Flame, frost, shocking arrows pointless

[pvandyck]

If I read the rules correctly, it takes standard action to activate the flaming, frosting, or shocking abilites of a magic item.

If this applies to ammunition like arrows, doesn't it make those echantments worse than pointless?

I have to use a standard action to activate the arrow, then next round I can shoot it?

With all the other nerfing that magical ammunition got, I'm considering a house rule that ammunition with these magical enchantments activate automatically when fired.

pvandyck

 

[Chimera]

That wouldn't seem to make a lot of sense with arrows or other missiles, especially if you want to fire more than one per round.

"Please wait, I'm activating my arrows..."

 

[jmucchiello]

I don't think the standard action to activate a magic item rule applies to weapons or armor in general. Afterall, if you have to activate frost on an arrow, why not also on a sword? Why not have to activate the +2 bonus on that greataxe before it works? While it isn't stated in the rules, you can easily assume that such items do not need activation since needing to activate the +X bonus on a weapon would make such a bonus useless.

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

You may also want to consider that the ammunition is disposable: once you shoot it, it's gone. And then figure that the cost break for that is paying for not having to activate the flaming/frost/shock/tickling ability with an action. So yeah, you might have to tell your sword to "Flame on!" but that random flaming arrow +1 out of your quiver is just use-activated.

--
because you're right, the other way is stupid
ryan

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

You could consider the standard action to be used once to activate all the arrows or armour or whatever. For instance, it might require a standard action at the start of battle to activate a flaming sword (it's kinda dangerous to carry that around when it's burning!). Arrows are a little trickier since a quiver full of burning arrows could start a fire...

 

[lp]

I seem to remember that arrows couldn't be enchanted themselves, only the bow.. which would confer the bonus to the arrow itself when it is fired.

On a side note, probably the most overused magical weapon in any campaign I've been in.. annoyingly so.

 

[AuraSeer]

I don't think the standard action to activate a magic item rule applies to weapons or armor in general. Afterall, if you have to activate frost on an arrow, why not also on a sword?

It does apply to weapons and armor. The only reason you don't have to activate most abilities is that there's no reason to ever turn them off. If you have a holy sword, for example, you can leave the "holiness" activated all the time; there's no possible downside (unless you're an evil idiot and you accidentally grab the blade instead of the hilt).

 

[Treebore]

Where does it say that weapons and armor are not use activated items? Only wands, rods, and staves are command activated, maybe. Most items are use activated. IE you use it, it is activated. Doesn't even take an action.

So if you are right i would really like to know where this rule is, since i have obviously been doing a serious blunder for about 3 years now.

 

[shilsen]

Where does it say that weapons and armor are not use activated items? Only wands, rods, and staves are command activated, maybe. Most items are use activated. IE you use it, it is activated. Doesn't even take an action.

So if you are right i would really like to know where this rule is, since i have obviously been doing a serious blunder for about 3 years now.

There is no blanket rule. Some weapons and armor abilities are use-activated and some are not. The description of the flaming, frost, shock, etc. abilities says specifically that the weapon ability is activated "on command". Others such as holy, keen or returning do not need such activation.

 

[dcollins]

From the 3.5 FAQ:

The new descriptions for the flaming, frost, and shock weapon special abilities say that these weapons’ energy effects work only on command. Why was this changed in the revision? Does that mean that their wielders must use a standard action to activate them for each attack?...

The flaming, frost, and shock weapon special abilities always have been command activated; the revision just clarified that.

Activating an energy power requires a standard action, but once you activate energy power, the power works until you use another action to deactivate it. You can activate or deactivate one of these powers on up to 50 pieces of ammunition at the same time, provided that all the ammunition is in your possession, all the ammunition is the same kind, and all the ammunition has the same power...

The energy from a flaming, frost, shock, flaming burst, icy burst, or shocking burst weapon never harms you while you’re wielding or carrying the activated weapon (see the power descriptions), and it will not harm your equipment. If you lose or set down an activated weapon, the energy it produces will harm other objects it touches, so it is best to deactivate it first...

The not-harming-your-equipment (quiver) in this ruling is a little goofy, but it's just an extension of the items-on-a-person-are-nigh-invulnerable situation in the current rules.