Versatile Weapons and Damage Type Requirements (Exemplar)

[Asethskyr]

The Exemplar weapon ikons sometimes have damage type requirements - like Barrow's Edge requires "melee weapon that deals slashing or piercing damage".

How does this work with versatile weapons? If someone is using a Spirit Thresher (1d12 B, Versatile S), can they make that a Barrow's Edge?

Versatile reads "A versatile weapon can be used to deal a different type of damage than its listed type. This trait indicates the alternate damage type. For instance, a piercing weapon with versatile S can deal piercing or slashing damage. You choose the damage type each time you attack." so it sounds like it can be a weapon that deals slashing damage, but what happens if they deal bludgeoning damage with it?

This weirdness has technically been around for ages with the Keen rune.

Any consensus?

[Lia Wynn]

Yes, they can. It meets the requirements. I would rule that they could only use the S damage with Barrow's Edge active. But, since damage type is chosen when you attack, and there is no action needed to switch damage types, that's a minimal issue if it is one at all.

[Dubious Scholar]

Modular would be more troublesome there. But yeah, I think the worst case is you need to use that specific damage type for the ikon's benefits.

I could see a GM arguing that you need the base damage type to qualify, rather than anything in Versatile, perhaps. But that's about it.

[Darksol the Painbringer]

Keen rune states that it's inactive until it regains its ability to deal that damage type again (such as with a Shifting rune).

So, for Versatile, that means Barrow's Edge would trigger as long as its Versatile S is being used, but not for any other point in time. Same can be said for Modular, since the only real difference is having to spend an action to change the default damage type, whereas Versatile S is declared once you make the attack.