Shift grip as a free action?

[Hypersmurf]

This one is definitely not a "flavor" concept.

Does it change the flavour aspect at all if you make it a staff?

-Hyp.

 

[irdeggman]

Does it change the flavour aspect at all if you make it a staff?

-Hyp.

In my mind no - because it is just not flavor right for a wizard to cast fireballs and whack people in the same round. But the rules don't necessarily support this.

 

[RangerWickett]

But it is alright for a wizard with a dagger to cast a spell, and then stab someone if they provoke an attack of opportunity?

Or heck, a psion with a polearm and combat reflexes to manifest a power and hit potentially a half-dozen people with his weapon in the same round?

Or a dragon to attack six separate creatures with two claws, two wing buffets, a bite, and a tail slap?

 

[werk]

Fair enough. I'm not disagreeing with you in any way. But in my game, it's the same as drawing a weapon.

Same here, and it's the interpretation that is rules supported AFAIK.

As for 'it takes x amount of time to blah blah'...it's an abstract system, not a reality simulator, so put your stopwatch away.
Here's a dandy illustration: "Pushing any of the rod’s buttons is equivalent to drawing a weapon." Pushing a button on a rod in your hand = a move action.



Trying (and failing) to stay out of this thread...

 

[irdeggman]

But it is alright for a wizard with a dagger to cast a spell, and then stab someone if they provoke an attack of opportunity?

Or heck, a psion with a polearm and combat reflexes to manifest a power and hit potentially a half-dozen people with his weapon in the same round?

Or a dragon to attack six separate creatures with two claws, two wing buffets, a bite, and a tail slap?

I believe that Dragons can specifically do that (it is a special ability and part of their full attack action). Note that it requires a full attack action to do that so they can't do all of that and cast spells in the same round.

The others - I have the same opinion on. You can either "wield" a weapon (hold it effectively so that you are considered "armed") or just "hold" it.

If you are casting (or manifesting) then you have distracted yourself from being able to effectively "wield" that weapon for the round.

There are non-core clases and prestige classes that are designed around the ability to both wield weapons and cast spells. IMO there is a reason for that, to capture the proper "feel" and not allow any single character to be everything all the time.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The others - I have the same opinion on. You can either "wield" a weapon (hold it effectively so that you are considered "armed") or just "hold" it.

If you are casting (or manifesting) then you have distracted yourself from being able to effectively "wield" that weapon for the round.

You're including spells and powers with no somatic components, dragons casting swift action spells, spells requiring one hand to be free while the other hand wields a one-handed or light weapon, and so on?

-Hyp.

 

[irdeggman]

You're including spells and powers with no somatic components, dragons casting swift action spells, spells requiring one hand to be free while the other hand wields a one-handed or light weapon, and so on?

-Hyp.

Yes - since I consider it not rudimentary to prepare a weapon for use and cast a spell. Both are separate types of actions and involve a type of character focus/concentration that determine what you are primarily doing that round. Now if people want characters that can do everything every round and have wizards that step into the melee/ranged combatants' roles that is fine. I just feel that every charcter has a role and that role determines how he is "handled" that round. Again, the RAW doesn't necessarily support this stance.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yes - since I consider it not rudimentary to prepare a weapon for use and cast a spell. Both are separate types of actions and involve a type of character focus/concentration that determine what you are primarily doing that round.

There are swift action spells that affect every attack you make this round - say, adding +1d6 fire damage to your weapon. How do you feel these spells should be used, if it's inappropriate for a character to cast a spell and make... well, every attack this round?

Again, the RAW doesn't necessarily support this stance.

Okay, gotcha.

-Hyp.