Can you reload a crossbow while wearing a light shield?

[RangerWickett]

By the rules, you can 'carry' things in your shield hand when wearing a light shield, but you can't 'use weapons.' Still, does it make sense (either in the real world, or in game mechanics world) for you to be able to reload a crossbow when you've got a shield on your arm?

 

[Thanee]

Sure, I'd allow it.

But why anyone would use a crossbow while there is a light shield strapped to his/her arm is beyond me.

Bye
Thanee

 

[nittanytbone]

Sure.

You hold the crossbow in your off (shield) hand, and use your unencumbered dominant hand to do the reloading.

A buckler would be even easier.

 

[Iron Captain]

Firing the thing would be another thing though. I would rule that he can only fire it one handed but that wasn't your question.

 

[Starglim]

edit: That seems reasonable, though outside the RAW. I wouldn't give the AC bonus for a light shield if someone was to take an AoO or readied attack on you while reloading.

edit: On reflection, you can't fire a crossbow normally while wearing a light shield, as that would require using the weapon with your off-hand which is not allowed at all. You'd have to fire one-handed as others have said.

The classic equipment for a shielded heavy crossbowman is to strap a pavise (tower shield) to your back, giving cover while reloading and not encumbering your arms when firing.

 

[Particle_Man]

Just to be contrary, I will say no. The buckler description goes out of its way to say that you can use a bow or crossbow without penalty. And I would lean towards saying that loading a crossbow is part and parcel of using it. So since the only thing under light shield is that you can hold things, but not use weapons, I would assume the light shield to be a bit too bulky (you might get it in your eye or something) to reload stuff with. But YMMV.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Just to be contrary, I will say no. The buckler description goes out of its way to say that you can use a bow or crossbow without penalty. And I would lean towards saying that loading a crossbow is part and parcel of using it.

Right - you incur a penalty when trying to use a crossbow with a shield other than a buckler. The only real difference in our opinions is where we decide to put the penalty. You've decided it should go at the beginning (i.e., you can't load it), whereas I think a better place to put it is at the end (you can load it, but you'll have to fire it one-handed, incurring penalties to your attack roll).

All in all, either probably works just as well.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

If the crossbow had a footstrap, and they used a full-round action to load a light crossbow, I'd allow it.

As for the buckler, my group won't even let an archer use a buckler's AC bonus any round they shoot a bow (or crossbow for the matter), which goes against the design and even the text description of the buckler. Although, they get the AC bonus of their shields, no matter what kind, if they are flatfooted.

 

[Bront]

If the crossbow had a footstrap, and they used a full-round action to load a light crossbow, I'd allow it.

As for the buckler, my group won't even let an archer use a buckler's AC bonus any round they shoot a bow (or crossbow for the matter), which goes against the design and even the text description of the buckler. Although, they get the AC bonus of their shields, no matter what kind, if they are flatfooted.

Actualy, they're right on both account.

You don't loose a shield bonus while flat footed (I made that mistake earlier), only dodge bonuses and others that specificly state that you loose them when flat-footed.

And, if you use a weapon in your off (Buckler) hand, you don't gain the benifit. Since a Crossbow and a Bow are both two handed weapons, you can't use them and gain the benifit of a buckler.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

Actualy, they're right on both account.

You don't loose a shield bonus while flat footed (I made that mistake earlier), only dodge bonuses and others that specificly state that you loose them when flat-footed.

And, if you use a weapon in your off (Buckler) hand, you don't gain the benifit. Since a Crossbow and a Bow are both two handed weapons, you can't use them and gain the benifit of a buckler.

Actually, it says right in the buckler description that you can use a bow or crossbow with no penalties:

You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it.

Losing the AC bonus of a buckler sure sounds like a penalty to me.

And burning 2 feats on TWF and Improved Buckler Defense as an archer just to be able to use a buckler the way it was intended is just plain stupid.

What if you use your bow, then someone surprises you? You've used your bow, so your buckler doesn't apply, but you're flatfooted, so your buckler does apply.

If you really want to get technical about it, you are holding the bow in your offhand, and drawing the bow with your main hand. For those of you playing 3e, do you make the archers take the -4 off hand penalty? I am actually left-handed, but can shoot either handed (though right-handed is more natural for me), but most people can't do that.