Oddities in the rules - Again

[Greenfield]

Every now and then I find unexpected things in the rules (D&D 3.5), things I've been doing wrong for years.

I just discovered such a thing, something that impacts the action economy in combat.

Some magical properties on weapons have an activation.

Activation: Usually a character benefits from a magic weapon in the same way a character benefits from a mundane weapon—by attacking with it. If a weapon has a special ability that the user needs to activate then the user usually needs to utter a command word (a standard action).

Next I looked at specific weapon powers:

Flaming: Upon command, a flaming weapon is sheathed in fire. The fire does not harm the wielder. The effect remains until another command is given. A flaming weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the fire energy upon their ammunition.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor and flame blade, flame strike, or fireball; Price +1 bonus.
Flaming Burst: A flaming burst weapon functions as a flaming weapon that also explodes with flame upon striking a successful critical hit. The fire does not harm the wielder. In addition to the extra fire damage from the flaming ability (see above), a flaming burst weapon deals an extra 1d10 points of fire damage on a successful critical hit. If the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, add an extra 2d10 points of fire damage instead, and if the multiplier is x4, add an extra 3d10 points of fire damage. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the fire energy upon their ammunition.
Even if the flaming ability is not active, the weapon still deals its extra fire damage on a successful critical hit.
Strong evocation; CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor and flame blade, flame strike, or fireball; Price +2 bonus.
Frost: Upon command, a frost weapon is sheathed in icy cold. The cold does not harm the wielder. The effect remains until another command is given. A frost weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage on a successful hit. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the cold energy upon their ammunition.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill metal or ice storm; Price +1 bonus.
Icy Burst: An icy burst weapon functions as a frost weapon that also explodes with frost upon striking a successful critical hit. The frost does not harm the wielder. In addition to the extra damage from the frost ability, an icy burst weapon deals an extra 1d10 points of cold damage on a successful critical hit. If the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, add an extra 2d10 points of cold damage instead, and if the multiplier is x4, add an extra 3d10 points. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the cold energy upon their ammunition.
Even if the frost ability is not active, the weapon still deals its extra cold damage on a successful critical hit.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, chill metal or ice storm; Price +2 bonus.
Shock: Upon command, a shock weapon is sheathed in crackling electricity. The electricity does not harm the wielder. The effect remains until another command is given. A shock weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of electricity damage on a successful hit. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the electricity energy upon their ammunition.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning or lightning bolt; Price +1 bonus.
Shocking Burst: A shocking burst weapon functions as a shock weapon that also explodes with electricity upon striking a successful critical hit. The electricity does not harm the wielder. In addition to the extra electricity damage from the shock ability, a shocking burst weapon deals an extra 1d10 points of electricity damage on a successful critical hit. If the weapon’s critical multiplier is x3, add an extra 2d10 points of electricity damage instead, and if the multiplier is x4, add an extra 3d10 points. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the electricity energy upon their ammunition.
Even if the shock ability is not active, the weapon still deals its extra electricity damage on a successful critical hit.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, call lightning or lightning bolt; Price +2 bonus.

So, as written, anyone using any of these common energy enhanced weapons has to spend a Standard Action at the start of every battle.

Does anyone actually play it this way?

 

[Dandu]

You never flick the power switch on your lightsaber?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

So, as written, anyone using any of these common energy enhanced weapons has to spend a Standard Action at the start of every battle.

Does anyone actually play it this way?

As written, there's no reason to ever turn them off. You can sheathe your sword in electricity or cold or whatever, then place it into a wooden sheath, and the 1d6 energy damage (halved or quartered against objects) will never overcome its hardness of 5.

The only borderline case would be if you have a fire weapon, and the DM rules that fire damage isn't halved against wood. There's some precedent for that, but I don't think they actually spell that out anywhere in as many words.

 

[Greenfield]

As written, there's no reason to ever turn them off. You can sheathe your sword in electricity or cold or whatever, then place it into a wooden sheath, and the 1d6 energy damage (halved or quartered against objects) will never overcome its hardness of 5.

The only borderline case would be if you have a fire weapon, and the DM rules that fire damage isn't halved against wood. There's some precedent for that, but I don't think they actually spell that out anywhere in as many words.

Well, as written, it says that the power won't harm the wielder, it shouldn't harm attended items either. Scabbards included.

On the other hand, you may or may not want flames or electricity blazing or crackling and giving away your position. Kind of screws with stealth.

As for "Flick the swith on my light saber", it didn't take Ben Kenobi six seconds ti fire up in that bar brawl.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

If you sheathe a flaming sword, does it still emit light? Can anyone tell that the sword is on fire, before you draw it? My instinct would say no, but I can see where there's room for interpretation.

 

[Greenfield]

My question really wasn't about how to avoid the activation cost, it was actually far simpler than that: Does anyone else actually play that activation delay?

 

[Schmoe]

My question really wasn't about how to avoid the activation cost, it was actually far simpler than that: Does anyone else actually play that activation delay?

Yes.

 

[Voadam]

You can't turn off captured ones if you don't know the command word.

"The effect remains until another command is given."

It hasn't actually come up, I generally go with straight plusses or holy when given an option. Sometimes keen or bane or impact if I can switch them around with like a soulknife.

 

[captnq]

Yes. Always. However, the players don't care who knows the weapons are powered up and have them on all the time.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

I have always played it this way: when a flaming sword is sheathed while the flames are still active, then the flames are suppressed, until the sword is drawn again. It's kind of like the way that magic rings always fit, because they magically adjust their size to fit their current wearer's fingers. It's not really something any of us (my group) has ever given that much thought to; especially since none of them have weapons with visible effects. All of their weapons are keen / ghost touch / etc. (i.e., non-visible effects.)