Interaction among Superior Catch, Returning, and Speed.

[Oddstar]

The PrC Whisperknife has an ability called Superior Catch (Races of the Wild, p. 136):
When you reach 8th level, your improved catch ability is extended. You can use two returning weapons for two attacks each in a single round, or you can use one returning weapon for three attacks in the same round, as long as your target is no farther away than one range increment. (If your target is farther away than one range increment, you can still use your superior catch ability, but only for a single attack each turn.)

Now, suppose an eighth-level Whisperknife is using a single thrown weapon with both the Returning and Speed abilities. Here's the description of Speed (DMG, p. 225):
When making a full attack action, the wielder of a speed weapon may make one extra attack with it. The attack uses the wielder’s full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This benefit is not cumulative with similar effects, such as a haste spell.) Or suppose the Whisperknife is hasted. Would he be able to attack four times in the same round with the same thrown weapon?

[Kazudo]

Nah. Returning says the following:



This special ability can only be placed on a weapon that can be thrown. A returning weapon flies through the air back to the creature that threw it. It returns to the thrower just before the creature’s next turn (and is therefore ready to use again in that turn).


Emphasis mine. Which means that the weapon just doesn't come back in time to use it during this turn. You'd still need four weapons to make four thrown attacks. They'd be back before your next turn, sure, but not fast enough to use them in the same iterative attack lineup. Even Teleporting says the following:



It teleports into the throwing creature’s empty hand in the round following the round when it was thrown, just before that creature’s turn. It is therefore ready to use again on that turn.


Emphasis mine. Which again means that it just doesn't work that way.

[Oddstar]

Yes, but you seem to be ignoring the whisperknife's Superior Catch ability, which reads "you can use one returning weapon for three attacks in the same round, as long as your target is no farther away than one range increment." So for a whisperknife, the returning weapon does return in time for it to be thrown again in the same round. To be thrown twice more in the same round, in fact. So the question still stands: could a whisperknife using a thrown weapon with both the returning and speed abilities throw it four times in a round?

[georgie_leech]

Not really. The Superior Catch ability lets you throw it twice after the first time. After the extra 2 attacks, you're left without a weapon to throw, as it doesn't return until just before your next turn.

[Vaz]

WotC don't know what on earth they were writing.

Melee can't have nice things.

Enforce the rule that you can only throw a returning weapon once and ignore the fact that the character has taken 4 terrible feats and 8 levels in a PrC to do exactly that. At a level where at minimum you are trying to keep up with casters who can cast Limited Wish, and Body Outside Body and all other shenanigans, you can't do the basis of what you class says you can

Enforce this rule.

If the tone of what I was saying wasn't enough, the blue colour generally is used to signify sarcasm.

[Oddstar]

No, no, don't worry, the sarcasm came across just fine. Personally, I think Speed should give the extra attack, on the grounds that, if the weapon has Speed, that implies that it moves faster and therefore returns faster. We already know that the weapon returns in time for the character to throw it thrice without Speed, so there's no reason the character shouldn't get a fourth throw with speed.