Activating A Flaming Weapon

[Darklone]

To rule that a flaming weapon will hurt a scabbard opens up the debate about whether or not you can make a touch attack with a flaming weapon to do only fire damage, which is a another can of worms entirely.

IMC, you can. Has never been a problem. But I always love to hear about cans of worms

 

[mvincent]

There is nothing in the rules that states that a touching a flaming sword will cause damage.

Agreed. I have seen (and understand) that as a possible interpretation, but I won't use it. It would make it pretty difficult for PC's to recover energy weapons from fallen foes. Also, it would likely prompt my group to start using shocking nets or somesuch, or seek to sovereign glue small frost weapons to the backs of dragons and such.

 

[Sound of Azure]

IMC, you can. Has never been a problem. But I always love to hear about cans of worms

Yeah! Flaming cans of worms! Mwuahahaha!!!!

 

[Pyrex]

We've never required actions to activate energy properties on weapons.

Never seemed necessary given that Keen, Ghost Touch, +1, etc all don't require actions.

 

[ainbimagh]

All of this sounds like house ruling, maybe it should be in the house rules sections

 

[IanB]

I require the standard action - although intelligent weapons can take the action themselves.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I require the standard action, but I do have a few houserules regarding the energy and energy burst type weapons.

The first is that I allow the energy enhancements to stack... That is, you can have a flaming, flaming, flaming burst weapon, which deals 3d6 (or 2d6 & 1d0 on a crit) extra energy damage. This applies to the alignment enhancements, as well. So, you can have a holy holy weapon.

The second is that I allow different energy types on the same weapon. That is, you can have a flaming burst icy burst weapon. Which deals and extra 1d6 fire and 1d6 cold damage (or d10s on a crit). This applies to the alignments, as well. So you can have an unholy, axiomatic (or even a holy, unholy) weapon.

The third is that a single standard action is required to activate each distinct energy effect. So, if you had a fiery, fiery, flaming burst, icy, icy, icy burst weapon, you'd activate first the fire portion, then the ice portion, requiring two standard actions.

I also, sometimes, make other enhancements (such as holy, etc., and brilliant energy 'upon command' abilities).

Letting go of a wielded weapon deactivates any activated enhancements. So a flaming weapon goes out, for instance.

Later
silver

 

[Destil]

HR: The wielder is designated to be the person who activated the sword in that case.

Wouldn't be the first time that my PCs burn down a city quarter

Accidentally, of course.

Reminds me of my Thursday game...

Alan, did you catch the ship on fire?

No!

... or through inaction allow the ship to catch on fire?

...no comment.

 

[Darklone]

I had a group where I was considering to give out the pyro feat for free...

But the players didn't need it. At least two cities and countless ships plus single houses burnt down during that campaign.