Poll: Enforce the Standard Action to activate Energy Properties?

[Quasqueton]

There is a kukri fighter in my group with a frost kukri and a flame kukri. I once let him activate them both in a round (essentially as move actions), because he was having a hard time actually using them in "surprise" fights. But then in that same battle, the wizard wanted to use a pearl of power as a move action. I realized then that I'm better just sticking with the RAW.

I also have the weapons turn off when not being held. The PCs have twice disarmed an opponent with an element weapon and laughed at their opponent when the weapon turned off. So when sheathed, the weapon turns off.

Quasqueton

 

[Nail]

The Magic Missle Machine Gun (since we're being technical, I suppose I shouldn't call it a Gatling gun because it doesn't rotate) is essentially a ridiculous amount of MM wands all created with the same command word, then secured together.

Ah.

I'll bet you can only hold one wand at a time. ...but I've run out of time today to chase down text in the SRD and splatbooks. Anyone?

 

[Deset Gled]

Ah.

I'll bet you can only hold one wand at a time. ...but I've run out of time today to chase down text in the SRD and splatbooks. Anyone?

There is no such limitation. In theory, you can hold as many wands as your strength allows (there's actually a feat in CArc that lets you use two wands at once). The rule that limits the usage of multiple wands (or any other magic item, for that matter) is the fact that it takes a standard action to activate any command word item, no matter if the command words are the same or different. Using a command word is not just speaking a word, it is actively concentrating on the item and activating it. This is why there is no risk of accidentally using a command word item while in casual conversation, and why the item must be held to be used.

The FAQ ruling throws all of this to the wind and allows multiple command word activated effects to be activated by the same action. It is one of my favorite reasons to love the Primary Source rule.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'll bet you can only hold one wand at a time. ...but I've run out of time today to chase down text in the SRD and splatbooks. Anyone?

The same principle can be applied to a crafted item, though.

Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1: 1800. (1 missile)
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL3: 5400. (2 missiles)
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL5: 9000. (3 missiles)
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL7: 12600. (4 missiles)
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL9: 16200. (5 missiles)

Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1, with the additional property (at 1.5x cost) of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1: 4500.
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1, with two additional properties (at 1.5x cost) of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1: 7200.
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1, with three additional properties (at 1.5x cost) of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1: 9900.
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1, with four additional properties (at 1.5x cost) of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1: 12600.
Gauntlet of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1, with five additional properties (at 1.5x cost) of command-activated Magic Missile, CL1: 15300.

If you use the FAQ ruling that a single item can activate multiple properties with one standard action if all of them have the same command word, then it's cheaper to have a six-missile gauntlet than the CL9 5-missile gauntlet.

Disadvantage: the SR penetration is worse.
Advantage: Since each missile is a separate spell, each has its own chance to beat SR individually.
Advantage: The 15' limit on multiple targets doesn't apply, since each missile is a separate spell.
Advantage: Not capped at 5 missiles...

-Hyp.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

i say weapons are activated as a free action. If you have more enhancments like fire and ice they should work together.

Keep wands at a standard. I would make a claws that says only one wand can be used at a time regardless if they both can activate with the same command. .

Just have diffrent rules for weapons and wands. fighters get boned as it is.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

There is no such limitation. In theory, you can hold as many wands as your strength allows (there's actually a feat in CArc that lets you use two wands at once). The rule that limits the usage of multiple wands (or any other magic item, for that matter) is the fact that it takes a standard action to activate any command word item, no matter if the command words are the same or different. Using a command word is not just speaking a word, it is actively concentrating on the item and activating it. This is why there is no risk of accidentally using a command word item while in casual conversation, and why the item must be held to be used.

The FAQ ruling throws all of this to the wind and allows multiple command word activated effects to be activated by the same action. It is one of my favorite reasons to love the Primary Source rule.

/me looks at certain posts in other threads badmouthing people who don't trust the Sage's rulings. *cough*

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Since a stack of 50 arrows or bolts essentially counts as one magic item, I believe that when you utter the command word - all 50 of them would be activated at once. Of course, this interpretation automatically means you must have a quiver that doesn't get damaged by them...

Can an attended item by damaged without someone having to roll a sunder attack, or failing a save on a 1, or specifically targetting an item with a spell (which would give the item a saving throw)? I'm pretty sure that quiver is indestructible so long as it's an attended item and none of the above occur.