Weapon Cord and Magus

[Siegebeast2142]

Can I use a weapon cord on my secondary weapon to use spell combat and get the extra attack for two weapon fighting?

[Brevick Axeflail]

Using a weapon cord is a move action, so no.

[Snowlilly]

Spell Combat already counts as two-weapon fighting.

[Kazaan]

No for several reasons. First, Spell Combat already subsumes your off-hand attack economy. Casting the spell counts as your off-hand attack. So even if you had another weapon available, you don't have any potential "attacks" to make; you already used them. It'd be the same as asking if you can make all your iterative attacks with a Longsword and then drop it and draw a new weapon with Quickdraw to make all your iterative attacks again because you have another weapon. Attack economy and available weaponry are two separate rules elements.

Secondly, as mentioned, Weapon Cords use a move action now.

Thirdly, Spell Combat requires you maintain your spellcasting hand free for the entire duration of the action.

Lastly, though not an outright prohibition, it's worth noting that having a weapon dangling from a weapon cord interferes with fine actions and casting a spell with somatic components would count as such. But stacked up with all the other points made above, this is the least of considerations.

[Sangerine]

Snowlilly wrote:

Spell Combat already counts as two-weapon fighting.

Careful there.

SRD wrote:

This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast.

Spell Combat is not two-weapon fighting. Using it won't qualify you for feats like Two-Weapon Defense, Break Guard or Two-Weapon Rend.

A minor distinction.

[James Risner]

Siegebeast2142 wrote:

Can I use a weapon cord on my secondary weapon to use spell combat and get the extra attack for two weapon fighting?

No because you are already using your offhand to do something like TWF with spell combat and no because weapon cord is amour action.

[Sangerine]

James Risner wrote:

No because you are already using your offhand to do something like TWF with spell combat and no because weapon cord is amour action.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[Nefreet]

OMGay, that's ADORABLE!!!

[James Risner]

Auto correct makes me famous

[Snowlilly]

Sangerine wrote:

Snowlilly wrote:

Spell Combat already counts as two-weapon fighting.

Careful there.

SRD wrote:

This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast.

Spell Combat is not two-weapon fighting. Using it won't qualify you for feats like Two-Weapon Defense, Break Guard or Two-Weapon Rend.

A minor distinction.

An important distinction, which is why I said "counts as two-weapon fighting" and not "is two-weapon fighting".

[Sangerine]

Snowlilly wrote:

Sangerine wrote:

Snowlilly wrote:

Spell Combat already counts as two-weapon fighting.

Careful there.

SRD wrote:

This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast.

Spell Combat is not two-weapon fighting. Using it won't qualify you for feats like Two-Weapon Defense, Break Guard or Two-Weapon Rend.

A minor distinction.

An important distinction, which is why I said "counts as two-weapon fighting" and not "is two-weapon fighting".

"Counts as" would qualify you for the feats. Incredibly pedantic, but you have to be with rules like this.

[Genuine]

Kazaan wrote:

Lastly, though not an outright prohibition, it's worth noting that having a weapon dangling from a weapon cord interferes with fine actions and casting a spell with somatic components would count as such. But stacked up with all the other points made above, this is the least of considerations.

Out of curiosity, how would you rule on that? Would you make any distinctions between the size of an item on the cord? (i.e. Bastard Sword v. dagger v. wand?) Or would you just outright say 'no somatic spells while dangling an item from a cord?'

[Siegebeast2142]

thanks for the far link. Used to be able to, but not no more.

[Charon's Little Helper]

Siegebeast2142 wrote:

thanks for the far link. Used to be able to, but not no more.

No - it's always been a move action.

[Kazaan]

Genuine wrote:

Kazaan wrote:

Lastly, though not an outright prohibition, it's worth noting that having a weapon dangling from a weapon cord interferes with fine actions and casting a spell with somatic components would count as such. But stacked up with all the other points made above, this is the least of considerations.

Out of curiosity, how would you rule on that? Would you make any distinctions between the size of an item on the cord? (i.e. Bastard Sword v. dagger v. wand?) Or would you just outright say 'no somatic spells while dangling an item from a cord?'

It kind of is left ambiguous and I don't think I've seen any explicit outlining of how to handle this. Personally, I'd likely impose an arcane spell failure rate, probably something like 5% for a wand or light weapon, 10% for a one-handed weapon, and either 15% or 20% for a two-handed weapon. Alternatively, I'd use the weight of the item rather than the handedness. Another possibility would be to apply a concentration check. I don't think I'd outright prohibit it and it's also worth it to mention that it'd only apply to the hand from which the weapon is hanging. Using your other hand (if available) would impose no penalty.

[Brevick Axeflail]

Charon's Little Helper wrote:

Siegebeast2142 wrote:

Used to be able to, but not no more.

No - it's always been a move action.

The FAQ I linked above wrote:

As originally published, this was a swift action. The design team has changed this to a move action.

[Charon's Little Helper]

Brevick Axeflail wrote:

Charon's Little Helper wrote:

Siegebeast2142 wrote:

Used to be able to, but not no more.

No - it's always been a move action.

The FAQ I linked above wrote:

As originally published, this was a swift action. The design team has changed this to a move action.

Interesting. My bad.

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

Sangerine wrote:

Snowlilly wrote:

Sangerine wrote:

Snowlilly wrote:

Spell Combat already counts as two-weapon fighting.

Careful there.

SRD wrote:

This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast.

Spell Combat is not two-weapon fighting. Using it won't qualify you for feats like Two-Weapon Defense, Break Guard or Two-Weapon Rend.

A minor distinction.

An important distinction, which is why I said "counts as two-weapon fighting" and not "is two-weapon fighting".

"Counts as" would qualify you for the feats. Incredibly pedantic, but you have to be with rules like this.

Not to that level.. for the purposes of this discussion ONLY, what was said was accurate enough to the RELEVANT question.