I'm pretty sure this this would have been answered in the past, but my search-fu is weak...
Reading the description of virtually any crossbow; Loading it requires X action, and some of them allow you to shoot it (but not reload) with only one hand.
With crossbow mastery and this ability, does this finally allow someone to wield a crossbow with absolutely no need to manually reload it? If so, does this finally allow a hassle-free dual-wielding Hand Crossbow bolt ace?
Granted ammunition will still likely be in hand's reach, you are technically taking no action, not even a free action, to reload your weapon. It's only the action, now not an action, that requires two hands.
It seems obvious to me this only refers to the time required, but I could always be hopeful. After all, this is "Inexplicable"...
Text of the ability via the PRD:
Inexplicable Reload : At 11th level, loading a crossbow becomes unthinking and automatic for a bolt ace. As long as she has at least 1 grit point, she always starts each round of combat (even a surprise round) with her crossbow loaded. Also, the amount of time needed to reload a crossbow decreases by one step: a standard action becomes a move action, a move action becomes a swift action, a swift action becomes a free action, and a free action becomes not an action. This deed replaces lightning reload.
As to the OP, you kind of answered your question. You don't have to take an action to reload a crossbow, but that doesn't mean you aren't having to reload the crossbow (which still takes two hands to do).
There's nothing in the ability text that says you circumvent the need to have two hands to reload it, even if you remove the requirement of an action needed to take it (which, for the case of Free Actions, was only relevant when Paizo listed the Free Action limitation FAQ that was later repealed).
Even though it is not an action (which isn't very different from a Free action except you could technically perform it when it's not your turn, free actions are only on your turn and this really only matter for Snap Shot with Combat Reflexes) it still requires to hands to do. You still have to do it, it just doesn't take up your action economy.
SO you still need two hands to do it.
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If so, does this finally allow a hassle-free dual-wielding Hand Crossbow bolt ace?
Two Shadowshooting hand crossbows allows anyone to do that with no other feats or abilities required.
Otherwise, you've got to mess about with a Glove of Storing, Juggler Bard, extra arms/appendages, et cetera to make it work even with Rapid Reload and Inexplicable Reload.
That is a neat property CBDunkerson; I'd really like it, if only the property didn't reduce the damage to minimum (could be worse, but still).
I just wish the Saving Throw could scale better, having an at-best DC 20 Will Save (which can be made by most anyone) means you're dealing minimum damage almost all the time. (It's what makes things like the Disruption property so bad to have in the later levels.)
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That is a neat property CBDunkerson; I'd really like it, if only the property didn't reduce the damage to minimum (could be worse, but still).
True, though it largely depends on WHAT damage is reduced to minimum. The weapon damage would certainly go from 1d4 to just 1... but what about sneak attack damage? Other precision damage? Poison? Weapon enchantments like Flaming? Et cetera.
Personally, I think it only impacts actual weapon damage and thus is a great property for weapons like the hand crossbow that do minimal damage to begin with. You certainly wouldn't want to combine it with the Vital Strike tree, but again the hand crossbow is already a terrible weapon for that.
Note, you also CAN fire regular bolts from Shadowshooting weapons. That brings back the reloading problem, but at the very least you could start the encounter with physical bolts loaded in each.
That is a neat property CBDunkerson; I'd really like it, if only the property didn't reduce the damage to minimum (could be worse, but still).True, though it largely depends on WHAT damage is reduced to minimum. The weapon damage would certainly go from 1d4 to just 1... but what about sneak attack damage? Other precision damage? Poison? Weapon enchantments like Flaming? Et cetera.
Personally, I think it only impacts actual weapon damage and thus is a great property for weapons like the hand crossbow that do minimal damage to begin with. You certainly wouldn't want to combine it with the Vital Strike tree, but again the hand crossbow is already a terrible weapon for that.
Note, you also CAN fire regular bolts from Shadowshooting weapons. That brings back the reloading problem, but at the very least you could start the encounter with physical bolts loaded in each.
You're right, that does lead to an interesting interpretation. It says that it reduces damage from "the weapon," so it could mean simply the weapon's damage dice, or it could include other variable factors too (as Sneak Attack). I'd have to err on the side of caution though, and say that it applies to all variables, since I feel that effects like Sneak Attack, Flaming, and so on, would apply to the weapon's damage. On top of that, it doesn't set you up for disappointment in the event that you are wrong, so you can only go upwards from there.
That being said, I never noticed the Reloading Hands spell being a component for that, which is pretty cool if you wants to try and reload crossbows automatically for TWF, so there is always that...
Inexplicable Reload : At 11th level, loading a crossbow becomes unthinking and automatic for a bolt ace. As long as she has at least 1 grit point, she always starts each round of combat (even a surprise round) with her crossbow loaded. Also, the amount of time needed to reload a crossbow decreases by one step: a standard action becomes a move action, a move action becomes a swift action, a swift action becomes a free action, and a free action becomes not an action. This deed replaces lightning reload.
I think this line here warrants mentioning. This implies to me that you don't need any free hands to get a bolt in your crossbow at the start of each round, but you do to reload during a round. So, if you want to only make one attack with each crossbow, you could totally TWF without needing a free hand.
Of course, that's far less than optimal, but you could do it.
Ha! That's a pretty creative use for the juggler, actually. Neat trick. But alright... Consensus seems to be that this only affects the time required, not the actual elimination of the necessity for hands. Thanks for the tips, guys!