What action is it to retrieve an item from Wrist Sheath?

[Kazaan]

PRD wrote:

Wrist Sheath: This is a sheath designed to be strapped to your forearm and hidden under a long sleeve. The sheath can hold one forearm-length item, such as a dagger, dart, or wand, or up to five arrows or crossbow bolts. As a move action, you can bend your wrist to cause some or all of these items to drop into your hand (provoking attacks of opportunity as normal). You have a +2 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks made to oppose the Perception check of someone observing or frisking you to determine items in the sheath. You can only wear one wrist sheath per arm.

The bolded section indicates that it's a move action to release the weapon from the wrist sheath and this provokes as normal. The Draw a Weapon action doesn't provoke. Retrieve an Item, on the other hand, does provoke. Furthermore, the sheath is normally worn under a long sleeve which means the weapon isn't "in easy reach" which is a requirement to be able to use "Draw a Weapon" to ready it. So, is retrieving a weapon from a Wrist Sheath supposed to be a "Draw a Weapon" action, or is it supposed to be a "Retrieve an Item" action just like getting it from your backpack? By extension, the Spring-loaded Wrist Sheath states that it functions just like a normal Wrist Sheath, but reduces the action economy from Move to Swift. If using a normal Wrist Sheath is supposed to be Retrieve an Item, does it become a Swift Retrieve an Item? RAW, while not stating explicitly, implies by the statement about the action provoking and the weapon not being "in easy reach" that it's a Retrieve an Item action. But a lot of people seem to be acting on the presumption that this is an error (which may reflect how people acted on the presumption that Spell Combat is erroneously labeled a Full-Round action when it was "supposed to be" a Full-Attack).

So, is the way it's currently written correctly implying that it's a Retrieve an Item action, or does it need a change to explicitly or implicitly say it's a Draw a Weapon action? Given the in-explicit nature of the text and the general confusion these kinds of things cause, FAQs hits seem warranted.

[mplindustries]

It is neither. The action is: "Use Wrist Sheath."

[Kazaan]

mplindustries wrote:

It is neither. The action is: "Use Wrist Sheath."

Citation Needed.

[CRobledo]

I don't think this has been ruled on yet, but the general consensus from previous threads is that the wording of "as normal" means that if you are retrieving a weapon or weapon-like object from it it does not provoke, while retrieving another item does. You know, as normal.

[Mortalis]

Kazaan wrote:

mplindustries wrote:

It is neither. The action is: "Use Wrist Sheath."

Citation Needed.

I see no reason from the text of the item that you would believe it to use either of the regular actions listed. It explains what type of action it uses, and how it works, word for word.

It is a use activated weapon storage compartment that requires a move action and provokes upon use.

Tada.

[Kazaan]

From Combat:

PRD wrote:

Manipulate an Item

Moving or manipulating an item is usually a move action.

This includes retrieving or putting away a stored item, picking up an item, moving a heavy object, and opening a door. Examples of this kind of action, along with whether they incur an attack of opportunity, are given in Table: Actions in Combat.

Manipulate an Item (to retrieve) is already sufficient for the operation of a Wrist Sheath... no "custom" action is necessary.

[thejeff]

Combat wrote:

Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. This action also applies to weapon-like objects carried in easy reach, such as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored item.

This is also sufficient for the operation of a wrist sheath. Since the only example (in the combat section) of a stored item is "stored in a pack", I'd assume using a wrist sheath is easier than rummaging through a pack. Therefore using a wrist sheath falls under "Draw a weapon".

It's not clear to me whether it provokes on use or not. It does so "as normal", which could mean it only does so if doing the same thing from a normal sheath would. Yet, as far as I can tell, drawing a weapon or weapon-like object from a normal sheath never provokes.

[blackbloodtroll]

Ah, but does it count as a sheath?

[thejeff]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Ah, but does it count as a sheath?

It doesn't matter. A "sheath" is not required for "Draw a weapon". "carried in easy reach" is the qualifier.

[Ryan Richter]

The real magic of the wrist sheath is that it lets you hide a dagger or similar sized object in easy reach. Where normal objects hiden on your person cost a standard action to retrieve (unless you have quick draw) The wrist sheath alows you easier access at the continued cost of AoO provocation.

The only question in my mind is can you draw your item as part of a move?

I would say definitely if you have quickdraw. But that may not be official.

[blackbloodtroll]

thejeff wrote:

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Ah, but does it count as a sheath?

It doesn't matter. A "sheath" is not required for "Draw a weapon". "carried in easy reach" is the qualifier.

It is joke few will get.

[Kazaan]

Is a strap worn on the arm under a long sleeve that you need to flex your wrist to get an item from "in easy reach"? A Sheath at your belt is "in easy reach" because the handle is right there, sticking up from your waist. You grab it with your hand and "whip it out". You can't do this with a hidden wrist sheath. In fact, drawing a concealed weapon is normally a standard action:

PRD wrote:

Sleight of Hand:... Drawing a hidden weapon is a standard action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.

I'd say a dagger hidden up your sleeve counts as a "hidden weapon" because the handle isn't readily available to grab hold of. And, even drawing a hidden weapon doesn't provoke, whereas getting an item from a Wrist Sheath does. Now, that having been said, the Quickdraw feat states that it reduces drawing a hidden weapon from a Standard to a Move action so, if the intent is for a Wrist Sheath to mimic the action of the Quickdraw feat, it could be changed to state that; allows you to draw the hidden weapon as if you had Quickdraw, but it provokes an AoO. That, however, would require a slight errata.