Why is Quickdraw only usable with weapons?

[shadyizok]

I don't get it, either. I made a bunch of changes to Quickdraw to remedy this problem several years ago:

Quick Draw [General, Fighter]
Prerequisite: base attack bonus +1
Benefit: You may draw a weapon, retrieve potions from your belt, anything from a Heward’s Handy Haversack, or any other retrieval action that typically requires a move action as a free action. You may draw a hidden weapon as a move action and may make a full attack with thrown weapons.
Synergy: If you have this feat and Weapon Focus for a particular weapon, you may sheathe it as a free action as well.
Normal: See page 142 in the PHB.

So, you can basically draw anything that would have taken a move action as a free action with that revision. Makes Handy Haversack even more handy. Feat synergy is something I made up for two feats giving an added bonus when a character possesses both. Probably self-explanatory.

Love it. I always go with an extended ruling of this feat too. (If something normally takes a move action to retrieve, now a free action).
That way the feat can be usefull for more people then just the jarlaxle/daggerthrowing builds.

 

[irdeggman]

It also applies to "weapon-like objects".

FAQ

Does drawing a wand from a wand sheath provoke
attacks of opportunity or can I draw it as if it were a
weapon? If I have Quick Draw, can I draw a wand as a free
action?

As described on page 142 of the PH, the “draw a weapon”
action also applies to weaponlike objects carried in easy reach,
such as wands. (The Sage would suggest that magic rods and
staffs also fall into this category.) Thus, drawing a wand
doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, and a character with
Quick Draw could draw one as a free action.

Wands and rods (but not staffs) also fall into the category
of “light or one-handed weapons” for the purpose of drawing
them in conjunction with the Two-Weapon Fighting feat (see
page 142 of the PH).

SRD

Draw or Sheathe a Weapon
Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. This action also applies to weapon-like objects carried in easy reach, such as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored item.

If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may draw a weapon as a free action combined with a regular move. If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, you can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take you to draw one.

Drawing ammunition for use with a ranged weapon (such as arrows, bolts, sling bullets, or shuriken) is a free action.

Pretty much the same text as on pg 142 of the PHB.

Also the Rules Compendium pg 8 and 9 on the actions in combat table added the text under note 12 for drawing a weapon that it applies to any weapon-like object (such as wands, rods or staffs) in easy reach.

Logically a potion is a weapon like object and the feat applies as long as it is within easy reach (i.e., not stowed in a back pack or something similar) - especially since something like a flask of burning oil is considered a weapon too (i.e., splash weapon).