Magical Ammunition as Improvised Weapons

[Creamsteak]

Arrows specifically have a line about being used as improvised melee weapons dealing damage as a dagger. I assume arrows are destroyed on hit.

Improvised weapons can't be weapon focused and I don't believe they can be enchanted as weapons by the rules as written. I could be wrong on that.

Ammunition, however, can obviously be enchanted.

The question that follows for me is obvious, would ammunition used as an improvised weapons benefit from it's enhancement bonus (and other enchantment modifiers, flaming, etc)?

Would a special material arrow used in this way pierce damage reduction of that type?

This comes up because I'm working on a feral gnasher goblin, and it seems like giving him a quiver of enchanted adamantine ammunition would be one of the most efficient ways to deal with a lot of inherent problems with improvised weapons. Or maybe that doesn't work at all. I believe my GM will back the rules as written unless the rules as written are obviously breaking the game.

I also find it highly amusing to imagine a feral "hunchback" (bag of holding/magic quiver under a cloak) goblin scurrying around on all fours and throwing random objects at opponents. I'm investigating the options.

[William Sinclair]

I don't see any reason why not. BUT, since there are no rules for damage with bullets or sling stones or quarrels or such when used in this way, I don't think they'd do much, if any damage.

The whole concept behing each of them is velocity and kinetics to inflict damage. I know, I know, real world physics in Pathfinder....

Chucking a bullet at someone really won't do much. Oh, I can see how they'd take the +1 magical damage, or any attached energy damage (both allowing the ammunition to be destroyed), but a non-magical bullet? I can't see that hurting.

[Creamsteak]

The current character, with all feats right now using arrows, supposing I have everything correct, would be making six attacks at +17/+17/+17/+17/+12/+12 for 1d4 + 8 (rage strength) + 1 trait + 1 point-blank. Throwing weapons are expensive, whereas ammunition is not. The advantage would mostly be in terms of being able to cheaply get throwing weapons he would be proficient in. The upkeep cost would be pretty high, as he would burn through ammunition, but it's more versatile and cheaper than getting six enchanted throwing weapons (not to mention he's not proficient with anything except greatclubs).

Adding +1 to hit and damage and 1d6 fire damage to six attacks would definitely be a bit of a swing in damage.

[Imbicatus]

If you are a monk of the empty hand, it hurts a lot. Also, there is no need to get a whole quiver. Durable arrows are never destroyed by use. Get one of each special material, and you have DR piercing d4/x2 daggers. Take the surprise weapon trait and you have +2 to hit with them.

The problem is they are still ammunition, so after one hit, they loose enchantment.

[SlimGauge]

No, the enchantment on arrows doesn't help when they're not being used as arrows except by Rule 0. These enchantments are "use-activated".

rules wrote:

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.

In this case, the use of an arrow is to be fired from a bow, or perhaps launched by other means (certain spells). If you use an arrow in some other unintended fashion, the effect doesn't "go off".

An exception would be command activated arrows. If you speak the command word "Flame On" to the arrow and then poke someone with it rather than fire it from a bow, the flame effect is already on and doesn't need to be activated by proper use.

That said, ask your GM.

[Creamsteak]

I'm not sure how you can define some things as use and not other things as use. Arrows and bolts specifically say they can be "used" in that way, if you want to get pedantic.

"A crossbow bolt used as a melee weapon is treated as a light improvised weapon (–4 penalty on attack rolls) and deals damage as a dagger of its size (crit ×2)."