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Dec 24, 2012 -- 9:22AM, Plaguescarred wrote:

If the Human Guard has his Halberd in hands and is dazed, he cannot make a Crossbow attack because he is not wielding the right weapon for exemple.

Technically, nothing says he HAS to use the crossbow to make the Crossbow attack.  It's a Weapon attack, however, so he needs to use a weapon.  That could be anything, including his crossbow, his halberd, a rock, a chair, or his fists (Improvised Weapons), and the damage is still 1d8+2 and the range is still 15/30, since it's doesn't say "1(W)+2" for damage or "Ranged Weapon" for the range.

Yeah, this could be kinda silly.  How does the Human Guard use his halberd to make a Crossbow attack?  The answer is that monsters have different rules, I guess.  He doesn't need to swap his weapon out because the power doesn't require a specific weapon to work. 

That having been said, as a DM, I would still make him spend the appropriate action to swap weapons when needed, just because my players would question it otherwise and I like to give them benefit of the doubt.

Dec 24, 2012 -- 9:35AM, RedSiegfried wrote:

It's a Weapon attack, however, so he needs to use a weapon.  That could be anything, including his crossbow, his halberd, a rock, a chair, or his fists (Improvised Weapons), and the damage is still 1d8+2 and the range is still 15/30

Using the Crossbow given range when not attacking with one would be unfair. When a power is called Crossbow, its intended to use one :P. They simply didn't put in every monster's weapon attacks a requirement that it needed the weapon shown in the title. They only use it for others one when the name differ. and for simplicty's sake all values are given so a DM doesn't have to check a weapon's Range. To take the Human Guard again, his other melee power Powerful Strike does require a Halberd since the name doesn't appear in the title. 

 Powerful Strike (standard; requires halberd, recharge )  Weapon
reach 2; +10 vs AC; 1d10+7 damage, and the target is knocked prone.

Similarly, when a Race doesn't appear in a monster's name they generally include the keyword.. ex. Drow Assassin has no Drow Keyword while Drizzt Do'Urden has one. While it lack the Keyword, the Drow Assassin is still supposed to be a Drow. 

While its RAW since monster powers don't use [W] and Ranged Weapon for damage and range but their value instead, it would make weapons totally irrevelant in a monsters statblock then unless it has some requirements.

Dec 24, 2012 -- 12:06PM, Fardiz wrote:

While its RAW since monster powers don't use [W] and Ranged Weapon for damage and range but their value instead, it would make weapons totally irrevelant in a monsters statblock then unless it has some requirements.

Well done, you finally get it! 

Agreed.  That's the RAW but when I DM I always try to remember to make the monster spend an action to swap weapons.  It's really only fair.

Dec 25, 2012 -- 7:56AM, RedSiegfried wrote:

[Agreed.  That's the RAW but when I DM I always try to remember to make the monster spend an action to swap weapons.  It's really only fair.

Especially when RAI is clear.

Technical RAW is often absurd and better not followed. Even thought RAW you can't fall while Prone i don't think anyone adjucate it this way. Same thing here. 

Dec 25, 2012 -- 12:24PM, Fardiz wrote:

So RAI, monsters never get to use their OA, unless they are willing to sacrifice minors every round? I think you need to open your eyes.

There is nothing absurd about this, this is just sensible. 

Indeed.

RAI is that monsters are easier to operate than PCs, because the DM has several to juggle and each player only has one PC.  Fussing over which weapon a monster has in hand is simply not worth the effort.