapon (allowing you to ignore the loading and (optionally) the ammunition property of it. And you get proficiency with shields. The other option is to use an animated shield magic item.
Thanks for the answer, honestly I made this post only to provide the people who are frustrated by the "because the rules say so" or "it's not balanced" with a plausible and logical answer in case they come up to the same question.