Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dave965 05-14-07, 07:43 PM	I posted this on the Opt board, but probably should have put it here first, so here goes........ In the 'Ask a simple question thread' I posted - Q2115 : Would a Bloodstorm Blade's thrown weapon provoke an AoO from it's target when the weapon is returning ? (The situation came up last night when the BB's sword was subject to numerous AoO's from a Nightwing using it's Magic Drain ability on the sword as it was returning. The BB in question did have 4 levels in the class, so the return mechanic was ricochet shot, not the normal returning at the end of the round. and received this for an answer.... A2115: No. Thrown Weapon do not themselves provoke AoOs. Did he allow you an AoO against the Nightwing every time it attacked you? Technically, its weapons should've provoked an AoO for entering your square. (Just kidding, of course, that would be the most cumbersome game ever played.) I forwarded this to the DM who ran this encounter last night, and his reply was - 1. AoO is provoked when you leave a threatened square, not move into it. So the stupidity of suggesting a melee weapon provokes an AoO when it enters the square casts doubt on the legitimacy of this person's qualification to answer. 2. I could have just given the critter its normal attack on the weapon instead of stating they were AoO. Argument over. 3. As weapons are, indeed, targetable objects, it defies comprehension that a thrown weapon would not provoke an AoO as it leaves a threatened square. The exception being some ability that states the weapon instantly appears in the wielder's hand, via some kind of teleportation. I feel that the simple answer from the Q&A thread didn't convince him, and frankly, I see arguments for both sides of this....I'm not the player of the Bloodstorm Blade in question, but would like to know if this situation is actually covered somewhere in the rules, or does it need to be houseruled?
Salla 05-14-07, 07:57 PM	A creature provokes an attack of opportunity when it leaves a threatened square. A weapon is not a creature. Therefore, weapons do not provoke attacks of opportunity. If they did, there would be no real need for Deflect Arrows ("When the arrow enters my space, I take an Attack of Opportunity at it."), or you'd track line of effect for all ranged combat because the guy with the spiked chain could bat arrows and shuriken out of the air as they go past him to hit the party's back lines.
Ardras 05-15-07, 08:14 AM	Also, as already has been posted on the CO thread, read the sidebar in ToB. And if your DM still insists that the creature can attack the weapon, well, though luck. If he does not want to accept the clear ruling straight from the books....
kelvinaw273 05-15-07, 09:37 AM	A creature provokes an attack of opportunity when it leaves a threatened square. A weapon is not a creature. Therefore, weapons do not provoke attacks of opportunity. If they did, there would be no real need for Deflect Arrows ("When the arrow enters my space, I take an Attack of Opportunity at it."), or you'd track line of effect for all ranged combat because the guy with the spiked chain could bat arrows and shuriken out of the air as they go past him to hit the party's back lines. This is the clearest and most concise answer I have seen, better than A2115. You should work for WotC answering their questions.
Phrennzy 05-15-07, 10:03 AM	"I get an AoO on the fireball as it streak past me, right? I grab it and throw it back."
sherretz 05-15-07, 01:03 PM	A weapon is only targetable in combat for the purpose of Sunder and whatnot. In those cases, the characters in question are specifically targeting the weapon in a close-quarters environment, where there is a very small "weapon space" in which the weapon can be at any given time. For thrown weapons, that weapon space is multiplied greatly. If his notion of targeting a thrown weapon held true, other monsters could target and attack arrows once they were shot into melee.
Thubby 05-15-07, 02:27 PM	the DM's first argument is semantics, a melee weapon would still have to leave the weilders square (which is threatened) to enter the targets square his second only works if the creature had a readied action
TheScapegoat 05-15-07, 02:51 PM	Sometimes a combatant in a melee lets her guard down . In this case, combatants near her can take advantage of her lapse in defense to attack her for free. These free attacks are called attacks of opportunity. Threatened Squares You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not your action. Generally, that means everything in all squares adjacent to your space (including diagonally). An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from you. If you’re unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of opportunity. Can the weapon be considered an enemy or a combatant? Is the weapon considered to be in melee combat? Can weapons let their guard down? I would have to say that the answer to all 3 would be a big NO. Now possibly if the creature took a prepared action to sunder then maybe I could see it happen. Not AoOs. The point that was made about the weapon leaving a threatened square after an attack granting AoO seems pretty valid a point to make to your DM. Especially reach weapons.