Stacking Flaming and Shocking?

[Ridley's Cohort]

Once again I question the time and energy put into bringing this "activation" into effect. Some one has roclaimed "balance" is the issue.... Tell me what is wrong with uttering the command word as a free action (don't insult the situation by pointing out the core rules it is pretty obvious what the rule is, if you want to repsond give a thought out reason why it couldn't or shouldn't because "because" is not why I proposing the question) performing any other action in that round including combat and then having the item fully activated on the following round?

That would be a reasonable compromise if the activation requirement bothers you and you want a house rule.

There are a lot of effects in the game that are principally balanced out by the cost of the action to activate. True Strike is a classic example. Combat buff spells are another. (The Cleric that fully buffs is a better fighter than a Fighter.)

At higher levels there are plenty of buffs available for combat. With so many choices, always on abilities, like those Fighter Feats, become very valuable.

At high levels you also have those PCs who get a +1 energy energy energy energy weapon and top it off with a fat GMW spell.

If you expect combat you can always just carry the sword around already activated. If you are ambushed you have the choice of hacking now, or boosting first and hacking later.

I think it makes the game more tactically interesting. YMMV.

 

[Wolf72]

the activation rule is one that I often forget to enforce!

that being said I have no prolbem letting different types of energy dmg stack ... it's magic, and think seeing a sword with twirling streams of ice, fire, and electricity on it would be really cool ...

 

[0-hr]

If an iron scabbard has a hardness of 10 (PHB pg.136), and it takes half damage from fire (PHB pg.135), then how is a flaming weapon (doing 1d6 fire damage per round), possibly going to hurt it?

Even for flavor text, you could wrap it in something to keep the warm metal from banging against your leg.

I had a player keep his Dagger of Frost in an iron scabbard wrapped in fur. He wanted to keep it always-active and I don't see any rules reason not too (it would take 41 points of cold damage per round to have any effect on an iron object!). I guess I could start making up stuff about condensation freezing the blade in place, but that would be house rules...

 

[Judas]

I guess I could start making up stuff about condensation freezing the blade in place, but that would be house rules...

Now that would be funny! Seeing somebody fighting to get their weapon out of the sheath!

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Is there anything preventing the weapon from having the same command word for all 3 elemental abilities (flame, frost, and shock)?

 

[Crothian]

Is there anything preventing the weapon from having the same command word for all 3 elemental abilities (flame, frost, and shock)?

The same that makes you only able to activate any one power at a time on staves, rods, rings, and wondrous items. They are no different in activation time.

 

[Hejdun]

Originally posted by Cloudgatherer
Is there anything preventing the weapon from having the same command word for all 3 elemental abilities (flame, frost, and shock)?
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The same that makes you only able to activate any one power at a time on staves, rods, rings, and wondrous items. They are no different in activation time.

And if you use the arguement "but... it's the same word! It should activate all of em..." then let me introduce you a new invention of mine, I call it the "Wall of Wands". See, you make 50 wands of fireball, give em all the same command word. Now, grab your tower shield and your stapler...

 

[The Iron Mark]

Actually, this was already discussed on the Wizards boards. Someone called Wizards and they said that it takes 1 Standard Action to activate ALL of enhacments.

 

[kreynolds]

Actually, this was already discussed on the Wizards boards. Someone called Wizards and they said that it takes 1 Standard Action to activate ALL of enhacments.

You wouldn't...like...oh...I don't know...have a link or email or something to go along with that claim, would you? Just curious.

 

[Caliban]

Actually, this was already discussed on the Wizards boards. Someone called Wizards and they said that it takes 1 Standard Action to activate ALL of enhacments.

Let me guess, wizards customer service?

They are probably the worst people you can go to for rules questions. I have seen them give obviously wrong answers, or interpretations that were later contradicted by official errata/clarification more than 50% of the time.

Unfortunately, they aren't hired for their rules knowledge.