How does a harpoon with the returning ability work?

[gallagher]

will the harpoon still embed itself if the reflex save is not met?

and then if it does imbed itself, will it remove itself and cause the second set of damage, or will it pull the injured creature towards the thrower?

[FMArthur]

When the harpoon returns to your hand, it now exists in two places. C'mon, this is simple stuff. :smallwink:

[ahenobarbi]

It will come to back to your hand with wrong end - and cause extra damage to target (small amount 1, maybe 2) and to you (regular but with no STR bonus) :smallamused:

[FMArthur]

More seriously, I think the same thing should happen as if there were an obstruction - the property fails to work when it can't get 'past' the creature that it is inside of, like if someone made a wall between you and the weapon after you threw it. There's no real rules for that, but since it just fails if you even move, it's similar to the weapon being unable to locate you in your last position.

[JonRG]

Returning doesn't fail if you move. The weapon just lands in the square from which it was thrown.

I think it technically works, but it's kinda nuts for a mere +1 weapon enhancement.

[gallagher]

what if i am using telekinetic boomerang with it? it is a psionic power which has thrown weapons return to you before your next attack (the power description says halflings tend to use it with hand axes and throwing daggers)

if it is supposed to return to me before my next attack, do you think the speed of it would just yank it back out?

[Incriptus]

I know it would be cool wouldn't it? Either as a dirty attempt to double your damage, or as the ability to "GET OVER HERE" scorpion style.

But honestly I think both are too potent an abuse for a mere +1 enhancement. I would likely rule either

A) The harpoon return to you, causing no additional damage. After all, the rules are always stating "The harpooned creature can" before talking damage. It is the reader interperting the rules to apply to anyone or anything else removing the harpoon. If I like you this is the ruling I would mostly likely give you, so you could gain the advantage that returing is supposed/intended to give you

or

B) Since the weapon is encountering signifigant resistance the returning fails. You've essentially lost the main point of having a returning weapon. If I say this I guess I don't like you.

or

C) We work out a house-ruled comprise. That allows you to do cool stuff, but a price that is likely more appropriate for what we want done.

[Curmudgeon]

A) is right. Extra damage only occurs when the harpooned creature acts. With returning on your harpoon you guarantee that never happens.

[Riverdance]

I would just check with the DM for house rules. I personally would say that if the harpoon hits it doesn't return because of the barbs. Harpoons are made to stick into massive creatures and not come out no matter how hard they thrash. A whale could drag an entire rowboat full of whalers around without the harpoon coming out. Thus I think for it to pull back out would be a bit much for a +1 ability. The returning would then only be useful when you missed.