RAW Question: Arrows in Melee

[dndquestion]

So I know an arrow can be used for melee:

An arrow used as a melee weapon is treated as a light improvised weapon (–4 penalty on attack rolls) and deals damage as a dagger of its size (critical multiplier x2). OGL

But what if it has a special ability such as Flaming? Does it inflict flaming damage of 1d6 when used in melee?

[Yora]

I'd say sure, why not?

[Salanmander]

I'd say sure, why not?

Because you can enchant ammunition at 1/50 the cost. If you allow this, and the ammunition stays, then take the example of buying a +2 magebane arrow. It costs 18,000/50 = 360 gold, and against anything with spells or spell-like abilities is like a dagger that does an extra 2d6+2 damage...which is probably better than a typical +1 dagger that costs 2000 gold.

Rinse and repeat for the types of monsters you're likely to encounter that don't have spells or spell-likes.

The way I would rule it is this: part of the reason the enchanting process for ammunition is cheaper is that they are one-use enchantments. If the arrow is enchanted with flaming it will work when you use it as an improvised dagger...but then the enchantment is used up, just as if you had fired the arrow.

[The Rabbler]

But what if it has a special ability such as Flaming? Does it inflict flaming damage of 1d6 when used in melee?

The important difference to note here is that while, yes, a flaming arrow will deliver 1d6 fire damage when used as an improvised melee weapon, it is most often the bow that gives arrows their special qualities.

A +1 flaming bow will not allow you to use an arrow as a +1 flaming improvised dagger.

EDIT:

The way I would rule it is this: part of the reason the enchanting process for ammunition is cheaper is that they are one-use enchantments. If the arrow is enchanted with flaming it will work when you use it as an improvised dagger...but then the enchantment is used up, just as if you had fired the arrow.

The reason ammunition is so much cheaper to make magical is because it was assumed that said ammunition would be broken or lost when fired from a bow.
also:


An arrow that hits its target is destroyed; one that misses has a 50% chance of being destroyed or lost.

[Salanmander]

The reason ammunition is so much cheaper to make magical is because it was assumed that said ammunition would be broken or lost when fired from a bow.


Right, and I'm just saying that assumption should continue to hold when using it as a dagger, and it's easy to fluff for it to make sense.

(The tricker one is when someone buys a single adamantine arrow for the purpose of being able to slowly get through any wall/door/lock etc.)

[Ravens_cry]

Right, and I'm just saying that assumption should continue to hold when using it as a dagger, and it's easy to fluff for it to make sense.

(The tricker one is when someone buys a single adamantine arrow for the purpose of being able to slowly get through any wall/door/lock etc.)
By RAW, it says once it hits its target, says nothing about it having to be fired from a bow for this to happen. This even makes sense by RAMS*, as a arrow would probably not stand up to much repeated use as a dagger, what with the long and relatively fragile shaft.
If you want to tunnel your way to the Antipodes, get something designed to be used in melee.
*Rules as Make Sense.

[dndquestion]

Thanks for the help ... that makes perfect sense.

[nedz]

A +1 flaming bow will not allow you to use an arrow as a +1 flaming improvised dagger.

Unless someone else fired it at you, and you have Snatch Arrows.:smallsmile:

[Ravens_cry]

Unless someone else fired it at you, and you have Snatch Arrows.:smallsmile:
What happens if you have a chain of people with Snatch Arrows, all with bows with different abilities? Say one with a flame bow, another with an acid bow, another with a cold bow, et cetera ?

[Greyfeld85]

I imagine that, like most spells that enchant ammunition, the enchantment would fade at the end of the shooter's turn, snatched or not.

[Curmudgeon]

Sure, all the usual rules apply. Flaming works as stated, and so does the automatic destruction when it hits, and 50% of the time when you miss when attempting to stab someone with an arrow. With the -4 penalty, if the target has decent AC you may ruin a bunch of arrows without getting in a single hit.

[Invader]

By RAW, it says once it hits its target, says nothing about it having to be fired from a bow for this to happen. This even makes sense by RAMS*, as a arrow would probably not stand up to much repeated use as a dagger, what with the long and relatively fragile shaft.
If you want to tunnel your way to the Antipodes, get something designed to be used in melee.
*Rules as Make Sense.

By RAW it says once it hits its target not once it hits its target after being fired from a bow. By RAW if the arrow hits its target by any means then it's destroyed.

[Ravens_cry]

By RAW it says once it hits its target not once it hits its target after being fired from a bow. By RAW if the arrow hits its target by any means then it's destroyed.
I'm pretty sure that is what I said.

[Salanmander]

I'm pretty sure that is what I said.

Ah, you're right. I thought that rule was in the section for ranged combat, and was specifically talking about _firing_ ammunition, but I see now that it's just talking about the items themselves.