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The text of the produce flame spell reads:

A flickering flame appears in your hand. The flame remains there for the duration and harms neither you nor your equipment. The flame sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. The spell ends if you dismiss it as an action or if you cast it again.

Emphasis mine. The druid in our party asked our DM if he is able to cast produce flame in a dark cave, then opt not to attack with it, and wield a shield and sword. The goal is to continue emitting light, since he doesn't have the light spell. He claims that since the flame does not harm his equipment, he is able to hold a shield or sword with the fiery hand with no problem.

Is this okay to do RAW, or are we missing something?

This is specifically not asking about casting spells with a sword in hand. He wants to draw his weapon after casting and holding the flames.

Related, but not the same question: 1, 2, 3.

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2 Answers 2

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You can use the hand holding the flame for other things

Jeremy Crawford, rules designer for 5e, unofficially answers this question here:

What happens when you cast Produce Flame and want to grapple with a hand that is on fire? Is this hand considered not free?

Produce flame—the flame doesn't prevent you from using the fiery hand.

Since produce flame "harms neither you nor your equipment", you can safely hold other things with the hand.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks. Word of God is good enough for me, and a bit meatier than a lack of rule against. \$\endgroup\$
    – R. Barrett
    Jul 2, 2018 at 18:49
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No rule prohibits this.

D&D 5e rulings tend to take things quite literally and directly, and the principle is that a rule says exactly what it says and no more, unless the DM adjudicates otherwise.

Produce flame says that a flame appears in your hand. It doesn't say that you can't also have a weapon in your hand, it isn't described a solid object that would prohibit you from holding a weapon, and it doesn't say you can't also hold an item in your hand.

All it says is that it remains there for the duration (10 minutes, or until the flame is used to make a ranged attack, or if you dismiss it or cast the spell again). Holding a weapon doesn't trigger any of these conditions.

Therefore, unless the DM rules otherwise (as is their prerogative), nothing stops you holding a weapon in the same hand you hold flame.

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