One of my players asked if he could buy a Whetstone, I looked into my Pathfinder Corerulebook and saw it listed, but when looking for a description of what the hell it did, I saw there was none!
So what's the point of them? I do know the real world use for a whetstone, but is the whetstone just there for fluff or was there a mistake and it's mechanical use was forgotten in the book?
Thanks beforehand for any input.
To keep your sword sharp? Flavor? If your DM like's to be a stickler and say that your sword is dull from all the combat you have been doing, and thus is attacking at a -2 penalty, you pull out your trusty whetstone and sharpen it up. Or maybe you find a rusty old great sword that is attacking at a penalty, and you want to put it in fighting shape, because you always wanted a great sword.
One of my players asked if he could buy a Whetstone, I looked into my Pathfinder Corerulebook and saw it listed, but when looking for a description of what the hell it did, I saw there was none!
So what's the point of them? I do know the real world use for a whetstone, but is the whetstone just there for fluff or was there a mistake and it's mechanical use was forgotten in the book?
Thanks beforehand for any input.
Yes, it's essentially fluff. On the other hand, so is a whole lot of stuff in the Adventuring Gear section (Bell, Block and Tackle, Fishhook, etc). They exist in the list because they are things that might be needed. So we need to know how much they cost and weigh.
That, and the list was carried over from the 3.5 SRD which included the full table of goods, but excised descriptions of all but those items that had a direct mechanical effect on the game. :)
You could certainly create a use for it. Throw in a dull, rusty magical sword at the bottom of a rubbish pile in a dungeon somewhere (like Mabven said). PC can use the whetstone to make an untrained crafting check to remove the broken condition. Not exactly as per RAW, but I like to reward creative ideas and actions that make the PCs seem more like "real" people. Block and tackle can give a bonus to an applicable Str check, etc. etc.
Zo
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We put game mechanics for it in Adventurer's Armory. :)
In one AP, I saw that there was a loo on the map and in the descriptions. Why?
I have seen no rules concerning characters having to answer the call of nature. So why are they there?
In one AP, I saw that there was a loo on the map and in the descriptions. Why?
I have seen no rules concerning characters having to answer the call of nature. So why are they there?
So guards have some place to make out in their lunch breaks.
So guards have some place to make out in their lunch breaks.In one AP, I saw that there was a loo on the map and in the descriptions. Why?
I have seen no rules concerning characters having to answer the call of nature. So why are they there?
Your ideas intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
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Wait, I thought that at least one out of every four encounters in the pathfinder IP was scatalogically based. Oh, wait, my bad, I was thinking of WOW. ;-)
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We put game mechanics for it in Adventurer's Armory. :)
Hmm... arrows are often fired only once (since so many break), and they have blades which could be sharpened. It'd be a lot of work to sharpen a full quiver's worth, but worth it.
WHETSTONE
Price 2 cp; Weight 1 lb.
A whetstone allows you to sharpen a blade by sliding it against the stone at a precise angle. Honing a blade with a whetstone requires about 15 minutes of work and grants the weapon a +1 bonus on your damage roll the first time you hit with it. This only works on nonmagical blades.
A whetstone: Don't leave character creation without it.
Sharpening arrowheads hadn't occurred to me. Good thinking.
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If you tie a string to it, it acts as a weather gauge:
If it‘s wet, it’s raining
If it is swinging back and forth, there are high winds
If there is snow on it, it’s snowing, etc.
You can also use it to determine how deep pits, etc are by using said string, tossing/dropping the whetstone and then measuring the string that was let out.
Tied together they make a fine bolo.
In the hands of a Halfling, it’s a weapon.
Several of them can be used to weigh a net.
If you strike them together in rhythm, they make music. Rock music.
There’s no end to the uses of a whetstone.
And you can use it to remove the broken condition from some types of weapons(broken can be anything like notches, rust, splintered wood...)
Do arrow heads count as blades?
They typically have blades, so I'd rule yes.
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If you tie a string to it, it acts as a weather gauge:
If it‘s wet, it’s raining
If it is swinging back and forth, there are high winds
If there is snow on it, it’s snowing, etc.You can also use it to determine how deep pits, etc are by using said string, tossing/dropping the whetstone and then measuring the string that was let out.
Tied together they make a fine bolo.
In the hands of a Halfling, it’s a weapon.
Several of them can be used to weigh a net.
If you strike them together in rhythm, they make music. Rock music.
There’s no end to the uses of a whetstone.
Well done. Whetstone goes second on the list of must-haves, right before wayfinder and right after towel.
The whetstone was reprinted in Ultimate Equipment, which is available on the PRD. Technically, the whetstone listed in the CRB is not the same as the whetstone in UE, and if you are playing PFS you would in theory be required to have UE to use the latter.
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Well, I own all the books I use for PFS play. However, I never bring them to a game, because the local VO's run things on the honor system, mostly to make things easier. I don't bring my books, unless they're new and not well known, on the grounds of: 1) it would aggravate my back problems, and 2) it's pretty much all on d20PFSRD and paizo.com/prd anyway.
If you don't own UE, you can ask your local VOs if it will be a problem. If they say you should own it, the PDF is only $10.
I use Whetstones all the time in PFS as it's a great damage buff at low levels.
