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I saw that line about "can't hold items in hand ... or use it for anything else". The first part is a given based on the first line "For each hand you use to wield your weapon beyond the minimum required ...". By definition, you can't have an item in a hand used to wield a weapon. But if we end up allowing Arm Extension to have a knife in hand and still consider that ES (touch) is "wielded in hand" at the same time, one could argue that for consistancy, all hands, even if holding knives, could still be used to wield ES and be added to the leverage.

Or my thinking process is totally bonkers.

I wish to say sorry I did not originally see another thread called "Wielding with Entropic Strike". For those interested in this topic please see that thread too as that has many similar ideas beinging brought up. I have posted some thoughts there but do not wish to add them here to as that may be frowned apon. I am new to forums and these have been my first postings. Thanks for bearing up with me.

Just a last thought about balance when using AE with ES, since using ES in the non-weapon touch mode means that no weapon properties, materials, fusion, runes, all the extra boosts that a weapon can have - do not apply to the touch ES attack, would that seem to cause an imbalance when adding -2 to the attack?
Since the question seems to rely on the interpetation of "weapon wielded in hand" then I submit that ES (touch mode) not be defined as that to keep, IMO, balance.

Ahhh , gotchca. Thanks for clarifying. Now I see what the problem is.
Thematically, I was thinking that the penalities made sense, having lesser control of a weapon with long arms, hence -2 to attack. But since ES seems more of a simple touch then the whole "wielded in hand" (and ES not needing a free hand or any hand) RAW then the "control" problem wouln't apply.

Thanks, just a couple of other questions. Does the way that arm extension penalities are worded mean that a reflex save against AoE would be at -2? I know that tumbling thru an enemy and jumping across a pit during combat (both can up in last SFS game with different toon) would be at -2 but not sure if relex is effected.
My last question has to do with how Add Leverage might work with Entopic strike (not sure if Arm Extension matters per se). Since ES is being considered "wielded in hand" but needs 0 hands as it's minimum and does not need hands free to use, then could a bullrush using ES result in a 20' effect when a toon has 4 arms? Even with knives in other hands?
Thanks again.

Basically . It seems that the gut reaction is no way i am allowing reach without a -2 attack penalty with arm extension (forgetting there are many other penalities associated with using it) while lunging also allows reach but with no -2 attack penalty. That's all.

Thanks, didn't know about that. First postings to forum. Joe just said to post it to the rule question section.

i guess i was confusing extra reach as being 15ft vs. reach at 10ft.
At 5ft you can just kick.
my point with lunge is that no one seems worked up about that at 10ft or with a reach weapon at 15ft to attack an enemy. There is no attack penalty for that situation. Yet it seems that there is much manipulation to the way arm extension is written in saying that ES is wielded in hand even if you already have weapons (like knives) already in your hands in order to give -2 to attack. That is how it seems to me. I guess I am missing something. Are the other penalties not good enough? -2 to tumble past enemies, -2 to dex ability check (wouldn't that be reflex saves) -2 to jumping across a pit (which happened in combat last game for me) and stuff like that?

So do I have this correct, based on Pantshandshake comment, if your arms are extended but the target moved next to you then you can kick it and not take -2 but at 15ft reach you take -2. At 10ft reach -- would you treat it like Lunge and not take -2? You still have all the other penalities on you from having arms extended so i would think not taking -2 at 10ft would be acceptable. Basically, using the full 15ft evokes -2 to attack.

I have talked to 5 GM's and 2 have have said no way, need to take -2 to attack but 3 GM's have said I don't after talking it over with them. First gut reaction seems to be take -2 but apon further reflection it becomes questionable.
For home games a GM can rule what they wish but for Society there should be some consistency hence my asking the developer at PaizoCon and was told it was a great question and should be put here for him to review.

Hopefully, something will be ruled so players will not be surprised with GM varation. This is only my 2nd Starfinder toon, my first being a straight forward Operative (newly lvl 6).

There are additional penalities to Arm Extension besides the attack as stated:

"While your arms are extended, you take a −2 penalty to attack rolls with weapons wielded in your hands and to Dexterity- and Strength-based ability checks and skill checks." Also it takes a move action to extend and a move action to retract thereby ending those penalties.

In comparison, doesn't Lunge gives reach with only a -2 AC penalty. No attack penalty? No move action to use and penalty ends automatically.

I have built a new Lvl 1 toon which is an android Vanguard having the Arms Extension Feat from my COM book. The Arm Extensions Feat states "While your arms are extended, you take a −2 penalty to attack rolls with weapons wielded in your hands .....".
I have been using Entropic Strike with my arms extended (not thru a weapon) and have some GM's say I have to take the -2 to attack and others say no I don't. For example, I am wieldy a survial knife in each hand but use my forearm to deliver the entropic strike. Do I take a -2 to attack with the entropic strike?

I would love to have a consistent ruling on this since the GMs are interpreting the various terminologies in different ways. Since I have not yet played a level 2 game with this toon, then with this clarification I may decide to rebuild my character.
Thanks very much for the help.