Many magic items are activated by "speaking a command word". What kind of action is this? Can I do it at any time?
Personally I interpret it as depending on the item. For example, Cloak of the Hedge wizard states that "It also grants the wearer the ability to use prestidigitation on command and at will." I assume in this case that using it on command is still a standard action, just like casting a spell.
Whereas Blood Reservoir of Physical Prowess states that using it's abilities requires speaking a command word, but it's not implied to be a standard action;
"The wearer can speak the second command word to imbue herself with a great burst of physical prowess, depleting all remaining charges and gaining an inherent bonus to one physical ability score equal to twice the number of charges used. This bonus lasts until the end of the wearer's next turn."
It seems to imply that it's a free action to speak, and that the stat bonuses granted by the item are designed to be used during the standard or full-round action taken during your turn. (Although boosting CON and DEX could still help during a full round even when it's not your turn)
There are many, many magic items that operate on command words and a lot of them have there own implication of how this particular part works. Sometimes it states what kind of action it is (For example, Beneficial Bandolier), and sometimes it doesn't(like with Blood Reservoir of Physical Prowess).
Blood Reservoir of Physical Prowess is what prompted me to ask this question, so a little help and what the implied action is for this item would be ideal, but some discussion on the topic in general would be helpful in resolving the issue as a whole.
Activate Magic Item
Many magic items don't need to be activated. Certain magic items, however, do need to be activated, especially potions, scrolls, wands, rods, and staves. Unless otherwise noted, activating a magic item is a standard action.
Spell Completion Items: Activating a spell completion item is the equivalent of casting a spell. It requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. You lose the spell if your concentration is broken, and you can attempt to activate the item while on the defensive, as with casting a spell.
Spell Trigger, Command Word, or Use-Activated Items: Activating any of these kinds of items does not require concentration and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Unless otherwise stated, activating a magic item is a standard action. When activating a command word item it is a standard action that does not require concentration or provoke AoO, unless otherwise noted.
It's all in the Core Rule Book:
Wall of Text:
To use a magic item, it must be activated, although sometimes activation simply means putting a ring on your finger. Some items, once donned, function constantly. In most cases, though, using an item requires a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. By contrast, spell completion items are treated like spells in combat and do provoke attacks of opportunity.
Activating a magic item is a standard action unless the item description indicates otherwise. However, the casting time of a spell is the time required to activate the same power in an item, regardless of the type of magic item, unless the item description specifically states otherwise.
The four ways to activate magic items are described below:
Spell Completion: This is the activation method for scrolls. A scroll is a spell that is mostly finished. The preparation is done for the caster, so no preparation time is needed beforehand as with normal spellcasting. All that's left to do is perform the finishing parts of the spellcasting (the final gestures, words, and so on). To use a spell completion item safely, a character must be of high enough level in the right class to cast the spell already. If he can't already cast the spell, there's a chance he'll make a mistake. Activating a spell completion item is a standard action (or the spell's casting time, whichever is longer) and provokes attacks of opportunity exactly as casting a spell does.
Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it's even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Spell trigger items can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can't actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin. The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
If the activation is on command or if no activation method is suggested either in the magic item description or by the nature of the item, assume that a command word is needed to activate it. Command word activation means that a character speaks the word and the item activates. No other special knowledge is needed.
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 nonsensical word, or a word or phrase from an ancient language. Activating a command word magic item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Sometimes the command word to activate an item is written right on the item. Occasionally, it might be hidden within a pattern or design engraved, carved, or built into the item, or the item might bear a clue to the command word.
The Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (history) skills might be useful in helping to identify command words or deciphering clues regarding them. A successful check against DC 30 is needed to come up with the word itself. If that check is failed, succeeding on a second check (DC 25) might provide some insight into a clue. The spells detect magic, identify, and analyze dweomer all reveal command words if the properties of the item are successfully identified.
Use Activated: This type of item simply has to be used in order to activate it. a character has to drink a potion, swing a sword, interpose a shield to deflect a blow in combat, look through a lens, sprinkle dust, wear a ring, or don a hat. Use activation is generally straightforward and self-explanatory.
Many use-activated items are objects that a character wears. Continually functioning items are practically always items that one wears. A few must simply be in the character's possession (meaning on his person). However, some items made for wearing must still be activated. Although this activation sometimes requires a command word (see above), usually it means mentally willing the activation to happen. The description of an item states whether a command word is needed in such a case.
Unless stated otherwise, activating a use-activated magic item is either a standard action or not an action at all and does not provoke attacks of opportunity, unless the use involves performing an action that provokes an attack of opportunity in itself. If the use of the item takes time before a magical effect occurs, then use activation is a standard action. If the item's activation is subsumed in its use and takes no extra time use, activation is not an action at all.
Use activation doesn't mean that if you use an item, you automatically know what it can do. You must know (or at least guess) what the item can do and then use the item in order to activate it, unless the benefit of the item comes automatically, such as from drinking a potion or swinging a sword.
The Blood Reservoir says it activates on a command word, so activating it is a standard action, as described above. Speaking one or two words (first or second) doesn't change the action type.
Yes, speaking is normally a free action, but speaking a command word is a little more effort than that - you're not just blurting out a word, you're focusing your mind to activate magical power, which takes a standard action.
