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1. Command Word Activation: The rules say this is a standard action, but also say that a command word item can be activated on accident by speech (speaking is a free action). Is the intent that it takes a standard action regardless?
If I have my flaming sword command word set to "FIRE". we get into combat and I say, "It's a troll, we better use fire!." (speaking as a free action); does my sword activate, bypassing the standard action normally required? If not, how is conversational activation intended to be handled?
2. Can I set several command word activated items to the same command word? If I do, do they all activate with one Command, or does it take several commands (and standard actions) to activate each item?
3. In the case of the weapon enchantments Flaming, Frost, and Shock, if I put all three of these on my weapon, does speaking one command word override and deactivate the others? For example, I have a +1 flaming, frost longsword, I have the word "Fire" to activate flaming, "Ice" to activate Frost. If my sword is already set on the "fire" command and I give it the "Ice" command, is my sword dealing +1d6 frost damage AND +1d6 fire damage, or just +1d6 frost damage?
Seemingly relevant text:
A command word can be a real word, but when this is the case, the holder of the item runs the risk of activating the item accidentally by speaking the word in normal conversation. More often, the command word is some seemingly nonsensical word, or a word or phrase from an ancient language no longer in common use. Activating a command word magic item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Flaming
Upon command, a flaming weapon is sheathed in fire. The fire does not harm the wielder. The effect remains until another command is given.
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1. If you speak the command word in conversation and activate the item, you just took a standard action. If you're not in initiative, this doesn't usually matter.
2. Activating each enchantment is a standard action.
2a. edit: Your GM might agree that the energy doesn't damage the weapon's bearer or his gear (such as its scabbard when sheathed). Unless she rules that you are only the "wielder" for this purpose when the weapon is drawn and used to attack, there's no need to spend so much time on this.
3. Flaming, frost and shock can all be active on the same weapon at the same time. "Until another command is given" means that you can use a command word (it might be the same word, or different) to deactivate the flaming enchantment.
1. works for me.
2. works for me too, but I've heard many others argue otherwise.
2a. Actually there is need to spend time on this IMO. It might not be particularly important for weapon enchants, but how about other magic items? Maybe you put your Crown of Blasting on the same command word as your Wings of Flying and your Pearl of Power....
3. Is that what it means? Because, isn't activating the command word "ICE" giving your sword a different command?
As per SKR's comment on FAQs you might want to split your original post into 3 posts.
- Gauss
1) Mechanically the use of the word 'fire' to activate a magical item is not the same as saying the word. The two have distinct action costs even though you might want to try to reason them out to be the same. If it helps your sensibilities think of it as actually willing the effect to occur while saying the activation word which takes a slight bit more effort than just saying the word. At least that would be my explanation for the mechanics you are required to use in the game system.
2) Whoever is arguing otherwise should read the magic item description/preface in UE, it basically states that if an item doesn't have an activation cost, the default action cost is a standard action.
2a) Again activating a magic item is a standard action, this standard action includes the use of a word. Saying the word only as a free action doesn't activate the item, it is a free action. Those two are not the same in game mechanics. You want to activate two items properties that have no stated activation cost or that both have standard command word activation, you need to use two seperate standard actions to do so. Barring special abilities that isn't a possibility for most characters.
EDIT: In replying to your #3 I misunderstood the question you asked.
3) Read the above, each property needs to be activated. Its activation needs to be 'paid' for as a standard action regardless of what the word is, the action cost along with the 'word' is what brings the effect into play. If the weapon had Flaming, Frost and Shock, you would need to spend 3 rounds to get the weapon up and running. A long time ago there was a post by one of the Paizo crew about placing an 'activated' weapon in its sheath/scabbard. They said it doesn't damage the container. Essentially you aren't stuck carrying said flaming, icy, charged weapon in hand at all times or having to spend rounds shutting the weapon down or powering it up every time you'd want to put it away for a moment.
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1. Activating an item's command word is a standard action. If your command word is "fire," and you're in initiative, you have to spend your standard action saying the word AT the sword with the proper inflection, you can't activate it for free (without spending an action).
2. You can give several actions the same command word, but that doesn't get around the standard-action-to-activate-each. It just means you only have to remember one word, not multiple words (which means your allies have an easier time using those items to save your life if you're bleeding to death).
3. Activating flaming doesn't deactivate any other abilities on the weapon. If your sword has three different command words, you can spend three standard actions activating each to have them all active at the same time. If the sword has the same command word for all three special abilities, you can spend three standard actions speaking that command word to activate the three special abilities, and have them activated at the same time.
"Until another command is given" means "... specifically to turn off that weapon special ability with the 'off' command." It doesn't mean "any command directed at the weapon turns off this ability" or "any command you speak turns off this ability" or "any command anyone in the world speaks at any time turns off this ability."
Perhaps it would be a good idea to remove the "the holder of the item runs the risk of activating the item accidentally by speaking the word in normal conversation" part of the rule? It doesn't seem like that could ever happen, considering the owner must speak the word for the specific reason of activating the item in order for it to do so.
sorted then. amazing, thanks for the response!
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Perhaps it would be a good idea to remove the "the holder of the item runs the risk of activating the item accidentally by speaking the word in normal conversation" part of the rule? It doesn't seem like that could ever happen, considering the owner must speak the word for the specific reason of activating the item in order for it to do so.
That text wording allows a GM to give the PC a clue about an item's unknown activation word. "Jonas, while you were talking to the blacksmith about your adventures, you felt a momentary twitch from your new sword when you said the word 'dragonfire.'" Then Jonas can try using that word as a command word and see if it works.
Old-school gamers use an abbreviation: TANSTAAFL—there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. It's cool from a story perspective for a magic item to unexpectedly activate in the middle of a conversation, but game designers have to expect that players will attempt to cheese as much free magic item activation as possible, and have to disallow freebie activation by using common words as command words.
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