Defending weapon activation question

[packerfanjeff]

Description

A defending weapon allows the wielder to transfer some or all of the weapon's enhancement bonus to his AC as a bonus that stacks with all others. As a free action, the wielder chooses how to allocate the weapon's enhancement bonus at the start of his turn before using the weapon, and the bonus to AC lasts until his next turn.

So - does this mean that I can't use this "free action" until my initiative turn in the combat round...(first round)? Or, because it's a "free action", can I do it prior to my opponent attacking me (suppose I lost initiative this fight).

Second, if the answer is "yes, start of his turn = start of your action", then that brings up a follow-on question:

Even though I can't get the bonus unless I wield the weapon (see errata), that doesn't clearly state that I couldn't still redeploy the AC in a prep round, right? If I know we are attacking the next round, I would think I could redeploy the bonus in the prep round (which would then be in effect until my 1st action of the next round (first round of combat)) if I knew I wanted/needed it for this fight.

Thoughts?

Jeff

[Tarantula]

I'd say you have it right. If you are ambushed and lose initiative, even if you had the weapon out, you can't apply the AC bonus until your turn in the round.

Alternately, if you are prepping to ambush someone, and wanted to have the AC bonus, you could allocate it the round before you attack.

[Happler]

Free actions are a noted action type:

Quote:

Free Action: Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, there are reasonable limits on what you can really do for free, as decided by the GM.

Swift Action: A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform only a single swift action per turn.

Immediate Action: An immediate action is very similar to a swift action, but can be performed at any time—even if it's not your turn.

To activate it when it was not your turn (aka before), you would need to be able to activate it as an immediate action, and not a free action.

(Bolding mine).

[packerfanjeff]

Happler: if I'm for sure going to attack next round (i.e. I'm currently in the final round of prep) I don't see what different it would make "free action" vs "immediate action". Let's say, in the round of prep, I move points to AC upon my initiative sequence in the prep round....it would seem that my point and Tarantual's would be feasible/correct.

[Asgetrion]

packerfanjeff wrote:

Happler: if I'm for sure going to attack next round (i.e. I'm currently in the final round of prep) I don't see what different it would make "free action" vs "immediate action". Let's say, in the round of prep, I move points to AC upon my initiative sequence in the prep round....it would seem that my point and Tarantual's would be feasible/correct.

Jeff, note that it says "at the start of his turn before using the weapon", which implies that you can only do it in combat (after initiative is rolled). if you could activate it whenever you wanted, it would be either an immediate action or a free action without any specific clauses attached to it. I see it as the same kind of thing as readying; you cannot ready an action outside of combat, because otherwise you could "cheat" initiative by constantly saying that you're readying an attack against potential foes.

[packerfanjeff]

ok - you convinced me....sound logic. Thanks.

[Ravingdork]

You don't get the bonus unless you attack with it. Developer ruling. They were very clear on the matter.

[packerfanjeff]

oh i got that - I was I guess trying to game the system by activating it the round before combat (knowing it wouldn't actually kick in without a combat swing)....

so basically, could you activate it and not swing in that round was the subtle point.

[Ravingdork]

In v3.5, I remember people (developers even) talking about activating defending weapons, Combat Expertise, and the like by swinging at the dirt at their feet.

But that's just silly. ;)