I'm mostly trying to make sense of the slashing grace changes, but I thought this broader question would be more valuable.
There are a number of abilities that require that you have a hand free, such as deflect arrows, snapping turtle style or the free hand fighter's singleton ability. Can abilities like this be used together, or do they take up the free hand?
Would using deflect arrows prevent the dex to damage portion of slashing grace from taking effect? Would using the dex to damage portion of slashing grace prevent you from using deflect arrows?
If all they require is that the hand be free, you can have multiple abilities with that requirement at once. They don't contradict.
Slashing Grace and Deflect Arrows work just fine together.
slashing grace requires that the hand be "unoccupied" and gives two weapon fighting and flurry of blows as examples of when it is occupied. 2 weapon is obvious of course, but flurry of blows is sort of slopped in there.
I assume this also includes a magus's spell combat even though it doesn't put anything in the hand nor engage it in any way if the spell is stilled and you are channeling the spell through your one permitted occupied hand.
deflect arrows clearly uses the "free hand" when activated, that's presumably how you knock the arrow away and why you need a free hand. Assuming the requirement was merely that the hand remain free I guess it would be clearer.
Another thing that provides confusion is the "any other hand" being occupied, how would that interact with rules clarifications regarding unarmed strikes being hand stand ins when determining other things based on occupied hands such as trying to use a two handed weapon and taking an unarmed strike? While you don't have all your potential "hands" occupied, would speaking/singing for a bards oration occupy a bite attack thus being an occupied hand for "any other hand" purposes?
I guess I need a specific rule clarification for the term "occupied" as it's variety of literal definitions provide something a little too broad.
slashing grace requires that the hand be "unoccupied" and gives two weapon fighting and flurry of blows as examples of when it is occupied. 2 weapon is obvious of course, but flurry of blows is sort of slopped in there.If all they require is that the hand be free, you can have multiple abilities with that requirement at once. They don't contradict.
Slashing Grace and Deflect Arrows work just fine together.
There is... POTENTIALLY a way that you can Two-Weapon Fight and still use Slashing Grace, but... whether it's really worthwhile or not is REALLY questionable.
So... okay.
Have several pistols at the ready. Have Quick Draw and Gun Twirling.
Make a Full Attack Action. Mainhand Sword, Offhand open. Attack with Sword at highest BAB. Quick Draw as Free Action. Fire pistol at highest BAB. Holster as Free Action. Offhand open again. Attack with Sword at BAB-5. Quick Draw as free action. Fire pistol at BAB-5. Holster Pistol.
Repeat for all Attack iterations.
Every single time you attack with your Sword/whatever, your Offhand is open, thus Slashing Grace should be active.
Then again, maybe they should have just not ganked Slashing Grace this way, considering it's already much-more restrictive than the Rogue's Finesse Training.
If all they require is that the hand be free, you can have multiple abilities with that requirement at once. They don't contradict.
Slashing Grace and Deflect Arrows work just fine together.
slashing grace requires that the hand be "unoccupied" and gives two weapon fighting and flurry of blows as examples of when it is occupied. 2 weapon is obvious of course, but flurry of blows is sort of slopped in there.
I assume this also includes a magus's spell combat even though it doesn't put anything in the hand nor engage it in any way if the spell is stilled and you are channeling the spell through your one permitted occupied hand.
deflect arrows clearly uses the "free hand" when activated, that's presumably how you knock the arrow away and why you need a free hand. Assuming the requirement was merely that the hand remain free I guess it would be clearer.
Another thing that provides confusion is the "any other hand" being occupied, how would that interact with rules clarifications regarding unarmed strikes being hand stand ins when determining other things based on occupied hands such as trying to use a two handed weapon and taking an unarmed strike? While you don't have all your potential "hands" occupied, would speaking/singing for a bards oration occupy a bite attack thus being an occupied hand for "any other hand" purposes?
I guess I need a specific rule clarification for the term "occupied" as it's variety of literal definitions provide something a little too broad.
Deflect Arrows requires that you have a free hand. Absolutely nothing says that you must use that hand to actually deflect the arrow. (Catching it is another matter.)