TOPIC: Focus weapon clairification

per Jeff... (revised on 3/23/16 and slightly more on 3/24/16)

The rules governing switching between physically attacking and magic use have been clarified to the following:
Much like swapping weapons, switching between physically attacking and magic use (or vice versa) means you either need to stow a physical weapon or retrieve one. That swap requires a small amount of time. Therefore, switching between physically attacking to using magic requires a Free Action.
Magic use—casting a spell from your character card, performing bardsong, reading a scroll, or using an item which generates a spell—is not a separate "mode" of combat. Using magic has no bearing on set bonuses.

The rules governing magic use and holding things in one's hands have been clarified to the following:
Unless otherwise specified, two hands are required to use magic. Currently, all shields are sufficiently non-encumbering to the user's offhand that they do not preclude magic use. Therefore, as long as the user's mainhand is completely free (it's not holding anything, the user is not entangled, not under the influence of a Hold spell, et cetera), the user may gain all the benefits of a shield and use magic (spells, scrolls, magic items, bardsong, and so on.)
The specialized magic contained within Focus weapons (both the one- and two-handed varieties, but only Focus weapons) aids in magic use, thus allowing their wielders to hold a Focus weapon while using magic. However, Focus weapons do not grant the ability to simultaneously make a physical attack and use magic.

The rules governing changing attack modes have been clarified to the following:
Switching from one attack mode (melee, missile, or spell) to another or switching from one weapon to another means you either need to stow a physical weapon or retrieve one. That swap requires a small amount of time. Therefore, changing attack modes requires a Free Action.

The rules governing casting and holding things in one's hands have been clarified to the following:
Unless otherwise specified, two hands are required to cast a spell. Currently, all shields are sufficiently non-encumbering to the user's offhand that they do not preclude spellcasting. Therefore, as long as the caster's mainhand is completely free (not holding anything, the user is not entangled, not under the influence of a Hold spell, etc.), the caster may gain all the benefits of a shield and cast spells. The specialized magic contained within Focus weapons (both one- and two-handed varieties) aids in spellcasting, thus allowing their owners to hold a Focus weapon while casting a spell. However, Focus weapons do not grant the ability to simultaneously make a physical attack and cast a spell.

Druegar wrote: per Jeff...

The rules governing changing attack modes have been clarified to the following:
Switching from one attack mode (melee, missile, or spell) to another or switching from one weapon to another means you either need to stow a physical weapon or retrieve one. That swap requires a small amount of time. Therefore, changing attack modes requires a Free Action.

The rules governing casting and holding things in one's hands have been clarified to the following:
Unless otherwise specified, two hands are required to cast a spell. Currently, all shields are sufficiently non-encumbering to the user's offhand that they do not preclude spellcasting. Therefore, as long as the caster's mainhand is completely free (not holding anything, the user is not entangled, not under the influence of a Hold spell, etc.), the caster may gain all the benefits of a shield and cast spells. The specialized magic contained within Focus weapons (both one- and two-handed varieties) aids in spellcasting, thus allowing their owners to hold a Focus weapon while casting a spell. However, Focus weapons do not grant the ability to simultaneously make a physical attack and cast a spell.

Clarifications requested:

1. Does this mean there is a "spell" attack mode, such that people can equip the Staff/Orb of might in melee, get the set bonus, but switch to empty hands in "spell mode" to cast a spell?

2. Does this mean the Cabal set, Bracelets of the Zephyr can only be used to cast 2 spells in a round, not to physically attack and cast a spell (as you'd need 2 free actions, one to drop your weapon and 1 to use the item).

3. Are you assumed to be able to start combat in any mode you chose?

4. How do scrolls work? Do you need to switch to / be in spell mode to read a scroll? Can you read a scroll while holding a Bard instrument or Sheild?

5. For spells cast from a magical item, like Ring of Spell Storing or Carter's Tome of Insight - do you need to be in spell mode?

Observations:

1. Staff of Power needs errata indicating the user can cast spells (at least the spell from the SoP with it in hand).

Matthew Hayward wrote: 1. Does this mean there is a "spell" attack mode, such that people can equip the Staff/Orb of might in melee, get the set bonus, but switch to empty hands in "spell mode" to cast a spell?

I'm afraid I don't understand your scenario.
Can you explain it to an eight year old?

Matthew Hayward wrote: 2. Does this mean the Cabal set, Bracelets of the Zephyr can only be used to cast 2 spells in a round, not to physically attack and cast a spell (as you'd need 2 free actions, one to drop your weapon and 1 to use the item).

Yes, but that's not a change.

Bracelets of the Zephyr allow you to immediately cast an additional unused spell as a Free Action. Therefore, if you didn't use your Standard Action to cast a spell, you didn't meet the requirements to cast an additional spell as a Free Action.

The Cabal set bonus allows you to cast two spells from your character card in one round. The Cabal set bonus never allowed you to attack and cast a spell in the same round.

Matthew Hayward wrote: 3. Are you assumed to be able to start combat in any mode you chose?

Yes. That's always been the case.

