Rules Question: Implements and Weapons

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

Can a character use a power with the "implement" or "weapon" keyword if they don't have an implement or weapon on their person?

I've been saying no for my games since 4E came out.

But I was running a game for a new group last night when this question came up. And they pointed out that the new Dark Sun Campaign Guide explicitly says something to the effect of "don't worry about taking theme power with the implement keyword even if your class doesn't use implements, because you just lose the enhancement bonus an implement might have given you."

What are the RAW, and how do you play it in your games?

 

[Ardulac]

"It’s not necessary to have an implement in order to use a power that has the implement keyword." p. 56 PHB

 

[spayne]

PHB page 56 says that you do not need an implement to use an implement power.

The same page also says you can use an unarmed attack as a weapon for weapon powers.

 

[Mengu]

Dark Sun Campaign Guide explicitly says something to the effect of "don't worry about taking theme power with the implement keyword even if your class doesn't use implements, because you just lose the enhancement bonus an implement might have given you."

Really? It says this? So at level 26, you just have a -6 penalty. Oh wait, you don't have expertise either, so it's a -9 penalty. That's all, no biggie.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Really? It says this? So at level 26, you just have a -6 penalty. Oh wait, you don't have expertise either, so it's a -9 penalty. That's all, no biggie.

Dark Sun assumes that you're using the inherent magical bonuses rules, so at level 26 you're getting an automatic +6 to hit just from being awesome.

 

[Klaus]

Can a character use a power with the "implement" or "weapon" keyword if they don't have an implement or weapon on their person?

I've been saying no for my games since 4E came out.

But I was running a game for a new group last night when this question came up. And they pointed out that the new Dark Sun Campaign Guide explicitly says something to the effect of "don't worry about taking theme power with the implement keyword even if your class doesn't use implements, because you just lose the enhancement bonus an implement might have given you."

What are the RAW, and how do you play it in your games?

Yes, you can use an implement power without an implement.

Yes, you can use a weapon power without a weapon. In this case you'd use an improvised weapon (including an unarmed strike if it's a melee power).

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Yup, with standard rules at higher levels you will get a pretty brutal penalty to your attack roll, but you never NEED an implement or weapon to use a power. At first level implements don't even necessarily do much for you. There are however a lot of powers that do things even on a miss, those can be somewhat effective still. Generally PCs without equipment are in a pretty straightened circumstance and you might for instance have them taking on less significant enemies in that kind of situation. Given that PCs will generally NEVER willingly give up their weapon/implement it is going to be a DM engineered situation anyway.