Catching returning weapons? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Catching returning weapons? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Robert Craven
09-15-06, 03:38 PM Is there a rule on catching returning weapon. The DMG just says, that the wepon flies back to its origin. But can the target or someone in between attempt to catch an hold the weapon?

Edit: There are returning weapons (DMG), that simply return every round and flying weapons (Magic of Faerun). They both cost as much as a +1 bonus.
As far as I can see, you could order the flying weapon to always return to you, making it returning. But the flying weapon can be given other orders as well, making flying much better than returning. Or do I miss something?
Dalthbar
09-15-06, 04:17 PM Under Returning it says: "It returns to the thrower just before the creature’s next turn".

So this means that

1) The weapon will either
a) stick into the target
b) hit the target and fall in it's square
c) miss the target and fly past them

2) The target could pick it up if it was in range and they so wished, but this would provoke an AoO. This would presumably prevent the weapon from returning to the original thrower.

3) If the weapon is not picked up, then the weapon flies back to the target "just before the creatures next turn" but presumably "after the creature with the previous initiative's turn" - which would mean nobody was able to act out of turn to "catch it".

I don't have MoF, so I can't comment on Flying.
Robert Craven
09-15-06, 06:23 PM I always though, that returning meant, that the wepon flies until it hit the target or reaches it range limit, then turns around and flies back. This flying back takes the rest of the round. So the weapon arrives at the thrower just as he starts his new round.

So everyone acts while the weapon is on it's way. And I wonder if they can interfere with an object that travels back and forth accross the battle field for such a long time (1 full round).
Toptomcat
09-15-06, 08:37 PM Perhaps so, but the enchantment will take it back to its weilder no matter what. There's no provision for it to stop if catched, so it won't. It's a bit like those people who try to keep Mjolnir from returning in the Thor comics- if they try grabbing it, they just get yanked towards the wielder and end up uncomfortably close to them.
Richmud
09-15-06, 09:28 PM ToB adresses this in a sidebar on page 102. It says that the only way to stop a returning weapon from getting back to its thrower is to cut off line of effect after its launched such as with a readied action to close a door after the weapon flies past it
Robert Craven
09-16-06, 04:26 AM Perhaps so, but the enchantment will take it back to its weilder no matter what. There's no provision for it to stop if catched, so it won't. It's a bit like those people who try to keep Mjolnir from returning in the Thor comics- if they try grabbing it, they just get yanked towards the wielder and end up uncomfortably close to them.

So a returing dagger should be strong enough to pull a storm giant barbarian along? I cannot believe that.

It says that the only way to stop a returning weapon from getting back to its thrower is to cut off line of effect after its launched

Thanks. But does not sound right too. It is possible to catch stuff that is flying around/being thrown, isn't it? So it would be possible to catch that retruning dagger.

I would have ruled, that you can try to catch and hold it (grapple). As long as you hold it tight it cannot return, but once gets free, it continues returning. To do so that dagger would be treaded as animated object (much like a "flying dagger" with the order to return).

That again would make it too easy to snatch such a dagger.
Richmud
09-16-06, 05:07 AM Thanks. But does not sound right too. It is possible to catch stuff that is flying around/being thrown, isn't it? So it would be possible to catch that retruning dagger.

Its too fast to catch
Robert Craven
09-16-06, 05:18 AM Its too fast to catch

That's a possibility. That would prevent most opponents from catching the weapon.

What about the Snatch Arrow feat? Could someone with that feat catch and hold a returning dagger?
Richmud
09-16-06, 05:36 AM What about the Snatch Arrow feat? Could someone with that feat catch and hold a returning dagger?

That should work, if your trained to catch fast moving flying things you should be albe to catch any of them. The sidebar mentions some feats may get around returning weapons normal uncatchability this is probably one
Robert Craven
09-16-06, 07:33 AM That should work, if your trained to catch fast moving flying things you should be albe to catch any of them. The sidebar mentions some feats may get around returning weapons normal uncatchability this is probably one

Thanks :)

One more thing: How long will a weapon try to return to it's thrower? From the entry in the DMG, it seems like the returning ability is only active during the round it was thrown.
So, if you block it in that round, it just falls to the ground?
Richmud
09-16-06, 03:30 PM Thanks :)

One more thing: How long will a weapon try to return to it's thrower? From the entry in the DMG, it seems like the returning ability is only active during the round it was thrown.
So, if you block it in that round, it just falls to the ground?

Should stop trying to return as soon as its caught with snatch arrows or line of sight is cut at which point it would act like any other thrown weapon
QaenyinAngelblade
09-17-06, 12:29 AM By returning weapon do you mean something like a Boomerang that flies in a loop, or a weapon that appears back in it's wielder's hand(like Aegis-Fang in the Drizzt books).

In the case of the first I would say it could be grabbed out of the air by a target by making a dexterity check based on the speed of the thrown weapon and it's size, or by, as previously mentioned, just blicking it's path with something. In the second case, I would say it would always return unless something was blocking it from doing so diractly(for example, it being out of range of the wielder's summons).
Robert Craven
09-17-06, 04:27 AM By returning weapon do you mean something like a Boomerang that flies in a loop, or a weapon that appears back in it's wielder's hand(like Aegis-Fang in the Drizzt books)

Neither. I mean the "returning" magic special ability from the DMG:

