Argument on merciful weapon quality on a normally leathal weapon

[Latrans]

Another PFS player and I have been arguing about how the merciful weapons work.

He claims that RAW a merciful long sword would have a -4 penalty to attack rolls since you're trying to deal nonlethal damage and it doesn't have the "nonlethal" descriptor. He claims that technically since a merciful long sword lacks the "nonlethal" descriptor it is still a lethal weapon and thus must take the penalty to attack. Thus he argues only weapons that have the "nonlethal" descriptor don't have to take the attack penalty with an active merciful enchantment.

I've been countering that since a merciful weapon (when the enchantment is active) deals only nonlethal damage and the rules for attacking nonlethal specifically say the penalty apply when the weapon deals lethal damage, merciful versions of lethal weapons do not have to take a penalty to use. Nowhere is there a requirement that a weapon have a "nonlethal" descriptor mentioned nor does it say anything about lethal weapons. All that descriptor does is say that the standard weapon deals nonlethal damage and I argue that a merciful weapon functions identically.

Which of us is right here?

[Diachronos]

The other PFS player is an idiot. An activated Merciful weapon automatically converts any damage it deals to nonlethal damage, it doesn't just give you an extra d6 when you choose to deal nonlethal damage. The purpose of a nonlethal weapon is so your character can swing as hard as they want (the -4 coming from trying to finagle your attack so it doesn't seriously hurt the enemy) and not have to worry about killing them.

[Rysky]

What Diachronos said. You don't take a penalty to attack when using a weapon with the Merciful enchant to deal nonlethal.

[Akkurscid]

Nonlethal Damage

Nonlethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Lethal Damage
You can use a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage instead, but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll.

lethal Damage with a Weapon that Deals Nonlethal Damage
You can use a weapon that deals nonlethal damage, including an unarmed strike, to deal lethal damage instead, but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll.

Quote:

Merciful

Price +1 bonus
Aura faint conjuration; CL 5th; Weight —
DESCRIPTION
A merciful weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of damage, but all damage it deals is nonlethal damage. On command, the weapon suppresses this ability until told to resume it (allowing it to deal lethal damage, but without any bonus damage from this ability).
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure light wounds; Cost +1 bonus

The penalty comes into play because you are using the weapon improperly... By his logic monks doing Lethal damage with unarmed strikes also have to take a -4 to hit

[Cavall]

It's not a non lethal attack.

It just converts it to non lethal damage. Thays the best way to look at it.

[Knight who says Meh]

While the Merciful ability is turned on, all damage it deals is non lethal damage, regardless of how you use it.

[Scott Wilhelm]

Diachronos wrote:

The other PFS player is an idiot. An activated Merciful weapon automatically converts any damage it deals to nonlethal damage, it doesn't just give you an extra d6 when you choose to deal nonlethal damage. The purpose of a nonlethal weapon is so your character can swing as hard as they want (the -4 coming from trying to finagle your attack so it doesn't seriously hurt the enemy) and not have to worry about killing them.

I think it's an overstatement to say he's an idiot. Upon review of the the Merciful Enchantment description kindly provided by Akkurscid, I'm inclined to think that other PFS player is wrong, but it is a funny idea.

So, the Merciful Enchantment makes a weapon a weapon that does nonlethal damage.

Now, what I want to do is acquire a Merciful Weapon, and use it to do Lethal Damage and take the -4 penalty!