HYPERBOREA / Casting in melee?

**Posted by Sasquatch** 7/30/2021 11:52 pm

I went and got myself confused.

I'm rolling up a Warlock and was digging into how it would work mechanically.
I found out that they are not inhibited by armor for casting in light and medium armor (the only armor Warlock allows) *Armored Sorcerers p140*

Then I read that to cast a spell, shields should be shouldered, weapons sheathed or dropped. You are also considered 'hindered' -2 AC. *Spell Casting p139*

How would say, a Warlock, with a sword (no shield) and an instantaneous touch attack like Shocking Grasp work? I can't seem to find any exceptions for "fighter/mage" hybrids casting in melee, except for clerics. Would the sword need to first be dropped or sheathed, and then a touch attack made? Would you rule that for such a spell, one hand is sufficient? That round's phases for the touch attack would be spent as Cast/Hold, or Hold/Cast, correct?

Let me know what you think!

**Posted by Blackadder23** 7/31/2021 12:08 am

I would not allow a warlock (or any class or subclass that uses magician type spells) to cast with weapons or shield in hand. All must be sheathed or slung on the back, dropped, etc. Only clerics and druids (and those using their spells) can cast with weapon in hand, as mentioned in the rules. Spell casting in melee is supposed to be a fraught affair.

**Posted by Sasquatch** 7/31/2021 1:16 am

It was my imagination that betrayed me here. When I first read Warlock, that they could be Cyro/Pyro/Necro the first thing I imagined was a nasty scimitar and a STANKY hand (touch attacks). :D

How do you treat sheathing/unsheathing in terms of the phases? Would you allow an unsheathing and a attack similar to the 1/2 move and attack? Or a phase 1 sheathing and a phase 2 cast?

Last edited by Sasquatch (7/31/2021 2:11 am)

**Posted by Blackadder23** 7/31/2021 1:11 pm

If you're running a game you can of course allow warlocks to cast while armed if you want.

I don't really use two separate phases (and neither will the new edition, apparently), but I personally would allow stowing weapons and casting spells in the same round if the caster didn't also try to move.

**Posted by Chainsaw** 7/31/2021 7:36 pm

Blackadder23 wrote:
I personally would allow stowing weapons and casting spells in the same round if the caster didn't also try to move.

Exactly how I'd do it.

**Posted by BlackKnight** 8/01/2021 6:30 pm

Chainsaw wrote:
Blackadder23 wrote:
I personally would allow stowing weapons and casting spells in the same round if the caster didn't also try to move.
Exactly how I'd do it.

I'll Second/Third that...
Casting requires the caster's hands, not hand. Having something in hand would cause them to be hindered.