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Picking up a weapon from the ground is a move action and provokes.
Retrieving a weapon with a weapon cord is a swift action .... but does it provoke an AoO?
Nope. The only swift action listed in the AoO is casting a quickened spell (which does not provoke). There is no reason to think retrieving a weapon with a weapon cord provokes, as it does not say it does.
Does picking up a dropped weapon normally provoke an AoO? The combat chapter says it does.
Do the weapon cord rules say you don't provoke an AoO when you pick up a weapon on a weapon cord? They do not.
So picking the item up using the weapon cord still provokes an AoO.
Does picking up a dropped weapon normally provoke an AoO? The combat chapter says it does.
Do the weapon cord rules say you don't provoke an AoO when you pick up a weapon on a weapon cord? They do not.
So picking the item up using the weapon cord still provokes an AoO.
I can see the logic of this line of reasoning and actually have a preference for it (I dislike weapon cords). Eager to see what other people have to say.
I couldn't find an official ruling on this matter, so it comes down to houserules. Your interpretation relies on two things:
1) Are the AOO rules inclusive or exclusive? That is, if it doesn't say if the action provokes, does it provoke or not provoke? Unless one assumes that unlisted actions don't provoke attacks, you get into murky ground. Otherwise you start provoking attacks for a myriad of swift actions that a clearly designed to be AOO free actions, such as arcane armour training, etc. So this one is pretty simple.
2) Is retrieving a weapon from a weapon cord the same action as picking up a weapon from the ground? This one is pretty murky and I think either ruling is plausible. You could argue that they are identical because both are 'recovering a dropped weapon'. However, you could also argue that 'retrieving a weapon from a weapon cord' is worded entirely differently and as such is a new type of action related to, but not identical to picking something up off the ground. Nowhere in RAW does it state that retrieving the weapon is just the picking up action but reduced to a swift action.
Finally, although I couldn't find a reference for it, I was under the impression that RAI was for all swift actions to never provoke attacks of opportunity: certainly I've never encountered a swift action that provokes. However, this is conjecture unless I can find a direct quote.
Well, there actually is dev commentary on this one, so it doesn't necessarily come down to houserules.
Well, there actually is dev commentary on this one, so it doesn't necessarily come down to houserules.
Fair enough, I didn't see that one. As much as I tend to dislike SKR's rulings, weapon cords *are* pretty broken if they don't provoke AOOs, so I can understand. the logic.