The way the sentence reads "Upon command, <this happens and remains>, until another command is given."
Basically, you activate it as a command, and deactivate it as a command.
The ability talks about itself, and unless it specifically calls out other abilities, it's verbiage would be assumed to refer to itself.
Rules for multiple commands active at the same time would be in the section in Magic Items regarding activation methods (which doesn't say you can only have one command active at a time, or on a single item at a time).
As DM, the only thing I've enforced is that it takes a standard action (no AoO) to activate the powers of their weapon/armor/etc, and another standard action to turn them off if it's becoming a problem (light source, etc).
I let all powers activate at once... hasn't really affected our game at all in my opinion.
To restrict it would have a greater impact on higher level non-spellcasters, who already need whatever they can get to compete.
|
The way I read it it is theoretically possible to do exactly what you describe*, though there are drawbacks.
For the multiple elemental effects, some creatures are weak to one element but either heal or are otherwise empowered by another. You cannot pick and choose if you tie them all to the same command word.
I have also thought about tying multiple items to the same command word (to activate various "spell-in-a-can" effects simultaneously), but realized that for balance reasons it might be best not to allow this (mostly a problem if you have a good item crafter in the party).
Also, sometimes making an item's command word a common word (which is completely allowed) can be an advantage, such as setting a trap item (such as a modified necklace of fireballs) that triggers on a common word to perform an assassination (i'd place it on the king's spoon and make the command word "a" or "the").
* With the exception of lowering the action for the command word, that's pure house-rule. Though, to be honest, I've never understood a command word requiring an action when speaking doesn't and speaking is explicitly described as triggering it accidentally in some cases.
|
|
Thanks for the response. One comment:
Rules for multiple commands active at the same time would be in the section in Magic Items regarding activation methods (which doesn't say you can only have one command active at a time, or on a single item at a time).While it's pretty clear that multiple commands can be active at once, I don't see how it follows that multiple commands can be activated at once. Otherwise, you could use a helm of brilliance, a wind fan, and boots of teleportation all bound to the same command word to cast Fireball, Gust of Wind, and Teleport simultaneously. While that particular combination might not be excessively broken, there are probably worse ones.
I'd balance that by saying you can only direct one of them properly, and also adding onto that they activate (read: resolve) in a random order. Or by just saying you have to concentrate on the item you're activating when you say the command word (though that conflicts with accidental activation, but oh well).
There is also nothing that says you ever need to deactivate the properties from the weapon. You can leave it in flaming, frosting, shocking mode all the time, and only bother to deactivate abilities when it becomes disadventageous to have.
I'd just add some extra command words for the following:
1) Flaming and Frost
2) Flaming and shocking
3) Frost and shocking
4) All 3
And other combinations as needed.
The way I read it it is theoretically possible to do exactly what you describe*, though there are drawbacks.
For the multiple elemental effects, some creatures are weak to one element but either heal or are otherwise empowered by another. You cannot pick and choose if you tie them all to the same command word.
That's why the command word to activate the powers is the same, one activation fires up all three weapon powers. But then the command word to turn them off is different for each one, so 99% of the time when you want all three, you can do it fast, but in the 1% corner cases like you describe, you can turn off the one effect that benefits your enemy, leaving the remaining weapon powers active.
Also, sometimes making an item's command word a common word (which is completely allowed) can be an advantage, such as setting a trap item (such as a modified necklace of fireballs) that triggers on a common word to perform an assassination (i'd place it on the king's spoon and make the command word "a" or "the").
No, No. You gotta think your assassinations through much more thoroughly than that - if you want to get paid...
You'll probably end up killing a scullery boy. Much better to key that spoon to "Your Majesty". Even if the scullery boy is talking about the king while he's washing the spoon, he would say "the King" or "His Majesty" which won't set it off. In fact, the only time "Your Majesty" would be said is in the king's presence. Much safer that way.
No, No. You gotta think your assassinations through much more thoroughly than that - if you want to get paid...
