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Here's a summary of the arguments I've seen in different threads:
In the Core Rulebook, the "Seeking" weapon property states
Only ranged weapons can have the seeking ability. The weapon veers toward its target, negating any miss chances that would otherwise apply, such as from concealment. The wielder still has to aim the weapon at the right square. Arrows mistakenly shot into an empty space, for example, do not veer and hit invisible enemies, even if they are nearby.
At first read, this weapon property seems to clearly apply to bows, crossbows, and other projectile weapons. However, someone pointed out that the table entry is missing the footnote (#2) that say "Bows, crossbows, and slings crafted with this ability bestow this power upon their ammunition." However, since arrows are explicitly given as an example, and arrows are not considered a "weapon" that is "wielded", it seems obvious to me that it applies to bows and that the footnote was either left off by mistake or the authors assumed it didn't need the footnote in the first place.
In Ultimate Equipment's Ranged weapon properties table (3-10, p. 139), Seeking still doesn't have the footnote (#3) indicating that projectiles weapons convey this property to ammunition, and I've seen some people arguing that this indicates that Seeking would not work on projectile weapons. The addition of the Ammunition table (3-11, p. 141), which includes Seeking as an available ammunition property, is used as support for this argument.
On the other hand, there is also a Footnote 7, which states "Only thrown ranged weapons can have this special ability." This footnote doesn't appear on Seeking, but if projectile weapons don't confer the Seeking property to ammunition, then by implication, that means that "only thrown ranged weapons" can have Seeking. If this is the case, shouldn't footnote #7 appear on Seeking? (I doubt the authors are intentionally trying to trick players into purchasing useless weapon properties.)
To make matters worse, there are several other ranged weapon properties in Table 3-10 that also don't include Footnote #3, and these items also appear in the Table 3-11. By the same logic used against Seeking, none of the following properties would apply to projectile weapons, either: Cruel, Cunning, Limning and Planar. (The Huntsman property also lacks footnote #3, which brings up the question of whether a projectile weapon does the additional 1d6 damage cited in the property.)
Before I drop 8,000 gp on a bow, I'd like to hear what other people think. Until Ultimate Equipment came out, it honestly never occurred to me to question whether Seeking could be used on a bow. (The fact that there are multiple NPCs walking around with +1 Seeking longbows might have a lot to do with that, too.)
You're thinking way, way too hard about this. Seeking is for ranged weapons, RAW and RAI.
You're thinking way, way too hard about this. Seeking is for ranged weapons, RAW and RAI.
Actually, I wasn't thinking about it at all. I had never thought about it until I was looking on the message boards for clarification of how Seeking interacts with Wind Wall and other minutiae. That's when I ran across two or three threads making this argument. All that thinking up there is collected from other people.
I completely agree that Seeking is for ranged weapons. But the last time I ignored what I thought was an overly picky, borderline silly message board argument, I lost a 4th level Halfling warslinger character. So now I'm a bit paranoid.
You're thinking way, way too hard about this. Seeking is for ranged weapons, RAW and RAI.Actually, I wasn't thinking about it at all. I had never thought about it until I was looking on the message boards for clarification of how Seeking interacts with Wind Wall and other minutiae. That's when I ran across two or three threads making this argument. All that thinking up there is collected from other people.
I completely agree that Seeking is for ranged weapons. But the last time I ignored what I thought was an overly picky, borderline silly message board argument, I lost a 4th level Halfling warslinger character. So now I'm a bit paranoid.
Fair point. It should be errata'd.
The main ones are here:
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2piba?Seeking-Property#1 (See LabRat's posts for the argument I summarized here.)
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nvkv?Arrows-spell-storing-enchant#11
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pat5?Seeking-Musket#3
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mp4b?Archer-Build#45
Since this argument would also eliminate Limning from a bow, I'd be left with an archer who couldn't get around concealment at all. Which would suck.
When you post a link, please do it in this format:
[URL=http://www.yourlink.com]Name of your link[/URL]
It will then appear as this:
Thanks. I didn't have a display name for the hyperlinks, so I tried leaving the "Name" part blank, which messed up the formatting. I went back in and just duplicated the url in the display name section, and that seemed to take care of it.
Thanks. I didn't have a display name for the hyperlinks, so I tried leaving the "Name" part blank, which messed up the formatting. I went back in and just duplicated the url in the display name section, and that seemed to take care of it.
Actually, you do have the display name. It is between the "?" and "#":
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mp4b?Archer-Build#45/cevah
Those are actually the thread titles, not display name.
I was looking at this again, and I noticed that Designating, Lesser has footnote 3, but Designating, Greater doesn't. But the only difference between these two properties is the amount of damage they do.
Is there any way to request an overall review of Tables 3-10 and 3-11 as an FAQ? Because now I'm really confused.
I was looking at this again, and I noticed that Designating, Lesser has footnote 3, but Designating, Greater doesn't. But the only difference between these two properties is the amount of damage they do.
Is there any way to request an overall review of Tables 3-10 and 3-11 as an FAQ? Because now I'm really confused.
This would not be a FAQ but Errata. You need to post in the Errata thread for the book it is in.
/cevah
Doesn't a Magic Bow bestow it's properties upon it's ammunition when it fires?
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Doesn't a Magic Bow bestow it's properties upon it's ammunition when it fires?
It is not automatic.
A magic Bow (or any projectile weapon really) provides the "magic" quality to overcome DR and its alignment (if any) to its ammunition when fired.
It does provide other properties if they are listed with the following note in the properties table : "3 Projectile weapons with this ability bestow this power upon their ammunition."
So, I must correct my previous statement : a Bow can indeed be Seeking, but it does not confer this property on its ammunition. Arrows can be Seeking on their own though.
The divine bond of the holy gun archetype allows the paladin to add seeking to his gun. The archetype is paizo official, therefore RAI seeking works on projectile weapons.