Can a monk use a ring of Force Shield?

[Altamont Ravenard]

The title says it all.

Ref.:

Force Shield: An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC). This special creation has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action.

Thanks in advance

AR

 

[CronoDekar]

They can have the effects of the Mage Armor or Shield spells without penalty, so I don't see why this wouldn't be different from other force effects.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

What I'm worried about is the "can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield"... And monks face problems when wearing any kind of armor...

Related question: Can a character wear (use / receive the benefits of) a ring of Force Shield and wield a weapon in 2 hands? wield 2 weapons?

AR

 

[DanMcS]

What I'm worried about is the "can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield"... And monks face problems when wearing any kind of armor...

I think you're right to be worried about that.

She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

The ring acts like a shield. Including, I would say, kicking in the "no monk bonus to AC" part of the monk AC clause.

I would say you still need a hand free to use it, in response to your dual-wielding/two-handed weapon question. So not so useful for them, either.

Who is it useful for? Wizards, maybe archers or someone else who might need a shield at short notice, but needs their hands free most of the time.

 

[sfedi]

Maybe Rogues too?

 

[Klaus]

It is also useful for anyone who wants a heavy shield to protect them from incorporeal and ethereal foes (being a force effect and all).

 

[Tetsubo]

It's also useful because it doesn't look like a shield. You could wear it into a royal ball and no one would notice.

 

[Felonius]

I would say you still need a hand free to use it, in response to your dual-wielding/two-handed weapon question. So not so useful for them, either.

Who is it useful for? Wizards, maybe archers or someone else who might need a shield at short notice, but needs their hands free most of the time.

You can activate *and* de-activate it as a free action. This means that you could use it with a two handed weapon.

Start your action by de-activating the ring, make your attacks and then activate it again. You gain shield AC, but lose Attacks of Opportunity as you cannot use the 2-h weapon again before your next turn.

- F

 

[Sm!le]

Use monks unarmed strike.
Then you should be able to use the ring just fine.
A monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

lose Attacks of Opportunity as you cannot use the 2-h weapon again before your next turn.

Ah, but you can still KICK them. Oooh.