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I'm running a Pathfinder game for a few friends (using core + UM + UC + APG). Last session the party thief said that he was planning on buying a called anchoring adamantium axe. What I want to know is why he would want an axe with such a peculiar combination of enchantments.

Called is pretty useful on its own, and I can see how anchoring might help in some situations, but I really can't fathom why he would want a weapon with both properties (and an axe, at that; he was very specific about wanting an axe).

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have you tried to ask him? – Colin D Nov 16 '12 at 18:57
Whatever it is, it may run afoul of the calling and anchoring requiring two separate swift actions. – mxyzplk♦ Nov 16 '12 at 19:27
Hmmm, I didn't read through the definition very thoroughly, so I didn't know they required actions. Knowing this player, he hasn't considered that, either, so perhaps his plan is for naught. – Meta Nov 16 '12 at 19:34
Maybe he's going to throw it? Throw -> anchor on hit (enemy is now pinned in place at a range) -> call it back when you want it? Or maybe he thinks called and anchoring will interact in some way, so he can throw -> anchor -> next turn call and the enemy comes back with the axe? – Tacroy Nov 16 '12 at 20:06
That's what I was thinking, but I just can't see the use of such a tactic outside of pinning a single enemy (which isn't all that useful for the price). – Meta Nov 16 '12 at 20:07
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5 Answers

up vote 8 down vote

The Axe part is probably down to preference. Maybe he's seen an image somewhere he wants to replicate. There's also the possibility he wants to be able to use the blade of the axe as a step using the anchoring property.

Combining those two qualities is useful. One scenario I can imagine for a thief is getting caught by a guard, hitting him with the axe, escaping and finally calling the axe back to him.

It also has plenty of tactical applications for holding high defence enemies in place while the party deals with softer targets.

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Agreed, some sort of opponent-control item. I don't know any of the classes well enough, but I suspect the axe may eventually lead to something farther down the road; I'm pretty sure there was at least one prestige class in 3.5 that required axes, or gave bonuses. Is there anything like that in Pathfinder? As always, talk to the player. – Clockwork-Muse Nov 16 '12 at 18:57
I think it's something more nefarious than that, some kind of combination that allows the player to do something unexpected and probably game-breaking (knowing this player). I'm not too concerned about it, which is why I didn't outright ask him why he wanted it; I'm just curious as to what he might be planning. – Meta Nov 16 '12 at 19:12
up vote 8 down vote

Trying to think outside the box in a game breaking way I came up with the following:

The character hits the target with a thrown attack and anchors the target. He then calls the weapon back to him without releasing the anchor. As the target is fixed to the weapon it is teleported back to the character along with the weapon.

I wouldn't allow it but I can see the argument. Called specifically says it comes even if held by another creature. Normally only the item comes back via calling but as the target is "stuck" to it, it has to come along as well.

The biggest problem with this is Anchored says the weapon remains motionless but the player may claim that teleportation isn't motion just instantaneous relocation.

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This seems like the most likely answer. I've got a plan for tricking into revealing his... plan, so I guess I'll know either way by the end of our next session. – Meta Nov 16 '12 at 20:57
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@Meta If he tries this, you should make the weapon call him to it, in the middle of the enemy group. Make sure you laugh evilly. Then when he tries to use that result to fly like superman, make the results inconsistent ("it depends on the alignment of the moons and the solar thaumic flux...") – Tacroy Nov 16 '12 at 21:54
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@Tacroy that is a good way to alienate yourself from the players :( – Robobot Nov 16 '12 at 22:47
So, he's trying to build... Scorpion ? – Nigralbus Nov 16 '12 at 23:14
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This wouldn't work anyway. You can't use anchoring on a thrown weapon. From the PFSRD entry on anchoring: "This ability can also be used when the wielder hits a creature with a melee attack using an anchoring weapon." – DuckTapeal Nov 17 '12 at 23:52
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up vote 4 down vote

There are two possibilities that I can see with that combo:

  • Bringing enemies closer: This has been discussed several times by other posted, so I won't go into much detail. Basically, you throw the axe, use anchoring to make it stick, then use calling to pull the enemy back to you with the axe still attached. This does not work. Anchoring cannot be used while throwing a weapon. From the text of the ability:

As a swift action, the weapon can be fixed in place in a point in space, functioning as an immovable rod. This ability can also be used when the wielder hits a creature with a melee attack using an anchoring weapon.

Since you can't (typically) activate an item if it's not in your possession, you can't use either activation condition of anchoring with a throw.

  • Crowd Control: This is the option that I feel is more likely. Basically, use the axe as a way to keep enemies in place while you and your party go to town on them. If the enemy gets out, call the axe back and do it again. If your enemy doesn't have a ranged weapon and the party does, then the enemy either needs to destroy the weapon or make a DC 30 Str check to get to the players. Adamantine has a hardness of 20, so very little will be able to destroy the axe.

I really think that calling is there just so the player can get the axe back in a hurry if need be. The fact that it's specifically an axe is most likely mechanically inconsequential; as others have said here, it's probably as much preference as anything.

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That's a good point; I didn't realize that anchoring couldn't be used with a thrown weapon (though in retrospect, this makes a lot of sense). – Meta Nov 19 '12 at 13:08
up vote 2 down vote

Just a wild idea. I don't know much about Pathfinder, but I read the description of the enchantments... considering that the PC is a thief, what about this?

"The PC wants to steal something that is guarded by a single monster/NPC he cannot defeat alone... so he intends to throw (is this throwable?) the axe from a safe distance... if it hits, the guardian is pinned, allowing him to steal the object, then recall the weapon from a safe distance - if it misses... he can (I suppose) recall the axe in his hand and try again (supposing that he can do from a place where the guardian cannot reach him)."

Can you think of some thievery scenario where this plan could work?

Another possibility (assuming the PC is really interested in playing a Thief, even if I understand this is not the case, I am adding this to my answer as an inspiration to others):

I suppose that the axe+a rope could also be useful as a sort of grappling hook? Throw it against a (wooden?) balcony or beam, climb up, steal, climb down, teleport back to your hand...

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This player hasn't done all that much thievery, so I don't think this would be his motivation. Great answer, though. – Meta Nov 19 '12 at 13:05
You said he is not really caring much about the thief part so this is probably moot, but I suppose that the axe+a rope could also be useful as a sort of grappling hook? Throw it against a (wooden?) balcony or beam, climb up, steal, climb down, teleport back to your hand... – p.marino Nov 19 '12 at 15:56
Great speculation, and a pretty handy/novel use of such an item. However, this is a player who took 7 levels in rogue, 2 levels in Shadow Dancer, and then wanted to take another 3 levels in Sorcerer. In short... He is not a clever man. – Meta Nov 19 '12 at 16:10
I am trying to think all the uses a thief would get from such a specific item :D - if he is randonly jumping from class to class then all bets are off... if you find out why he wanted this please let us know! – p.marino Nov 19 '12 at 16:23
up vote 1 down vote accepted

Unfortunately, it was nothing spectacular that he was planning. Just using the axe to pin people and anchoring them so they can't move.

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why the teleport then? – p.marino Dec 1 '12 at 12:43
I believe he was under the impression that he could throw it at an enemy, anchor them, then use calling to bring it back. However, as explained by DuckTapeal above, this will not work. – Meta Dec 3 '12 at 15:16

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