Returning: This special ability can only be placed on a weapon that can be thrown. A returning weapon flies through the air back to the creature that threw it. It returns to the thrower just before the creature’s next turn (and is therefore ready to use again in that turn).
Catching a returning weapon when it comes back is a free action. If the character can’t catch it, or if the character has moved since throwing it, the weapon drops to the ground in the square from which it was thrown.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Robert Craven 09-15-06, 03:38 PM	Is there a rule on catching returning weapon. The DMG just says, that the wepon flies back to its origin. But can the target or someone in between attempt to catch an hold the weapon? Edit: There are returning weapons (DMG), that simply return every round and flying weapons (Magic of Faerun). They both cost as much as a +1 bonus. As far as I can see, you could order the flying weapon to always return to you, making it returning. But the flying weapon can be given other orders as well, making flying much better than returning. Or do I miss something?
Dalthbar 09-15-06, 04:17 PM	Under Returning it says: "It returns to the thrower just before the creature’s next turn". So this means that 1) The weapon will either a) stick into the target b) hit the target and fall in it's square c) miss the target and fly past them 2) The target could pick it up if it was in range and they so wished, but this would provoke an AoO. This would presumably prevent the weapon from returning to the original thrower. 3) If the weapon is not picked up, then the weapon flies back to the target "just before the creatures next turn" but presumably "after the creature with the previous initiative's turn" - which would mean nobody was able to act out of turn to "catch it". I don't have MoF, so I can't comment on Flying.
Robert Craven 09-15-06, 06:23 PM	I always though, that returning meant, that the wepon flies until it hit the target or reaches it range limit, then turns around and flies back. This flying back takes the rest of the round. So the weapon arrives at the thrower just as he starts his new round. So everyone acts while the weapon is on it's way. And I wonder if they can interfere with an object that travels back and forth accross the battle field for such a long time (1 full round).
Toptomcat 09-15-06, 08:37 PM	Perhaps so, but the enchantment will take it back to its weilder no matter what. There's no provision for it to stop if catched, so it won't. It's a bit like those people who try to keep Mjolnir from returning in the Thor comics- if they try grabbing it, they just get yanked towards the wielder and end up uncomfortably close to them.
Richmud 09-15-06, 09:28 PM	ToB adresses this in a sidebar on page 102. It says that the only way to stop a returning weapon from getting back to its thrower is to cut off line of effect after its launched such as with a readied action to close a door after the weapon flies past it
Robert Craven 09-16-06, 04:26 AM	Perhaps so, but the enchantment will take it back to its weilder no matter what. There's no provision for it to stop if catched, so it won't. It's a bit like those people who try to keep Mjolnir from returning in the Thor comics- if they try grabbing it, they just get yanked towards the wielder and end up uncomfortably close to them. So a returing dagger should be strong enough to pull a storm giant barbarian along? I cannot believe that. It says that the only way to stop a returning weapon from getting back to its thrower is to cut off line of effect after its launched Thanks. But does not sound right too. It is possible to catch stuff that is flying around/being thrown, isn't it? So it would be possible to catch that retruning dagger. I would have ruled, that you can try to catch and hold it (grapple). As long as you hold it tight it cannot return, but once gets free, it continues returning. To do so that dagger would be treaded as animated object (much like a "flying dagger" with the order to return). That again would make it too easy to snatch such a dagger.
Richmud 09-16-06, 05:07 AM	Thanks. But does not sound right too. It is possible to catch stuff that is flying around/being thrown, isn't it? So it would be possible to catch that retruning dagger. Its too fast to catch
Robert Craven 09-16-06, 05:18 AM	Its too fast to catch That's a possibility. That would prevent most opponents from catching the weapon. What about the Snatch Arrow feat? Could someone with that feat catch and hold a returning dagger?
Richmud 09-16-06, 05:36 AM	What about the Snatch Arrow feat? Could someone with that feat catch and hold a returning dagger? That should work, if your trained to catch fast moving flying things you should be albe to catch any of them. The sidebar mentions some feats may get around returning weapons normal uncatchability this is probably one
Robert Craven 09-16-06, 07:33 AM	That should work, if your trained to catch fast moving flying things you should be albe to catch any of them. The sidebar mentions some feats may get around returning weapons normal uncatchability this is probably one Thanks :) One more thing: How long will a weapon try to return to it's thrower? From the entry in the DMG, it seems like the returning ability is only active during the round it was thrown. So, if you block it in that round, it just falls to the ground?
Richmud 09-16-06, 03:30 PM	Thanks :) One more thing: How long will a weapon try to return to it's thrower? From the entry in the DMG, it seems like the returning ability is only active during the round it was thrown. So, if you block it in that round, it just falls to the ground? Should stop trying to return as soon as its caught with snatch arrows or line of sight is cut at which point it would act like any other thrown weapon
QaenyinAngelblade 09-17-06, 12:29 AM	By returning weapon do you mean something like a Boomerang that flies in a loop, or a weapon that appears back in it's wielder's hand(like Aegis-Fang in the Drizzt books). In the case of the first I would say it could be grabbed out of the air by a target by making a dexterity check based on the speed of the thrown weapon and it's size, or by, as previously mentioned, just blicking it's path with something. In the second case, I would say it would always return unless something was blocking it from doing so diractly(for example, it being out of range of the wielder's summons).
Robert Craven 09-17-06, 04:27 AM	By returning weapon do you mean something like a Boomerang that flies in a loop, or a weapon that appears back in it's wielder's hand(like Aegis-Fang in the Drizzt books) Neither. I mean the "returning" magic special ability from the DMG: Returning: This special ability can only be placed on a weapon that can be thrown. A returning weapon flies through the air back to the creature that threw it. It returns to the thrower just before the creature’s next turn (and is therefore ready to use again in that turn). Catching a returning weapon when it comes back is a free action. If the character can’t catch it, or if the character has moved since throwing it, the weapon drops to the ground in the square from which it was thrown.