Matthew Hayward wrote: 4. Do you need to switch to / be in spell mode to read a scroll? Can you read a scroll while holding a Bard instrument or Sheild?

I'll check with Jeff.

Matthew Hayward wrote: 5. For spells cast from a magical item, like Ring of Spell Storing or Carter's Tome of Insight - do you need to be in spell mode?

I'll check with Jeff.

Matthew Hayward wrote: Staff of Power needs errata indicating the user can cast spells (at least the spell from the SoP with it in hand).

updated
Thanks for catching that. Have some milk.

Druegar wrote:

Matthew Hayward wrote: 1. Does this mean there is a "spell" attack mode, such that people can equip the Staff/Orb of might in melee, get the set bonus, but switch to empty hands in "spell mode" to cast a spell?

I'm afraid I don't understand your scenario.
Can you explain it to an eight year old?

[/quote]

I'll try!

Here is my understanding of the rules which are giving me a question:

1. In combat, a player is either always in "ranged mode" or "melee mode" - these are reflected on the character card with attack hit and damage bonuses and AC for that mode.

2. If a set item is equipped in a given mode (ranged or melee) in order to qualify for a set bonus, it can not be unequipped while in that mode.

Example: A Ranger is equipping a +2 Viper Strike Fang, Viper Strike Belt, and Viper Strike Shirt and gets the Viper Strike set bonus of +2 to hit on all attacks and spell slides. When in melee mode, they must use the Viper Strike Fang and can't switch out of it. While in ranged they don't have to equip with +2 Viper Strike Fang, but still get the set bonus.

If that is correct, then consider these scenarios:

1. Bard is using a the +1 Mithral Longsword to qualify for one of the Mithral bonuses.
2. a 5th level Ranger are using a +2 Viper Strike Fang to qualify for the Viper Strike Set.
3. The Druid and Cleric is using a Scepter of Might and Orb of Might for the Might set bonus.

Assume further they are all using a 2 handed weapon in ranged mode.

How can these characters cast spells?

In "melee" mode they are not allowed to unequipped their main hand items due to set bonus rules- so it can't be in melee.

In "ranged" mode they could drop their bow to spellcast, but this would mean effectively 2 free actions are needed to get from melee to spellcasting - 1 to switch to ranged, and 1 to drop the bow.

So - I infer there is a "spellcasting" mode just like there is a ranged and a melee mode - and in this mode the Viper Strike Fang, Mithral Longsword, or Might items are not equipped. And you can switch into or out of spellcasting mode with 1 free action.

The first sentence makes it sound like there are now 3 modes of attack to me (melee, ranged and spell).

Perhaps simpler example:

Cleric, Might Set, and Zephyr.

Cleric Round 1 - Melee attack. Doesn't use Free Action.
Monster Round 1 - Pounds Cleric
Cleric Round 2 - Free action to drop Scepter. Casts a heal spell on self.

May Cleric use Bracelet of Zephyr to cast a second spell in round 2? You only get one free action, so it sounds like "no."

Unless dropping a weapon is a "non-action," (I drop stuff all the time, sometimes without even meaning to ) then it's "yes." Then it could follow:

Round 3 - free action to pick up weapon, and melee attack.

Based upon the first sentence of Dregar's ruling from jeff I would think you are switching attack modes even if you are healing not attacking. Clarification is needed of course, it sounds like to me you would be switching modes therefore using your free action not because you are dropping your weapon. You then switch back to melee bring a free action.

Post #25 says you must stow a non-focus weapon to "cast a spell." It doesn't limit that to attack spells. I assume it includes buff, heal, debuff, and damage spells.

If so, it seems to nerf the BotZ, at least for non-wizards. Wizards don't tend to alternate between combat and spellcasting as others do. BotZ is already kind of nerfy with the "as a scroll" limitation.

There are other consequences as well, I'm sure. But maybe that's intended.

Is the party card going to need a change to have stats for a third attack mode? I imagine for most there is not going to matter but I could see someone building something where your AC would different between melee and spell. Your to hit could be your spell to hit for slidey spells (wizardy types). Damage could be your +to damage for spells.

I don't know of any weapons that affect AC or saves, so you could probably get away with "use best AC" to avoid a third AC column.

But if you're packing a magic ranged weapon, that hit bonus is in the "ranged to hit" number, so you might need to worry about that for sliding spells. You either need a third column, or have two "to hit" umber S in the casters' ranged hit box, or the player has to tell the DM what to deduct. Unless focus weapon bonuses should be added in.

The Spiked Buckler is a weapon that effects AC.

It probably doesn't get used very much, but it does exist.

Brad Mortensen wrote: I don't know of any weapons that affect AC or saves, so you could probably get away with "use best AC" to avoid a third AC column.

But if you're packing a magic ranged weapon, that hit bonus is in the "ranged to hit" number, so you might need to worry about that for sliding spells. You either need a third column, or have two "to hit" umber S in the casters' ranged hit box, or the player has to tell the DM what to deduct. Unless focus weapon bonuses should be added in.

I could have shield and weapon in melee but a two handed focus weapon in my spell. Or a two handed melee, but a shield and one handed focus weapon for my spell.