Magic Item Keywords Question Answered

[peterparker18974]

15. When do a Magic Item's keywords apply?

If you use a magic item's power in conjunction with a power granted to you by your race or class, that item's keywords are added to the regular keywords of the power you are using. For example, if you are have a Flaming Weapon, and you use an at-will power to attack an enemy along with the at-will power of the Flaming Weapon, your attack will have the Fire keyword in addition to the normal keywords of your attack. You have to be using the powers of the weapon for those keywords to be added; simply using the magic item does not necessarily mean every keyword attached to a power of that item will.

Taken from the Players Handbook FAQ
​

 

[Tale]

I was wondering when that would be erratad.

 

[DracoSuave]

I was right.

Secondly, it's about time this got cleared up.... and that they used common sense to resolve it.

 

[Rith the Wanderer]

Thank god. Although I'm sure alot of people who've decided they like this mechanic the way CS was ruling it for a while will house rule.

Dracosuave, I don't think anyone on either side of this argument can claim objective correctness considering how ambiguous the text and various rulings are. Though I will be attending the celebration parties .

 

[Praesul]

Well, that's unfortunate. I thought it was a rather interesting mechanic when interpreted the other way and really made implements a lot more useful. Well, shoot, maybe we'll just house-rule it the other way in our campaign

 

[DracoSuave]

Dracosuave, I don't think anyone on either side of this argument can claim objective correctness considering how ambiguous the text and various rulings are. Though I will be attending the celebration parties .

That's not stopping me.


But yeah, it does remove wand of Runic Resistance/All the fire feats, cold feats, and lightning feats applied to a single power shinanegans from ever seeing the light of day.

 

[Rith the Wanderer]

Well, that's unfortunate. I thought it was a rather interesting mechanic when interpreted the other way and really made implements a lot more useful. Well, shoot, maybe we'll just house-rule it the other way in our campaign

I am a prophet!

 

[toxicspirit]

And there was much rejoicing!

 

[Stalker0]

Um....it seems it works just like the clause says it does, I guess I'm not clear what interpretation was suddenly destroyed by this FAQ?

 

[Kordeth]

Um....it seems it works just like the clause says it does, I guess I'm not clear what interpretation was suddenly destroyed by this FAQ?

The clause in the book doesn't make it clear that you have to be using the item's power to gain the keyword--the PHB, for example, makes it sound like you could add the Fire keyword to any spell cast through a wand of fiery bolt, or add the Fear keyword to any attack made with a weapon of terror, rather than only when you're using those item's powers.