Activating weapons [Archive] - Wizards Community

Activating weapons [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Iron Chef
09-06-06, 09:27 PM Recently my DM has enforced the rule that it is a standard action to activate a weapons ability. (ie. activating the flame part of a flaming weapon) He has also applied this to magic arrows. That means I have to use a standard action to activate each arrow I draw before I shoot it to have it do the extra 1d6 fire damage if it is a flaming arrow. Can someone direct me to the rules about this so I can make sure this is correct. That seems screwed to me but I can see the practicality of it so you dont fry you quiver or scabbard.
Dalthbar
09-06-06, 09:43 PM Activation

Usually a character benefits from a magic weapon in the same way a character benefits from a mundane weapon—by attacking with it. If a weapon has a special ability that the user needs to activate then the user usually needs to utter a command word (a standard action).This is right from the Magic Weapons (http://d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm) section of the SRD. We tend to wave this for our games, but there it is in black and white.

Note that the whole "usually" bit in there, so it leaves it open for some play.
bondious
09-07-06, 12:10 AM I seem to remember reading that you can activate a whole quiver full of arrows as one standard action, and as long as they're on your person they'll not affect you nor your possessions. Where I gleaned this info is beyond me, probably on these boards...I'm sure someone will chime in (both pro and con).
theplaidknight
09-07-06, 12:58 AM I've forgotten completely about this, but now that it's mentioned I doubt I'll forget it for some time. Forcing activation of each magic arrow seems like it would totally hose someone who wants to use magic arrows, though, so I'll definitely go with the "activating the whole quiver" thing at most. I wonder how many people actually use any sort of activation rule here, though.
kjenks
09-07-06, 10:15 AM Keeping your weapon or ammunition activated 24/7 isn't usually a problem, so this rarely comes up.

In Living Greyhawk, my high level fighter keeps his +1 Frost armor spikes deactivated while wandering around cities. I use a standard action to activate them, when needed. When out adventuring, away from situations where an innocent civilian could be injured in an unlikely accident, I keep them activated all the time. For a sword in a scabbard, I would never feel the need to deactivate the weapon.

An arrow in a quiver would have almost zero chance of accidentally injuring anybody or setting things on fire (or whatever), so I see no reason to ever deactivate them.
tarkin
09-07-06, 10:28 AM I also remember an official rule (either FAQ or Sage Advice) that stated one activation per quiver of arrows.

Also, you can, when crafting the weapon, rule that all it's enchantmens are activated by a single command word. So with one standard action you make your sword flaming, frosty, and shocking, for example.
mvincent
09-07-06, 02:33 PM I also remember an official rule (either FAQ or Sage Advice) that stated one activation per quiver of arrows.From the 3.5 FAQ:
"Activating an energy power requires a standard action, but
once you activate energy power, the power works until you use
another action to deactivate it. You can activate or deactivate
one of these powers on up to 50 pieces of ammunition at the
same time, provided that all the ammunition is in your
possession, all the ammunition is the same kind, and all the
ammunition has the same power"
half_dragon_ninja
09-07-06, 02:41 PM if your talking about individual arrows. it is easier to buy a flaming bow which applies the flaming ability to ammunition fired by it. i think
Dalthbar
09-07-06, 04:04 PM if your talking about individual arrows. it is easier to buy a flaming bow which applies the flaming ability to ammunition fired by it. i think
I agree with this, but there are certainly times that a particular adventure would necessitate a particular weapon ability that you wouldn't normally use.

For instance - if you already have a flaming bow and you're going to be fighting a bunch of fire elementals. It wouldn't necessarily make sense to then get frost put on that bow, but instead get a bunch of frost arrows for that leg of the adventure.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Iron Chef 09-06-06, 09:27 PM	Recently my DM has enforced the rule that it is a standard action to activate a weapons ability. (ie. activating the flame part of a flaming weapon) He has also applied this to magic arrows. That means I have to use a standard action to activate each arrow I draw before I shoot it to have it do the extra 1d6 fire damage if it is a flaming arrow. Can someone direct me to the rules about this so I can make sure this is correct. That seems screwed to me but I can see the practicality of it so you dont fry you quiver or scabbard.
Dalthbar 09-06-06, 09:43 PM	Activation Usually a character benefits from a magic weapon in the same way a character benefits from a mundane weapon—by attacking with it. If a weapon has a special ability that the user needs to activate then the user usually needs to utter a command word (a standard action).This is right from the Magic Weapons (http://d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm) section of the SRD. We tend to wave this for our games, but there it is in black and white. Note that the whole "usually" bit in there, so it leaves it open for some play.
bondious 09-07-06, 12:10 AM	I seem to remember reading that you can activate a whole quiver full of arrows as one standard action, and as long as they're on your person they'll not affect you nor your possessions. Where I gleaned this info is beyond me, probably on these boards...I'm sure someone will chime in (both pro and con).
theplaidknight 09-07-06, 12:58 AM	I've forgotten completely about this, but now that it's mentioned I doubt I'll forget it for some time. Forcing activation of each magic arrow seems like it would totally hose someone who wants to use magic arrows, though, so I'll definitely go with the "activating the whole quiver" thing at most. I wonder how many people actually use any sort of activation rule here, though.
kjenks 09-07-06, 10:15 AM	Keeping your weapon or ammunition activated 24/7 isn't usually a problem, so this rarely comes up. In Living Greyhawk, my high level fighter keeps his +1 Frost armor spikes deactivated while wandering around cities. I use a standard action to activate them, when needed. When out adventuring, away from situations where an innocent civilian could be injured in an unlikely accident, I keep them activated all the time. For a sword in a scabbard, I would never feel the need to deactivate the weapon. An arrow in a quiver would have almost zero chance of accidentally injuring anybody or setting things on fire (or whatever), so I see no reason to ever deactivate them.
tarkin 09-07-06, 10:28 AM	I also remember an official rule (either FAQ or Sage Advice) that stated one activation per quiver of arrows. Also, you can, when crafting the weapon, rule that all it's enchantmens are activated by a single command word. So with one standard action you make your sword flaming, frosty, and shocking, for example.
mvincent 09-07-06, 02:33 PM	I also remember an official rule (either FAQ or Sage Advice) that stated one activation per quiver of arrows.From the 3.5 FAQ: "Activating an energy power requires a standard action, but once you activate energy power, the power works until you use another action to deactivate it. You can activate or deactivate one of these powers on up to 50 pieces of ammunition at the same time, provided that all the ammunition is in your possession, all the ammunition is the same kind, and all the ammunition has the same power"
half_dragon_ninja 09-07-06, 02:41 PM	if your talking about individual arrows. it is easier to buy a flaming bow which applies the flaming ability to ammunition fired by it. i think
Dalthbar 09-07-06, 04:04 PM	if your talking about individual arrows. it is easier to buy a flaming bow which applies the flaming ability to ammunition fired by it. i think I agree with this, but there are certainly times that a particular adventure would necessitate a particular weapon ability that you wouldn't normally use. For instance - if you already have a flaming bow and you're going to be fighting a bunch of fire elementals. It wouldn't necessarily make sense to then get frost put on that bow, but instead get a bunch of frost arrows for that leg of the adventure.