Vicious weapon property

[Dannyalcatraz]

Here's a question...

What if you used Vicious with a melee weapon that:

1) also had the Throwing & Returning enchantments

Or

2) you used with the Whirling Blade spell

Or

3) you threw (because it could be used as a thrown weapon, you have the Throw Anything feat or threw out of desperation)?

In each case, the weapon is a melee weapon (thus, validly enchanted) that is being used at range.

Do you think that the weapon's wielder still takes the Vicious damage (as it would seem RAW), or would you view this as a kind of loophole?

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

There either is a "flash of disruptive energy that resonates between the opponent and the wielder" or there isn't. Any loophole to keep the wielder from being affected should keep the target from being affected as well.

Here's a question...

What if you used Vicious with a melee weapon that:

1) also had the Throwing & Returning enchantments

Or

2) you used with the Whirling Blade spell

Or

3) you threw (because it could be used as a thrown weapon, you have the Throw Anything feat or threw out of desperation)?

In each case, the weapon is a melee weapon (thus, validly enchanted) that is being used at range.

Do you think that the weapon's wielder still takes the Vicious damage (as it would seem RAW), or would you view this as a kind of loophole?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hmmm, hadn't considered it that way- and that isn't just a valid reading, its probably dead-on correct.

 

[Magus Coeruleus]

Hmmm, hadn't considered it that way- and that isn't just a valid reading, its probably dead-on correct.

It could be read as just flavor text, but I think the reason the power only has the cost of a +1 bonus is that you are willing to take (on average) half the damage that your opponent does in order to get a juicy +2d6 untyped (i.e. bypassing most DRs and immunities) for that low price. That's why I agreed with posters in the thread after hearing their arguments that it's not meant to be negative energy, for instance, even though it has enervation as a item creation prerequisite. That is, I don't think it's even meant for undead or any particular creature to be able to get around or benefit from what's supposed to be a literally self-destructive power. That said, I think if you attack something that for some reason should be able to avoid the damage, you the wielder should be spared as well because there is no "resonance" of "disruptive energy" between you. I'd argue it's simplest and fairest to say that you either share in the viciousness (i.e. both get damaged) or there is no viciousness.