Defending - Melee Weapon Special Ability

[Plane Sailing]

Or you could take a slightly broader interpretation and rule that it still has it's full enhancement bonus, it's merely being used for a different purpose than normal due to the defending ability. No loss of hit points, hardness, and you can take it down to an effective +0 enhancement if you choose.

That is how I'd rule it.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

Originally Posted by Caliban
Or you could take a slightly broader interpretation and rule that it still has it's full enhancement bonus, it's merely being used for a different purpose than normal due to the defending ability. No loss of hit points, hardness, and you can take it down to an effective +0 enhancement if you choose.

I don't see it as "broader". I see it as RAW - and I go with this IMC.

I want to take a Move action to move into that opponent's space. I can't; it's not a legal action.

If I'm a swarm... or incorporeal... I can't do that?

*** Humor moment ***
Player1: Need a Way to make lawyers quit bickering...
Player 2: Silence spell?
Player 1: Nah, that just slows em down - they just have to WRITE all those arguments out...
Player 2: Hold Person?
Player 1: Nah They're rabid bloodthirsty dogs...
Player 2: Hold Monster?
Player 1: They're monsters... Monsters I tell ya!!
Player 2: I just hope they don't have Super Mega Iron Will....
Player 1: Uh... they might...
Player 2: Use the curse... That Song That Never Ends Curse...
Player 1: That would be EVIL - REAL evil....

- To the Tune of "Fish Heads Fish Heads - Rolly Polly fish heads" -
This is the song that never ends... it goes on and on My friend, somebody started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll go on and on My Friend just because; This is the song that never ends...

 

[Hypersmurf]

If I'm a swarm... or incorporeal... I can't do that?

I'm neither.

-Hyp.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

I want to take a Move action to move into that opponent's space. I can't; it's not a legal action.

Sure, it's legal, just not for YOU. YOU have special rules that apply.

We aren't on a common level playing field.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Sure, it's legal, just not for YOU. YOU have special rules that apply.

And for anyone for whom it isn't legal, it's an example of an action they can't take; while the Bull Rush is an example of an action that can be legally taken, despite resulting in a condition (sharing a square with a non-grappled, non-helpless, non-whatever opponent) that is not sustainable. Fortunately, there's a rule that tells us what happens - they get shunted back out.

It's legal to transfer all the enhancement bonus of the sword as a bonus to AC. And there's a rule that tells us what happens when you take that legal action - a magic weapon requires at least a +1 enhancement bonus to have any special abilities.

-Hyp.

 

[glass]

That is how I'd rule it.

Me too, but not because it is what the book says. On that, I agree with Hyp, FWIW.

*Heads of to edit the Defending property in his HR document*


glass.

 

[Dimensional]

More reasonable, where "any weapon with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus" includes "some weapons without a +1 or higher enhancement bonus"?

If I cast Align Weapon on an otherwise non-magical sword, does it bypass DR X/Magic?

-Hyp.

We have examples of those so yes.

lets reverse it on you do you realy beleive that the ability to bypass DRX/Magic confers a +1 or higher enhancment bonus?

 

[Owen K.C. Stephens]

Are there any unnamed bonuses that do?



-Hyp.

My point is the bonus has been named. It says it's an enhancement bonus. There's no reason to think it stops being an enhancement bonus. Therefore, even when the enhancement bonus is adding to AC rather than attacks and damage, the weapon still has an enhancement bonus and never loses hardness, AC, or the ability to be a magic weapon.

 

[frankthedm]

My point is the bonus has been named. It says it's an enhancement bonus. There's no reason to think it stops being an enhancement bonus. Therefore, even when the enhancement bonus is adding to AC rather than attacks and damage, the weapon still has an enhancement bonus and never loses hardness, AC, or the ability to be a magic weapon.

Whatever the plus to hit and damage is from the enhancement bonus is determines the bonus hardness and HP. If the weapon only gives you +1 when you are swinging it, then it only has +2 hardness and +10 HP.

 

[mvincent]

A magic weapon that doesn't have a +1 or higher enhancement bonus, not counting the enhancement from masterwork quality, isn't a magic weapon capable of overcoming DR.

I agree with the others: a defending weapon does have a +1 or higher enhancement bonus... it's just that sometimes the bonus is running an errand, is all... but it still always belongs to the weapon (and the weapon should get the same bonus to HP and hardness even when defending).

Similarly: a +6 defending weapon is still technically an epic weapon even when defending.

Also, the bane ability on a +4 weapon would likely not make it epic versus its designated foe, even though "its effective enhancement bonus is +2 better than its normal enhancement bonus". Nor should the bane ability increase it's hp and hardness vs. the foe.