D&D 4E Magic throw weapons and multi-attack powers

Ale202

Villager
Hello,

I'm trying to figure out how throw weapons work with multi attack powers. The main source of ruling are these:

1. RC pg 282-> Throw weapon: "Any magic light thrown or heavy thrown weapon, from the lowly +1 dagger to a +6 dragonslayer javelin, automatically returns to its wielder’s hand after a ranged attack with the weapon is resolved. Catching a returning thrown weapon is a free action; if the wielder does not wish (or is unable) to catch the weapon, it drops in his or her space." (I consider the "attack" it's referring to as just any single attack and not an Attack Power)

2. RC pg 270-> Load: "Ranged weapons that launch projectiles, including bows, crossbows, and slings, take some time to load. Any weapon that has the load property requires two hands to load, even if only one hand is used to attack with it. (The sling, for instance, is a one-handed weapon, but it requires another free hand to load.) When the word “free” follows a weapon’s Load entry, that means the attacker draws and loads ammunition as a free action, effectively part of the action used to attack with the weapon. When the word “minor” follows a weapon’s Load entry, the weapon normally
requires a minor action to draw and load ammunition. If a power allows attacks against multiple targets with a single action, the additional load time for multiple projectiles is included in the action used by the power."

3. PHB1 pg 200-> Quick Draw: "You can draw a weapon (or an objectstored in a belt pouch, bandolier, or similar container,such as a potion) as part of the same action used to attack with the weapon or use the object..."

The problem is that catching the weapon that is coming back requires a free action, that it's an action per se so tecnically you can't catch it between the attacks of the same power (the only things that can happen mid action that i know are the "No Action" powers). The description of the reload property, however, says that even though reloading an ammunition is a free action, it is counted as part of the attack action, a situation very similar (gameplay wise) to catching a returning weapon and throwing it again (although it then specifically explains the multiple attacks scenario). So can you make a multi-attack throwing weapon build with just one weapon or you're doomed to take the Quick Draw feat (or have similar effects) and spend a lot of money buying a weapon for every attack of your multi-attack powers?
 

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Considering that 4e wants you to play the game, and not have to jump through hoops to get basic competency, it seems to me that having a singular magical weapon enables multiple attacks. 4e even went through the 'trouble' of explicitly taking 'returning' out of the list of special traits magical weapons could have - they all return. This is not a game where you might want to avoid throwing your +3 frost dagger at the fire salamander swimming in the lava river in fear of loosing such a precious weapon.

Dagger rogues are a thing. Throwing daggers is ubiquitous. The game does not expect you to have 4+ weapons at optimal power levels just to play your class. And so, a single weapon should do the trick.

That said, it is absolutely within the spirit of the game to give a ribbon ability to classes that are likely to use thrown weapons to be able to 'unlock more power' from items than other folk - i.e. the rogue, the ranger get to 'multiply' their magical daggers when using a multi-target attack. The paladin? Not so much.*
*That is, if you want that sort of flavour 'enforcement' in your game.
 

It was more of the specific rules trumps the general rule. While normally a free action between attacks might not be allowed, the specific of an attack power or multi-attack trumps this and allows the action to happen. I seem to recall a daggerbust power that allowed a dagger attack against all bad guys in a 30ft cone. 4e seemed to have more cool-factor over rule-factor.
 

The problem is that catching the weapon that is coming back requires a free action, that it's an action per se so tecnically you can't catch it between the attacks of the same power (the only things that can happen mid action that i know are the "No Action" powers).
Why cant a free action happen in the middle of another action?

PH Page 267

Free Action: Free actions take almost no time or effort. You can take as many free actions as you want during your or another combatant’s turn. The DM can restrict the number of free actions in a turn. Examples: speaking a few sentences, dropping a held item, letting go of a grabbed enemy.

I'd say you can free action speak in the middle of the attacks of the same power, for example.
 

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