Warlock Pact Weapon Question?

[171akup]

So I am thinking of becoming a Warlock and choosing Pact Weapon and my question is this.

If my Pact Weapon of choice is a Glaive, Halberd or Pike and I find a Magical Dagger would I be able to transform the dagger into one of those three weapons? :smallbiggrin:

[Naanomi]

No, clarified during the last Sage Advice as a definet negative; but... I don't know anyone who played it that way before anyways

[EternalPrime]

The rules don't specifically say that the magic weapon you make into your pact weapon supersedes the pact weapons ability to be different forms. Neither the PH errata v1.1 nor the Compiled Sage Advice v1.01 address this.

However, I believe it is the clear intent of the rules that if you make a magic weapon into your pact weapon it remains the weapon type that it started as and cannot be altered:

You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course
of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest.
You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extra-dimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. (PHB 108)

IT is shunted away and IT appears when you create it thereafter. My new +1 Dagger is shunted away and my new +1 Dagger appears when I create it thereafter.

[RickAllison]

The rules don't specifically say that the magic weapon you make into your pact weapon supersedes the pact weapons ability to be different forms. Neither the PH errata v1.1 nor the Compiled Sage Advice v1.01 address this.

However, I believe it is the clear intent of the rules that if you make a magic weapon into your pact weapon it remains the weapon type that it started as and cannot be altered:

You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course
of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest.
You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extra-dimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. (PHB 108)

IT is shunted away and IT appears when you create it thereafter. My new +1 Dagger is shunted away and my new +1 Dagger appears when I create it thereafter.

Addressed in the April Official (yes, official, as in officially sanctioned rules updates) Sage Advice. Not a tweet, but the real deal. Check the article, it's covered.

[brainface]

Still: ask your DM. Being able to convert a magic item into your perferred Pact weapon form as part of the bonding ritual, for instance, might be something they would go for.

[Daishain]

RAW says no, but it might be worth asking your DM.

Depending on how difficult he wants it to be to obtain a serviceable magic weapon, he may or may not have a problem granting the request. I don't see it being a game breaker either way.

[EternalPrime]

Addressed in the April Official (yes, official, as in officially sanctioned rules updates) Sage Advice. Not a tweet, but the real deal. Check the article, it's covered.

He is correct, It WAS addressed. It IS official!
What does it say? Nah, that would be telling.

The Compiled Sage Advice v1.09 says that the weapon you perform the ritual on cannot be changed to another weapon, the +1 dagger stays a +1 dagger.
It also says that you can perform the ritual on a magical ranged weapon making a magical bow into your pact weapon.

[RickAllison]

He is correct, It WAS addressed. It IS official!
What does it say? Nah, that would be telling.

The Compiled Sage Advice v1.09 says that the weapon you perform the ritual on cannot be changed to another weapon, the +1 dagger stays a +1 dagger.
It also says that you can perform the ritual on a magical ranged weapon making a magical bow into your pact weapon.

It would be telling!! Naw, I'm just lazy and typing it on my phone, so I left it as an exercise to the reader (and this is why I've always hated that phrase...).

[JoeJ]

It also says that you can perform the ritual on a magical ranged weapon making a magical bow into your pact weapon.

Bow? Pfftt! Go warlock/rogue and find a magical ballista. Sneak attack FTW.

[Naanomi]

Bow? Pfftt! Go warlock/rogue and find a magical ballista. Sneak attack FTW.
'Uh... What is that?'
'Oh this? The spelljammers let me 'study' their magical cannon for an hour before they left...'

[EternalPrime]

It would be telling!! Naw, I'm just lazy and typing it on my phone, so I left it as an exercise to the reader (and this is why I've always hated that phrase...).

Thank you for being pleasant about this. I was actually mad earlier because of something another poster wrote and intended my reply to you to be dripping with venom and sarcasm, but your easy-going reply defused my anger.

[RickAllison]

Thank you for being pleasant about this. I was actually mad earlier because of something another poster wrote and intended my reply to you to be dripping with venom and sarcasm, but your easy-going reply defused my anger.

I feel that :smallsmile: Some posts can be rather petulant, and I find much aggravation can be spared with a little self-deprecation and comedy!

[Gastronomie]

As a general rule, DMs should make rulings based on "what makes the game more fun for the players at the particular table", and not necesarrily "what some guy with authority tweeted the other day". Really depends on the table and the DM, so ask him first.

But if a DM's gonna rule that you can't change the shape of a magical weapon, you've gotta admit it's a pretty f***** move to give the Bladelock a magical dagger instead of the Glaive or whatever.

[Millstone85]

I understand not turning the magic weapon (+1 dagger) into a different magic weapon (+1 glaive) but I would house-rule that you can now summon your choice of the magic weapon (+1 dagger) or any nonmagical melee weapon (+0 glaive) when you use this feature. I see no reason why you should completely lose that delightful Swiss Army knife fluff.

[Daishain]

I understand not turning the magic weapon (+1 dagger) into a different magic weapon (+1 glaive) but I would house-rule that you can now summon your choice of the magic weapon (+1 dagger) or any nonmagical melee weapon (+0 glaive) when you use this feature. I see no reason why you should completely lose that delightful Swiss Army knife fluff.
Personally, I'm inclined to agree, and I don't see any reason other than strict obedience of RAW to disallow it.