You'll probably end up killing a scullery boy. Much better to key that spoon to "Your Majesty". Even if the scullery boy is talking about the king while he's washing the spoon, he would say "the King" or "His Majesty" which won't set it off. In fact, the only time "Your Majesty" would be said is in the king's presence. Much safer that way.
"Your Najesty, how is the food. Ah, what was that. Your Majesty are you all right. Oh God. Your Majesty SAVE ME"
|
In another thread on this James suggested that the sword could be sheathed indefinitely with all the abilities active. The command words are to deactivate the sword should you need to. You can activate and deactivate any combination of the powers "Flame on" would turn on the flaming but not affect the other powers. "Ice Ice Baby" would activate the frost ability and not affect the others.
My personal beef is with having a Frost/ Flaming sword to begin with but that's a personal thing.
Sean K Reynolds had some thoughts on flaming and frost being on the same weapon and simultaneously active. I think he described it as the two elements curling around the weapon... in this case, fire spiraling around a sheen of ice, with a little steam likely coming off where they touched.
I guess it could be described in any number of ways (half and half, or the edge being ice while the fuller was on fire, etc).
He even went so far as to create the Triarc weapon enhancement.
One thing you could do, provided you make the weapon yourself, is have all three abilities share the same command word. That way, you can turn all of them on or off at the same time with one action.
That bypasses your problem entirely, assuming there even was a problem to begin with (which as others have stated, there doesn't appear to have been).
|
|
Sean K Reynolds had some thoughts on flaming and frost being on the same weapon and simultaneously active. I think he described it as the two elements curling around the weapon... in this case, fire spiraling around a sheen of ice, with a little steam likely coming off where they touched.
Yeah, I'm not saying it's da rules or that I'd ban it... but I would discourage it and it certainly won't be a found item in my game.
I guess it could be described in any number of ways (half and half, or the edge being ice while the fuller was on fire, etc).
He even went so far as to create the Triarc weapon enhancement.
I don't have to agree with the developers on everything :)
I could certainly see an acid/ fire or fire/ acid/ lighting weapon, I just don't like fire/ ice, I think you can understand why if not agree.
I think we now know the secret origin of the exploding weapon enchantment... ;-)
Okay, so in my games a weapon CAN have multiple 'energy' enchantments and all of them can be activated at the same time IF they share the same command word. It takes a standard action to activate them, just like any other magic item. You should deactivate them after combat because who knows what might happen to your equipment, what with all he crackling and flaming and sizzling around the weapon's sheath. o.O
Also, even IF you create each and every magic item for use with the exact same command word, you have to concentrate on the item you wish to activate. Only one item can be activated by taking the necessary kind of action. Thus, if you have an item that can be activated by something OTHER than a standard action (move, free, swift), you may do so in the same round you activate the first item.
That's how I rule it, in any case.
|
I think I was the one who started the other thread (but I didn't check just now).
In any case, we (meaning my group and I) came to the following conclusions:
1. The weapon abilities say they "don't hurt the wielder" but they don't say anything about the wielder's gear.
2. If you drop a weapon you are no longer the "wielder".
3. If an activated weapon (fire, for example) is dropped, it continues to burn until the same initiative position on the following round.
The above means that someone wielding a weapon isn't going to be hurt by its special abilities, but his gear might be affected in special circumstances. Abilities must be turned off before the weapon is sheathed.
That's as much as I can remember off-hand...
|
|
I dug up James' comments on the topic of command line activation from a few months ago.
While it's a command word to activate or deactivate a weapon like a flaming or a frost weapon... once activated it stays on. Sheathing it suppresses the energy automatically, and when you draw the weapon later it's ready to go. You'd only want to turn off the energy effect, as a previous poster said, when you're facing something that using that type of energy against is a bad idea.
I just don't like fire/ ice, I think you can understand why if not agree.
Yep, no problems. I wasn't really posting anything for or against what you were saying (otherwise I might have quoted you specifically), and was just recalling SKR's neat Triarc idea.