# Casting spells while dual-wielding



## FalcWP (Oct 3, 2004)

In an upcoming game, I'm going to be playing a dual-wielding Cleric/Swashbuckler/Fighter.  However, the dual-wielding part could give me some problems, since I won't have a hand free for the somatic components of my spells.  Does anyone have any ideas that will let me cast these spells, while not forcing me to drop or sheathe and retrieve a weapon every time?  Still Spell and Quickdraw aren't options, yet, as I don't really have a feat I can give up.


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## Humanophile (Oct 3, 2004)

It'd require the DM giving you a little leeway, but a weapon strapped to your wrist might well count as "sheathed" for drawing purposes.  Not quite full attack after spellcasting goodness, but at least you're not _quite_ as put out.

I'd still reccomend Quick Draw to make that plan live up to its full potential, but at least it grants some leeway.


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## Xael (Oct 3, 2004)

Glove(s) of storing.


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## Kabol (Oct 3, 2004)

A double weapon is Fantastic for TWF:

You get Superior Dmg in offhand and it only counts as a light weapon - So lower penelties = hit more.

And you can take one hand off the weapon and still cast with out having to drop it.

Double weapon really is the way to go if your wanting to be a TWF caster.

You can always use a Light Spiked shield.  Light shiled is Just straped to your arm, so your hand is free to Hold things < potions/scrolls/wands/otehr weapons> or use yoru free hand to Cast.

Add Bashing enhancment and you have a Light off-hand weapon that does 1d8 , Add improved shiled bash - and you get +1 AC while yoru beating people with it. ( You will get the same effect from 2bladed sword and 2weapon defense though )

Plus there are a Ton of cool shiled attack feats - Shiled charge, Shiled Slam .. etc.


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## Darklone (Oct 3, 2004)

Agreeing with Kabol here (though I hate Bashing ). Light shield with Imp Shield bash (and later magic vestment) is the way to go for clerics.


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## irdeggman (Oct 3, 2004)

The Still Spell feat is the one you are looking for.  It allows a spell to be cast without somantic component (i.e., no hand gestures) but uses a spell slot of 1 higher.

But it looks like you are trying to run a combat-oriented character and not a spell caster - hence no feat to give up.  You will have to make a trade off somewhere. A character can't be good at everything.

Now this won't help if the spell has material components.  And even Escew Materials would only be so useful


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## FalcWP (Oct 3, 2004)

Hmm.  Gloves of Storing were one of the things I'd considered for later on, but not feasible at the start (7th level game).  I hadn't thought of a double weapon; its possible, though it doesn't fit my character concept quite as well as what I've got (Elven Thinblade and Elven Lightblade, from Complete Warrior).  Shields don't fit at all for what I'm going for, and Still Spell doesn't strike me as being a great fit, either; it's a Cleric 3/Swashbuckler 3/Fighter 1, with a 13 Wisdom, so I could only have one level one spell ready as a still spell.

The character, in the long run, is going to be heavier on the Swashbuckler levels than the Cleric levels; the cleric stuff is more background (although he is quite religious).  So, most of the metamagic feats, in addition to not being fantastic with my low number of higher level spell slots, don't fit that well from a background standpoint.  Combat (and some social) feats would be more common.  Quick Draw is the likely way I'll go, probably taking a level of Fighter for level 8 and taking that as my bonus feat (as the DM said that Quick Draw will aslo count as Quick Sheathe).  Just seeing if anyone had any ideas or methods to allow a caster to wield two weapons and still cast spells effectively.


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## Chun-tzu (Oct 3, 2004)

I don't think this will help your character, but the Claw Bracer (exotic weapon in the primary Realms book) is designed for this. Since the blades are attached to a metal band around the wrist, you aren't holding it, and your hands are free to cast spells. It also can't be disarmed.

But its damage is crappy (1d4, crit on 19-20, x2). It's mechanically an enhanced dagger.


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## Li Shenron (Oct 4, 2004)

If you are going to be mostly a combatant with only 3 levels in cleric, I would just suggest to limit casting at the time before or after combat. It makes sense, you aren't having lots of spells to cast per day and you are much better using your rounds to full-attack.

Seems to me quite expensive with core rules to find a way to cast spells without using your hands, I don't know why the designers wanted this to be so strict, but eventually it quite is. Neverthless I think the ability of letting you do what you want should definitely cost at least one feat.


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## Tatsukun (Oct 4, 2004)

Sure, "dual weild" with a great sword and armor spikes. Hold the sword one handed and cast, then go back to two handed.

Of course, this doesn't really (read "at all, in any way") fit your PC, and you have to have the Cheese domain to do it. 

Oh well, I would go with gloves of storing ASAP. 

   -Tatsu


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## Inconsequenti-AL (Oct 4, 2004)

Tatsukun said:
			
		

> Sure, "dual weild" with a great sword and armor spikes. Hold the sword one handed and cast, then go back to two handed.
> 
> Of course, this doesn't really (read "at all, in any way") fit your PC, and you have to have the Cheese domain to do it.




What, no mention of an animated shield in there!   



A spiked gauntlet on the off hand could be worth considering - doesn't do huge damage but does let you cast with it and it's finessable. As a side benefit, I think they look pretty cool! 

Might that fit?


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## Shallown (Oct 4, 2004)

I think Spiked Gauntlet is the only thing that fits if a Light shield doesn't. Not many other choices if your going swashbuckler type person. 

If you want to stick with the elven weapons then quickdraw is it. You may talk to the gm about a glove of storing that only works with weapons. I designed something like that for a player once that only held swords. It was a bracer that he could free action store/draw a sword from. marked the price donw of the glove of storing a little since it lost some utility. 

Later


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