[3.5] Eager weapon

[Mr Adventurer]

If I am holding an Eager weapon in one hand, does the +2 bonus to damage on a surprise round and the first round of combat apply to attacks made with the other hand? Does it apply to spells cast with the free hand? Would it apply to e.g. Shivering Touch Dexterity damage? What about if I deliver the spell using Spectral Hand?

[Thurbane]

If I am holding an Eager weapon in one hand, does the +2 bonus to damage on a surprise round and the first round of combat apply to attacks made with the other hand? Does it apply to spells cast with the free hand? Would it apply to e.g. Shivering Touch Dexterity damage? What about if I deliver the spell using Spectral Hand?


While wielding it, you gain a +2 bonus on initiative checks and a +2 bonus on damage rolls made during a surprise round and the first round of combat.

RAI, I would say a firm no. RAW: due to the wording, yes, applies to any damage you make in the surprise round and first round of combat.

Would it apply to ability damage? Again, due to the wording...maybe?

I mean, I'd firmly put this in "ask your DM" territory, but there is a strong RAW argument to support a permissive reading of the ability.

Compare to the wording for the Rapid Assault feat, which is a little more restirctive:


In the first round of combat, your melee attacks deal an extra 1d6 points of damage.

[Asmotherion]

As a DM i'd be willing to interpreat it as "HP Damage".

Thus it applies to Spells that deal direct HP damage; Does not however apply to Ability Damage or any variable other than Direct HP damage.

[Thurbane]

Just FYI, there are some limits of what bonuses can be applied to ability damage from spells. See Rules Compendium page 123 and 136 under the rules for Weaponlike Spells.

Ability damage cannot be increased by Point Blank Shot, or precision damage (sneak attack etc.) for instance.

It would probably be fair to extrapolate that to restrict bonus damage from the Eager ability.

[Mr Adventurer]

Thanks all. Given the way the weapon is written, I don't think it'll be ruled to be anything other than damage with the weapon.

[Thurbane]

RAI, I would say a firm no. RAW: due to the wording, yes, applies to any damage you make in the surprise round and first round of combat.

Would it apply to ability damage? Again, due to the wording...maybe?

I mean, I'd firmly put this in "ask your DM" territory, but there is a strong RAW argument to support a permissive reading of the ability.

Compare to the wording for the Rapid Assault feat, which is a little more restirctive:

Just FYI, there are some limits of what bonuses can be applied to ability damage from spells. See Rules Compendium page 123 and 136 under the rules for Weaponlike Spells.

Ability damage cannot be increased by Point Blank Shot, or precision damage (sneak attack etc.) for instance.

It would probably be fair to extrapolate that to restrict bonus damage from the Eager ability.

Just stumbled on something else relevant while researching a different topic (bolding mine):


Some modifiers apply to both weapon and spell damage, but only if so stated.

http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_damage&alpha=