Shields & two-handed weapons

[sirpercival]

Say I'm carrying a bastard sword (with which I'm proficient) and a heavy shield. If I want to switch back and forth between using my sword 1-handed and 2-handed, it would normally take a move action (either to move & ready/loose the shield at the same time, or ready/loose by itself). I'd like to find some way to remove this action tax.

Options:

• Find some way to reduce the move action to a free action. Quick Draw (by RAW) does NOT work with readying a shield.
• Find some way to use a weapon 2-handed while having a shield. Buckler won't work, because I want to be able to shield bash when I'm actually using the shield. I can soak up an attack penalty if it comes to it.
• Use a Ring of Force Shield. I don't like this option because I can't enhance the shield at all. But it activates and deactivates as a free action, so technically it would work if I can't find a way to do the above.
• Some other means that I haven't thought of yet.

Note that using an Animated Shield doesn't work, because it takes a standard action to turn the animation on and off, and I highly doubt a reasonable DM would allow shield bash attacks while it's floating in the air (even though I don't think it's forbidden by RAW).  (Also having to spend money on a +4-equivalent shield is too expensive at my level.)

[kitep]

How about a Glove of Storing?  Storing and retrieving the shield would be a free action.  I think there's a similar but better item in the MIC.

[sirpercival]

How about a Glove of Storing?  Storing and retrieving the shield would be a free action.  I think there's a similar but better item in the MIC.

Yes, but retrieving the shield doesn't necessarily ready it for use.

You're probably thinking of the Ring of Arming, which is awesome in some ways, but doesn't work for my purposes because (a) it swaps out everything, and (b) it's a standard action.

[Vicerious]

A least crystal of returning lets you draw a weapon as a free action, and a spiked shield is a weapon.  It might be up to your DM to determine if that's the same thing as donning a shield, though.

[sirpercival]

A least crystal of returning lets you draw a weapon as a free action, and a spiked shield is a weapon.  It might be up to your DM to determine if that's the same thing as donning a shield, though.

Doesn't help me put it away. I could drop it, but then I'd need a Lesser Crystal to get it back (if no one picks it up), and it still takes a move action.

[Garryl]

I take it homebrew is out?

[Nanshork]

For 12,000gp a Spare Hand from MIC will solve the problem.

For less money, Glove of Storing + Least Crystal of Returning?

[kitep]

MIC, p15, has a shield ability called "Variable"

VARIABLE
Price: +1 bonus
Property: Shield
Caster Level: 5th
Aura: Faint; (DC 17) transmutation
Activation: Swift (mental)
This shield is made up of many smooth, over­
lapping strips.
A variable shield can change its size,
becoming a buckler, light shield, heavy
shield, or tower shield (sized appropriately
for you) upon activation. All the rules for
carrying items while using shields apply
to the new shield size (see Armor Descrip­
tions, PH 124).
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and
Armor, shrink item.
Cost to Create: Varies.

So if I understand things correctly, you could have your shield as a buckler and use the sword two-handed, and use a swift action to convert it to/from bashing shield size and using the sword one-handed.  You won't actually have to take the shield on and off.

[sirpercival]

I take it homebrew is out?

Yep. Already used up my homebrew quota to get Bladecraft approved.

Though, I will say, I should ABSOLUTELY write something for this in Bladecraft, since it's such an obvious thing to need to do. Not sure if it should be a feat (I'm inclined to say no, since melee is so feat-intensive already...), a new type of shield, or some sort of magic thingy.

For 12,000gp a Spare Hand from MIC will solve the problem.

For less money, Glove of Storing + Least Crystal of Returning?

Spare Hand would absolutely work, since I don't need it to actually use the shield just hold it while I smash faces. Still, it's 1/3 of my WBL at 9th level. A Ring of Force Shield is cheaper all around. Maybe if I can get the Spare Hand cheaper...

Least Crystal of Returning probably doesn't work, since it lets you "draw" the weapon, but actually readying a shield takes a move action and doesn't involve drawing it. Maaaaaybe. I dunno.

MIC, p15, has a shield ability called "Variable"

VARIABLE
Price: +1 bonus
Property: Shield
Caster Level: 5th
Aura: Faint; (DC 17) transmutation
Activation: Swift (mental)
This shield is made up of many smooth, over­
lapping strips.
A variable shield can change its size,
becoming a buckler, light shield, heavy
shield, or tower shield (sized appropriately
for you) upon activation. All the rules for
carrying items while using shields apply
to the new shield size (see Armor Descrip­
tions, PH 124).
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and
Armor, shrink item.
Cost to Create: Varies.

So if I understand things correctly, you could have your shield as a buckler and use the sword two-handed, and use a swift action to convert it to/from bashing shield size and using the sword one-handed.  You won't actually have to take the shield on and off.

That's actually quite a good solution. It's cheap... and while I wouldn't be able to switch more often than once a round, that would probably be enough.

EDIT: Though I may not often have a swift action to spare... Ah well. Can't have everything. OK lemme go back to my technique choices and see what I can do.

[Ithamar]

Can you just use the shield 2 handed to shield bash and keep the usual shield bonuses?