Parrying Scabbard

[Mitch]

Hello,

Can the parrying scabbard be used to defend, if the weapon is still sheathed?

Thanks!

[theservantsllcleanitup]

Parrying Scabbard:

You can draw this reinforced sheath during the same Interact action you use to draw the weapon it holds, wielding the weapon in one hand and the scabbard in your other. A parrying scabbard can be used for your defense much like a weapon with the parry trait: you can spend an action to position it defensively, gaining a +1 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of your next turn. Parrying scabbards are available for any sword that can be wielded in one hand.

I'd say sure, why not. I think the first sentence and second sentence are separate concepts. The first allows you to draw the scabbard with a little action economy boost, and the second simply describes the function of the scabbard regardless of how you went about wielding it.

[graystone]

Myself, I'd say there is a difference between holding a sheath and holding a sheathed sword: one's moving around a L item and parrying with it while the other way might be 2 bulk+1 L item trying to do the same.

[Qaianna]

graystone wrote:

Myself, I'd say there is a difference between holding a sheath and holding a sheathed sword: one's moving around a L item and parrying with it while the other way might be 2 bulk+1 L item trying to do the same.

I'm not as familiar with scabbards as others, but I also wonder if it interferes with keeping the sword where it belongs. And if your bastard sword isn't able to parry, wrapping it in a sheath is not going to help.

In the really really edge case of 'I want to just parry with the scabbard and not even look like I'm attacking', I'd probably say draw them both, then drop the sword. Empty scabbard can still parry. If you've peace-bonded your sword to the scabbard? You're stuck.

[Asethe]

The other thing about sheathes is that they are really bad at absorbing damage. Leather with some metal bracing gets cut and bends out of shape, wood gets shattered, and a number of the larger weapons don't even have fully fleshed sheathes with things like greatswords and bastard swords having wraps, hooks, and loops instead of solid sheathes.

Something like the cane sword's sheathe has been reinforced specifically for the purpose of fencing. It's a bit of a stretch to say it is good enough to parry a giant axe, but that's a suspension of disbelief required by half of Pathfinder's abilities.

[graystone]

Asethe wrote:

The other thing about sheathes is that they are really bad at absorbing damage.

We aren't talking about blocking [absorbing the hit] but parrying one [redirecting it]. If we're basing things on what can block a "giant axe", I don't think any of the other parry weapons qualify either: out of a Nightstick, Clan Dagger, Bo Staff, Exquisite Sword Cane, Exquisite Sword Cane Sheath, Main-gauche and/or Tekko-kagi which one can realistically absorb the blow from a gargantuan dragon?