Quarterstaff?

[Grim Hawk]

thanks for the response, the only question i still have is can i make unarmed attacks while wielding a bow?

 

[John Blackwood]

I always thought you could always hold a 2 handed weapon in one hand and use the other for anything but in order to attack with a 2 handed weapon you needed two hands. Someone tell me if I'm wrong please.

 

[Dross]

thanks for the response, the only question i still have is can i make unarmed attacks while wielding a bow?

For me only if you are a monk.

In the monk description of Unarmed Strike specifically states that even if your hands are full (like wielding a bow) you can strike with other parts of your body. Because the the feat "Improved Unarmed Strike" does not mention this or reference the monk's ability to me implies that an unarmed strike is a punch, requiring a free hand.

The tricky part is that you can let go of the bow with one hand (hold the bow) and make an unarmed strike, and maybe grab the bow again (both free actions, but may be limited by the DM). You cannot wield the bow at the same time as making unarmed attacks.

This becomes imported more for 2-handed melee weapons: merely holding a 2H weapon means you do not threaten for AoO's because you are not wielding the weapon (without the IUS feat).

 

[Dandu]

In the monk description of Unarmed Strike specifically states that even if your hands are full (like wielding a bow) you can strike with other parts of your body. Because the the feat "Improved Unarmed Strike" does not mention this or reference the monk's ability to me implies that an unarmed strike is a punch, requiring a free hand.

Rules of the Game: Unarmed Attacks (Part One)

Unarmed Attack/Unarmed Strike: These two terms are used interchangeably to describe an attack with an appendage that is not a natural weapon, such as a human's fist. An unarmed attack usually deals nonlethal damage and provokes an attack of opportunity from the creature being attacked.

Unarmed Attack Basics
The unarmed attack entry in Chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook contains most of the rules for fighting without weaponry. Here's an overview, along with a few additions and comments:

• You usually make an unarmed attack with a free hand.

As far as the rules are concerned, you can use just about any part of your body in an unarmed attack: a head butt, kick, elbow, knee, or forearm. This means you don't need a free hand to make an unarmed attack.

 

[Empirate]

1. If you wield a ranged weapon can you use if for melee attacks? (beat someone with a short bow) and if not can you make unarmed attacks at melee range? (while wielding a Ranged weapon)

No. You can make unarmed attacks while wielding a ranged weapon, though. Also note that some ranged weapons are also melee weapons, e.g. daggers, throwing axes, shortspears, tridents etc.

2. Can you make unarmed attacks of opportunity? do they provoke another attack of opportunity from the original attacking party? (seems a little redundant doesn't it) and can it be done while wielding a ranged weapon?

You can make AoOs with an unarmed strike if you have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. In that case, your AoOs don't provoke AoOs of their own. The Improved Unarmed Strike feat basically allows you to always threaten the 5' area around you (more if you are larger than medium size). You also get all of these benefits without the IUS feat if you wear armor spikes.

3. The Katar or Punching Dagger also leaves me with questions: is it a zero handed weapon? can i be holding it at the same time as firing a bow? can I attack with no penalties while also wielding a bow? (keep in mind the bow is in my off-hand) When I kill someone with it will it be as cool as Assassin's Creed?

The picture should make it abundantly clear that, of course, you need a hand to wield the Katar. Also, nowhere does it say that you don't, so why do you assume so? This means you cannot wield it while wielding a bow - or rather, you can hold a bow in one hand while attacking with a Katar in your other, but you must drop the Katar to use the bow.
It will probably not be as cool as Assassin's Creed. Hopefully, it will be less boring, though.

4. If i am the party's scout should i roll Listen/Spot/Move Silently Checks constantly? if not how would I account for them? if so how frequently should the checks be made?

This is entirely up to the DM. You can say that you try to be constantly on the lookout, and then, should you be surprised, you'd be entitled to calling your DM a dick (unless he rolled your Listen/Spot check in secret).
Seriously, this issue is a difficult problem to tackle. The best solution is probably to roll a lot of d20s at the start of the session, let the DM note the results in order, and tell the DM your relevant statistics. Then, at any time when there would be something to spot/listen to/sense the motives of, the DM just looks at his list, and if your pre-rolled check succeeds, tells you what you perceive.

5. On an un-related note, The 3.0 handbook mentions a partial charge as a partial action, what does this entail?

A partial action (which doesn't exist in 3.5, but did in 3.0) is the action you can take when all you're allowed for your turn is a standard action. This comes up in surprise rounds, and when you're slowed. Basically, partial action = standard action, and that's all you can do on that turn.
Tangent: a partial charge is a standard action that consists of moving your speed and attacking, taking a -2 penalty to AC for 1 round, while not gaining a bonus to your attack roll. A partial charge can only be made whenever you can only take a partial action.

