Wayfinder and wielding...


Rules Questions


Hi all,
I was wondering:

A wayfinder is slot-less and it is not a weapon...but...it needs to be wielded in order to use its powers or can be activated just by having it on one's person?

For example, can you use a Wayfinder to cast light even if you have no free hands (i.e., you are dual-wielding)?

Thanks,
Skarm


To you first question, yes and no.

The light function is activated by command word. If the wayfinder is on a string around your neck and you say the command word, it shines as if someone cast light upon it. If the wayfinder is in your backpack and you say the command word, it will still shine, but only inside your backpack.

The compass function (with bonus) would require you to actually hold the wayfinder like a compass, thus preventing you from dual-wielding while navigating with your wayfinder.


Mike J wrote:

To you first question, yes and no.

The light function is activated by command word. If the wayfinder is on a string around your neck and you say the command word, it shines as if someone cast light upon it. If the wayfinder is in your backpack and you say the command word, it will still shine, but only inside your backpack.

The compass function (with bonus) would require you to actually hold the wayfinder like a compass, thus preventing you from dual-wielding while navigating with your wayfinder.

Frankly this is still cool!

So, if I carry it around my neck (i.e., with a string), and I had one of those alternate Wayfinder gained with vanities, I could cast Spark or Guidance without holding the wayfinder?

Even if I still lose my standard action to activate, I think it
is cool...
Skarm


I was wrong earlier. You have to hold a wayfinder to activate it, even though it uses a command word. But you could still have the wayfinder on a string around your neck.

So, you carry the wayfinder in your hand, say the command word (a free action), drop it (a free action), it dangles from the string, then draw your offhand weapon (a move action; or a free action with Quick Draw; or a free as part of a charge if your BAB is at least +1).

Alternatively, you could activate the wayfinder *before* combat. When activated, it shines for 50 minutes.

As for the other abilities, I'm not familiar with their wording. I don't know if they actually allow you to cast those spells or if they just simulate the spell effect, like the light ability. I also don't know what kind of activation they use, which will determine what type of action. Unless the ability says otherwise, you have to hold the wayfinder to activate the ability.

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