D&D 4E (4E) Swordbond Travel Times

[The Weregamer]

For the Swordmage class feature where you can call your sword to your hand, there doesn't seem to be any mention of how quickly the sword travels. Does it teleport instantly to your hand, or does it have to cover the distance between? I am especially curious about this as it relates to the paragon feat that lets you call it from up to a mile away.

Thanks!

 

[Bolongo]

If it took time, that time would have been defined.

So it has to be instant.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

the feat sounds like those that are not well thought out that give you the ability to do something you could already do. If that is not satisfactory, i would make the sword travel from line of sight only.

so the sword mage cant see it, he cant call it. This is house rule territory.

 

[fba827]

It's suggest considering it an instant teleport.... you mentally call it and (if it's in range) it comes to your hand.
Otherwise you'll have a hard time explaining how you can call it from 5 feet away or 1 mile away and still get it in about the same period of time (and without it hitting people along the way).

 

[Kordeth]

It takes one standard action's worth of time to get to you. Since there are no restrictions on line of sight or line of effect attached to the ability, nor does the ability have the teleportation keyword, as far as the game rules are concerned it just appears in your hand. Whether you describe that as the weapon appearing in a flash of light or flying through the air in the blink of an eye or growing out of your hand or just being drawn out of thin air is wholly up to you and your DM; it's purely fluff and has no bearing whatsoever on how the power actually works.

 

[Caliban]

Given the lack of disarming powers, how often has this ability actually come up?

 

[fba827]

Given the lack of disarming powers, how often has this ability actually come up?

Not often other than...
1) just captured and your weapons are being held in the storage room (or by a guard near by)

2) just waking up or otherwise not expecting a combat in your inn room (or something) when you're surprised by attack...

and so on.

but, yes, not often at all... depends on style of the campaign.

 

[Kinneus]

so the sword mage cant see it, he cant call it. This is house rule territory.

There's a feat, though, that lets you call your sword from up to a mile away. That house rule would turn a class feature of already-dubious use into something pretty darn useless.
"Hey, check it out, I can summon my blade provided I have a telescope and we're on a perfectly flat, featureless field!"

 

[Mirtek]

If that is not satisfactory, i would make the sword travel from line of sight only.

so the sword mage cant see it, he cant call it. This is house rule territory.

You know that there's a feat increasing the range from which the sword can be called to 1 mile?

Given the lack of disarming powers, how often has this ability actually come up?

I do it every time I would normally need to draw it mundanely (yes, I know that I am basically totally wasting my first turn every combat just to look cool )

 

[CubeKnight]

You know that there's a feat increasing the range from which the sword can be called to 1 mile?

I do it every time I would normally need to draw it mundanely (yes, I know that I am basically totally wasting my first turn every combat just to look cool )

I'd suggest taking the feat that makes it a Minor action to call the sword.