A fair number of people are arguing that, when you are holding an implement whose power(s) have keywords like fire or frost, you apply those keywords to any
attack you make, even when you aren't using the implement to make the attack or aren't activating the specific implement power that has the keyword. A
growing number of builds seem to rely on this premise as well -- hold a staff of winter so your burning blizzard feat is always operating, hold a wand of fiery
bolt so your astral fire feat is always operating, etc.
I don't see how this can be the case, despite the vehemence with which most of the char-op folks insist that it is. The relevant PH text (page 226) is admittedly very poorly worded, but surely an implement's keyword shouldn't apply to an attack unless you are actually activating the keyword? i.e., an exploit that uses your flaming sword while it is in fact aflame would count as a fire attack, but a magic missile cast through a wand of fiery bolt wouldn't count as a fire attack.
Am I off base here?
I don't see how this can be the case, despite the vehemence with which most of the char-op folks insist that it is. The relevant PH text (page 226) is admittedly very poorly worded, but surely an implement's keyword shouldn't apply to an attack unless you are actually activating the keyword? i.e., an exploit that uses your flaming sword while it is in fact aflame would count as a fire attack, but a magic missile cast through a wand of fiery bolt wouldn't count as a fire attack.
Am I off base here?
