Constant effects of held items when not held

[dhemery]

The section on Held Items (CRB 572) says that held items "need to be held to use them."

What does an everburning torch do when you’re not holding it? Does it continue shedding light? If so it seems like you can use it just fine even when you’re not holding it.

Okay, maybe the specific text of everburning torch overrides the general rule.

But then, the Constant Abilities section (CRB 531) says:

Quote:

Some magic items have abilities that always function. You don’t have to use any actions to do anything special (beyond wearing and investing a worn item or wielding a held item) to make these abilities work. For example, an everburning torch always sheds light, and a flaming weapon deals fire damage every time it deals damage.

Does that parenthetical bit mean that an everburning torch sheds light only if you’re wielding it?

[breithauptclan]

dhemery wrote:

The section on Held Items (CRB 572) says that held items "need to be held to use them."

That is mostly meaning the activated effects of the held item. The abilities that have an activation action cost.

The constant abilities are a bit ambiguous, so run them whichever way makes sense. You could run it that an Everburning Torch only sheds light when held like a torch. Which makes sense that it doesn't cause your pack to glow when you stuff it in there. Or you can run it that dropping the Everburning Torch will still allow it to shed light from the space where it is dropped at.