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Does melee weapon special abilities, still work on a weapon when it is used as a range weapon? And vice versa?
Example weapons, daggers, throwing axes, etc.
Clarification; this is about weapon special abilities, not enchantment bonues. The term weapon enchantment is for +1 to +5 bonus on weapons.
Does melee weapon special abilities, still work on a weapon when it is used as a range weapon? And vice versa?
Example weapons, daggers, throwing axes, etc.Clarification; this is about weapon special abilities, not enchantment bonues. The term weapon enchantment is for +1 to +5 bonus on weapons.
Depends on the ability. As long as it doesn't depend on melee to work it should be fine. The act of throwing itself doesn't make a weapon stop being a melee weapon as that term is a weapon that can be used in melee without penalty not that it's being currently used in melee.
As to James' reply, I don't understand the point of view. Melee weapons are what's listed on the equipment chart not what kind of attack you are making. I can throw a sword at range but that doesn't make it a ranged weapon for enchantments.
Some melee-only special ability require "a free action to activate (on hit)" or other kind of action. I think this kind of action can only be done when you hold the weapon, so not when you throw it.
I agree with pretty much all these answers.
It's possible to argue RAW that (for example) a thrown dagger is still a melee weapon, even when thrown, and is not a ranged weapon when thrown (the definition of a ranged weapon is a thrown or projectile weapon which is not effective in melee).
But an ability on a weapon should work on that weapon regardless.
It depends on the ability. You have to look at them on a case by case basis to see when or if they apply. For example, you can put spell-storing on a dagger and throw it to trigger a spell on hit.
It depends on the ability. You have to look at them on a case by case basis to see when or if they apply. For example, you can put spell-storing on a dagger and throw it to trigger a spell on hit.
The rules seem unclear on that one, frankly, since you need to take an action with the item after it does damage to cast the spell at the creature. Can you still activate the item if it's no longer in your possession?
I've always understood it as melee only abilities only apply when the weapon is used as a melee weapon, same for any ranged abilities.
So you could have a cyclonic dagger. But it would only apply when you throw it.
Okay, if we're going to discuss specifics, spell storing would work perfectly fine when thrown... except that at the point it hits the target, it is not being wielded, and therefore there is no wielder to desire that the spell storing effect occur.
So, it depends on the ability in question. Quite a lot.
Claxon:
PRD: "Melee and Ranged Weapons: Melee weapons are used for making melee attacks, though some of them can be thrown as well. Ranged weapons are thrown weapons or projectile weapons that are not effective in melee."
The only thing "Melee weapon" means is that it can make effective melee attacks. Ranged weapon are weapons that are not effective in melee. These factors don't change if the weapon in question it thrown, as thrown weapon can be melee or ranged.
So it doesn't matter what kind of attack you make with an item, the base type remains the same. Melee that can be thrown just happen to fall under both categories. It just depends if the conditions of the ability can be met.
Okay, if we're going to discuss specifics, spell storing would work perfectly fine when thrown... except that at the point it hits the target, it is not being wielded, and therefore there is no wielder to desire that the spell storing effect occur.
So, it depends on the ability in question. Quite a lot.
Depends on which 'wielding' you are using. For instance, Defending requires a wielding that means actually attacking with the weapon, so throwing the weapon would indeed fall under that definition of wielding even though it isn't in your hand. Remember, depending on the definition, wielding can be anything from holding a weapon and being able to attack with it to actually attacking with it.
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Melee and Ranged Weapons: Melee weapons are used for making melee attacks, though some of them can be thrown as well. Ranged weapons are thrown weapons or projectile weapons that are not effective in melee
I'm with Claxon, once you throw a weapon it becomes ranged and all melee only abilities shut down, and all ranged only abilities become active.
Hence the table variance mentioned by James :)