6. If I am a Rogue (Ranged Scout, you might be able to tell from previous questions XD) Do you personally think being a human is worth the extra feat? I don't think skill points will be too important for the campaign and I'm also considering Going elf.

Humans are almost always among the best races possible for all intents and purposes. The bonus feat is huge except in E6 games (where it can still be good to fulfill prereqs, for example), and the bonus skill points are invaluable for a skill monkey. You might think a Rogue's 8 skill points/level are good, but in fact a Rogue is among the most skill-strapped characters possible, because there's so many you're trying to max.

7. If you have weapons hidden on your person before you are captured, how do you determine how easy they are to find? do you make sleight of hand checks when they search you?

Sleight of Hand

[...]

You can hide a small object (including a light weapon or an easily concealed ranged weapon, such as a dart, sling, or hand crossbow) on your body. Your Sleight of Hand check is opposed by the Spot check of anyone observing you or the Search check of anyone frisking you. In the latter case, the searcher gains a +4 bonus on the Search check, since it’s generally easier to find such an object than to hide it. A dagger is easier to hide than most light weapons, and grants you a +2 bonus on your Sleight of Hand check to conceal it. An extraordinarily small object, such as a coin, shuriken, or ring, grants you a +4 bonus on your Sleight of Hand check to conceal it, and heavy or baggy clothing (such as a cloak) grants you a +2 bonus on the check.

It would seem you make the Sleight of Hand check ahead of time, then note down the result for comparison with your captors' Search checks. Note that a really thorough search (more than just a frisking) ought usually to find everything hidden on your body - your DM might not even bother with taking 20.

8. I assume weapon finesse can be used on any weapon (but reading weapon descriptions sometimes makes me question it), why not have a melee rogue with a longsword? and If you do plan on being ranged, is it worth using up a feat to get weapon finesse on your secondary? (punching dagger/dagger/shortsword)

Weapon Finesse only works on light weapons and on weapons whose description specifically says so. Weapon Finesse is an OK feat in my book. Note that even a pure archer needs some strength, or his arrows do all of mostly nothing. You don't want to stay within 30' of your target for sneak attacks all the time - 30' is really close, so your career as a ranged guy might be rather short. Ranged characters also need some flexibility where weapon style is concerned, I think, so the Quick Draw feat might be a good investment.

 

[Grim Hawk]

Thank you so much for the answers, a dm making secret scout type rolls is a great way to keep my charecter on his toes. also unless i have a composite bow my strength has nothing to do with any bow attack I make. I dont plan to use TOO many throwing weapons either, so I am seriously considering taking a low strength score for a con, cha. or int score.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

1. If you can beat someone with the shortbow or any bow, it'd probably just be an improvised weapon (-4 to hit) using club stats. Seems reasonable to allow.

2. As others have said, you need IUS to threaten with your unarmed strike. Coincidentally, the feat also means your unarmed strike doesn't provoke. And yes, unarmed can be with any part of your body, so even with your hands full, you can use it.

3. No.

4. You should get one free action reactive spot/listen check whenever appropriate (someone tries to silently move behind some boxes near you; you walk into a room where someone is hiding). Most DMs roll this secretly so you don't know you're making the check (and thus that there must be a reason for it...). Any checks after the initial reactive one are move actions to try. Read the Quick Reconnitor feat in C.Adv, it covers the rules nicely in explaining how its benefit of one free spot and listen check every round is different than the normal.

5. Contrary to what the above poster said, this does exist in 3.5: Special Attacks :: d20srd.org

"If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn."

Those are the parameters and requirements to use it.

6. There are other good race choices than human, but Elf is not one of them, the Con hurts too much and the other racial features besides Dex +2 are pretty weak. Dwarf is a good rogue (or good almost anything, really), Gnome is decent, if you can can use the Forest Gnome version from the monster manual.

7. You make it ahead of time, in fact youmay want to spend a long time on it with some assistance and take 20.

8. As above said. I don't think it's worth a feat unless your Dex modifier is at least 4 higher than your strength AND you plan to melee semi-regularly. It doesn't help your damage problem from a lower str score, and the fact that many classes that would want it won't have the BAB +1 requirement at level 1 greatly hurts its value IMO. If you're going to suffer with uselessness in melee till level 3, why not just raise str a bit and manage without the feat at all? Might be more useful in games that roll for scores because you can't necessarily get an array you like.

 

[Grim Hawk]

Could a dagger belted to my wrist be counted as a zero handed weapon？

 

[Dandu]

No.