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Well, I own all the books I use for PFS play. However, I never bring them to a game, because the local VO's run things on the honor system, mostly to make things easier. I don't bring my books, unless they're new and not well known, on the grounds of: 1) it would aggravate my back problems, and 2) it's pretty much all on d20PFSRD and paizo.com/prd anyway.
If you don't own UE, you can ask your local VOs if it will be a problem. If they say you should own it, the PDF is only $10.
I use Whetstones all the time in PFS as it's a great damage buff at low levels.
If you don't own it and you ask your VOs they will be obligated to tell you to buy it. If you don't ask, no one will probably ask you to verify your stuff. I haven't had anyone ask me yet. I own what I use, though. That being said you should definitely buy it if you plan on using it.
If you don't own it and you ask your VOs they will be obligated to tell you to buy it. If you don't ask, no one will probably ask you to verify your stuff. I haven't had anyone ask me yet. I own what I use, though. That being said you should definitely buy it if you plan on using it.Well, I own all the books I use for PFS play. However, I never bring them to a game, because the local VO's run things on the honor system, mostly to make things easier. I don't bring my books, unless they're new and not well known, on the grounds of: 1) it would aggravate my back problems, and 2) it's pretty much all on d20PFSRD and paizo.com/prd anyway.
If you don't own UE, you can ask your local VOs if it will be a problem. If they say you should own it, the PDF is only $10.
I use Whetstones all the time in PFS as it's a great damage buff at low levels.
They may be asking to see it because they aren't familiar with the rules. In my mind, that is the most important reason to bring the materials, in case there is a question about some part of them from the GM.
They have points, not blades, so the answer is no they do not count.Do arrow heads count as blades?They typically have blades, so I'd rule yes.
Combat arrowheads are frequently bladed. Some designs, like specialized armor-piercing arrows *might* be point-only, but are often bladed as well.
The simple round, pointy arrowhead that a lot of people picture is a modern target-practice arrow. When intending to hit live targets, broadheads are (and have always been, I believe) most common.
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Hmmm...
Since ammunition is usually 50 pieces for a weapon, would you be able to sharpen 50 arrows in 15 minutes? That looks like something I'd allow, seems reasonable, and doesn't unbalance the game completely, and is similar to other weapon/ammo rulings.
I can understand that if the Weapon Bearer Squire sharpens 50 for 6 seconds, his hands will be moving so fast, so I may allow PCs (PCs only) with the Weapon Bearer Squire archetype to spontaneously combust them so they are considered as flaming.
Compare and contrast:
It gives your npc's that extra mysterious flair required before they recruit the players in the back of the local tavern.
One of my players asked if he could buy a Whetstone, I looked into my Pathfinder Corerulebook and saw it listed, but when looking for a description of what the hell it did, I saw there was none!
So what's the point of them? I do know the real world use for a whetstone, but is the whetstone just there for fluff or was there a mistake and it's mechanical use was forgotten in the book?
Thanks beforehand for any input.
Depends on the GM, but usually fluff for most.
Had a GM, once require that the Melee classes spend an hour sharpening there weapon, or -1 damage and no chance for critical hits for the day. Said it was just as justifiable as not allowing caster classes there prime class ability, until they did there one hour a day pray/study.
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A whetstone is the technical term for the counterpart of the peaceful protest sign: the violent protest brick. It is one of the favored weapons of members of the Golarion Union of Murderhoboes for the Betterment of Others.
Sincerely yours,
~Jaspar "Shank Him Louis" Kahrdboordebachs~
your local GUMBO representative
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One of my players asked if he could buy a Whetstone, I looked into my Pathfinder Corerulebook and saw it listed, but when looking for a description of what the hell it did, I saw there was none!
So what's the point of them? I do know the real world use for a whetstone, but is the whetstone just there for fluff or was there a mistake and it's mechanical use was forgotten in the book?
Thanks beforehand for any input.
Depends on the GM, but usually fluff for most.
Had a GM, once require that the Melee classes spend an hour sharpening there weapon, or -1 damage and no chance for critical hits for the day. Said it was just as justifiable as not allowing caster classes there prime class ability, until they did there one hour a day pray/study.
Then, to be consistent, that DM should've allowed fighters to alter reality, create their own Demi-planes, teleport between planets, and become invisible.
As long as their swords are sharp, obviously.
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One of my players asked if he could buy a Whetstone, I looked into my Pathfinder Corerulebook and saw it listed, but when looking for a description of what the hell it did, I saw there was none!
So what's the point of them? I do know the real world use for a whetstone, but is the whetstone just there for fluff or was there a mistake and it's mechanical use was forgotten in the book?
Thanks beforehand for any input.
Depends on the GM, but usually fluff for most.
Had a GM, once require that the Melee classes spend an hour sharpening there weapon, or -1 damage and no chance for critical hits for the day. Said it was just as justifiable as not allowing caster classes there prime class ability, until they did there one hour a day pray/study.
Then, to be consistent, that DM should've allowed fighters to alter reality, create their own Demi-planes, teleport between planets, and become invisible.
As long as their swords are sharp, obviously.
I'd be down for that, but it seems most people who play fighters do so because they don't want those kinds of abilities.