Catch off guard+ROD OF BALANCE?


Advice


Howdies.

So I'm curious on peoples thoughts concerning using a Rod of Balance as improvised weapon. I looked up reach weapons and they are 5ft-10ft long (with whip being 15ft). Rod of Balance is 5ft long when extended (see below) and rod sized when not.

I'm thinking that this means I could use it as a improvised reach weapon and as a move action shorten it to close ranged improvised weapon.
Thoughts?

I can see for an argument with it being like a quarter staff. but I can also see it being used to jab like other reach weapons of similiar length(but bashing damage)

ROD OF BALANCE
Price 15,000 gp; Aura faint abjuration; CL 5th; Weight 5 lbs.
This short, slender rod appears to be crafted from solid iron, though it is incredibly light. In this shortened form, the rod has no powers. However, when the wielder pushes a small button on one end of the rod (a move action), the rod springs open to a 5-foot length, and its powers become available for use.

Once extended, the rod possesses several powers that add to the wielder's acrobatic abilities. The wielder of the rod receives a +10 competence bonus on all Acrobatics checks involving long jumps and high jumps; additionally, the wielder covers double the normal distance for a jump when making an Acrobatics check. The individual holding the rod also gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC when fighting defensively instead of the usual +2 bonus. Also, while using this item, the user of the rod cannot be knocked prone, and takes only half damage from falling. A rod of balance emits a faint aura of the abjuration and transmutation schools.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost 7,500 gp
Craft Rod, cat's grace, feather fall, jump


This is a question for your DM; the rules regarding improvised weapons have a lot of room for interpretation.


Yup. I thought i'd ask in general before I ask a new (to me)gm. wanted some thoughts
one former gm says 5ft is too similiar to a staff. so rod would be like a mace and staff form like a quarter staff.

One loved it.

Neither had anything more than a gut feeling about it though, which is what i'm lookign for in general.


Well the strictest interpretation of the rules would be that you have to use the entry in the weapons tables which is closest to the item in question. For your rod, that's pretty indisputably the quarterstaff while it's extended - when it's retracted it could be any of a number of clubs/maces.

The rules are lax enough that you could always try using that as an improvised reach weapon while extended, but really it's up to your DM to decide what's fair, balanced, and reasonable.

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