I have a few questions regarding rods. Say I am a magus wielding a Metamagic Rod of some kind.
1) Is my understanding correst that to use the rod, I have to hold it in one hand and cast the spells somatic component with the other, so I cannot hold anything else while trying this? Or can I wave the rod Harry-Potter-style for the somatic components?
2) Since it is not explicitely said, can I use the rod to attack like with a club, or does that only work for rods that explicitely say that? The rod descriptions seems a bit vague, saying that "many" funcion as mace or club. If I craft the rod myself, can I craft one to work like a club?
3) Can I quick-draw a rod, at least if it counts as a club, even if I use it to cast spells instead of hitting people with it?
4) If I have the Rod Wielder magus arcana from Complete Combat p. 55, does "when making a spellstrike attack channeled through a rod" mean using the rod as weapon to deliver the spell? Or is it enough to use the rod in casting the spell (e.g. attacking unarmed to spellstrike)?
The rod's description tells if it can be used as a weapon.
Spells modified with metamagic rods are not cast "from the rod". Otherwise
1) yes, you hold the rod to use it - and you need a free hand for spells with somatic component - A magus always needs a free off-hand when spell-fighting(or what it's called).
2) only if it's specified to be a weapon can it be wielded as is, as a weapon - but everything is an improvised weapon :)
- Rods are specific magic items, and are not subject personal modifications by some interpretations, anything is applicable with +50% cost. Ask GM.
3) if it's a weapon you can draw it with quick draw, if not: ask your GM if quick draw works on weaponlike items. Or draw the "improvised weapons are weapons" card and see 2).
4) "when using the rod as the weapon with which you deliver the spellstrike" or "when casting a spell from a rod".
so you can (supposedly) deliver the spell(cast from a rod) with an unarmed attack.
5) when you number your questions, which is a good idea when you have more than one, you may want to consider one question per number ;)
my games: 1-4) I'd allow it, until it's abused beyond fun. I also interpret item creation feats as catagories of items(especially rods and staves), more than specific shape items - like a dagger also be a metamagic rod. A tower shield could have a button to lock it in place like an immovable rod. But if it's weapon or armor - you also need craft magic arms and armor.
Like a magical staff is only "a staff" because of wizard tradition - not inherent limitations of charged items.