Hmmm that makes Blood Reservoir of Physical Prowess significantly less good. The reason I probably couldn't find this part in the rules was because I was looking in the Ultimate Equipment...
Yes, the Blood Reservoir is, to me, a one-use item. Having a quick way to recover lost ability points after a fight without burning the cleric's Restoration spells is priceless, well worth the pittance this item costs.
The other use is ridiculous and probably should have just been left off to save ink. Giving up the priceless ability to restore lost ability scores in order to have a bonus to one ability score, no higher than +4, that only lasts for one round, one pathetic little round (but at least it stacks with magical belts), is something my character would never use except in the direst of emergencies when everything else would fail.
It's even worse if I'm in combat, because I have to give up all of my attacks this round to activate the item, for that pathetic little bonus next round. I can't even conceive of a combat situation where this would make sense.
Maybe, out of combat, to lift something I just can't lift without using this, or something like that. Still unbelievably rare. I imagine I could go a whole campaign with this item and reach level 20 without ever using the second ability.
Speaking the command word is a free action. Activating the magic item is a standard action that may happen to include speaking the command word. For all intents and purposes, that makes speaking the command word a standard action--you could say the word as a free action, but it wouldn't do anything.
Yes, the Blood Reservoir is, to me, a one-use item. Having a quick way to recover lost ability points after a fight without burning the cleric's Restoration spells is priceless, well worth the pittance this item costs.
The other use is ridiculous and probably should have just been left off to save ink. Giving up the priceless ability to restore lost ability scores in order to have a bonus to one ability score, no higher than +4, that only lasts for one round, one pathetic little round (but at least it stacks with magical belts), is something my character would never use except in the direst of emergencies when everything else would fail.
It's even worse if I'm in combat, because I have to give up all of my attacks this round to activate the item, for that pathetic little bonus next round. I can't even conceive of a combat situation where this would make sense.
Maybe, out of combat, to lift something I just can't lift without using this, or something like that. Still unbelievably rare. I imagine I could go a whole campaign with this item and reach level 20 without ever using the second ability.
...to be a standard action;
"The wearer can speak the second command word to imbue herself with a great burst of physical prowess, depleting all remaining charges and gaining an inherent bonus to one physical ability score equal to twice the number of charges used. This bonus lasts until the end of the wearer's next turn."
It seems to imply...
Actually, it would be a maximum of +8, not +4. I still agree that it is not very good. I would rather save the 2000 for a Belt of Giant Strength +2.
Keep in mind alot of weapon enchantments are activated as a standard action like Flaming. Thankfully the fire doesn't harm your sheathe so you can just leave it on.
I do understand this is Pathfinder, but the intent was to ensure that the original game play of D&D was carried on the way it was supposed to be... I have been playing since the early 80's and yes I have played with Gary... Magical item where used to Balance the game so a spell casters class wasn't so weak. You were able to activate a Magical item and cast a spell in a standard round.
One thing to keep in mind about the stat bonus is that it is an inherent bonus not an enchantment bonus, which means it stacks with a belt or bull's strength. It also stacks with size increases to allow you 3 sources of boosting your STR. It can also be used for any physical stat, not just strength.
The bonus also only lasts for until the end of the user's next turn. Using in combat is going to be extremely limited even if it was a free action to activate. Out of combat this could be very useful. In a situation where something needs to be lifted, moved or broken, that extra 8 STR may make a difference.
Everybody, this thread is like 10 years old.
I do understand this is Pathfinder, but the intent was to ensure that the original game play of D&D was carried on the way it was supposed to be... I have been playing since the early 80's and yes I have played with Gary... Magical item where used to Balance the game so a spell casters class wasn't so weak. You were able to activate a Magical item and cast a spell in a standard round.
That may have been Gary's intent, but it hasn't worked the way you suggest for a long time. Even D&D 3rd edition had the standard, move, (full-action) action economy dichotomy that PF1 had. And in 3rd edition you weren't going to activate an item that was done as a standard and cast a spell, unless you could cast that spell somehow as a swift action (like quicken spell, or some very specific spells that are cast as swift action in its basic form).
And it doesn't matter if you played with Gary (I assume you mean Gygax). In D&D 3.0, 3.5, and PF1 casters did not need to activate magical items to not be weak, they were plenty powerful all on their own.
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I do understand this is Pathfinder, but the intent was to ensure that the original game play of D&D was carried on the way it was supposed to be... I have been playing since the early 80's and yes I have played with Gary... Magical item where used to Balance the game so a spell casters class wasn't so weak. You were able to activate a Magical item and cast a spell in a standard round.
I too have played from the '80 and played with Gary Gygax (once). Some D&D BECSM and AD&D magic items could be activated while casting a spell, but a lot couldn't.
Wands? Couldn't.Scrolls? Couldn't
Figurines of wondrous power? Most couldn't.
Elemental gems? Couldn't.
Today? Most stuff requires a standard action, some require a swift action, some a free action, and some is use activated.
you must remember that a round and a turn was way longer, too. Not sure about BECSM, but in AD&D 1 round was 1 minute, 1 turn 10 minutes. Very different from the 6 seconds in 3rd ed and Pathfinder.