Splitting ability and weapon crystals

[reapersoulEater]

Hello, hope everyone is doing well.

As the tittle suggest, would the arrows being split benefit from a weapon crystal bonus according to the rules?

DM told me no, at that moment and didn't feel like arguing since I wanted to proceed with campaign.

So Longbow with splitting and a crystal of lesser electricity.

Splitting: Any missile fired from a splitting weapon, or an arrow or bolt enchanted with the splitting ability, breaks into two identical missiles before striking the intended target.
V-shaped engravings adorn a splitting weapon or splitting ammunition.
The splitting ability of a ranged weapon (must be a bow, crossbow, arrow, or bolt) only functions if its wielder has the Precise Shot feat.
Any arrow or bolt fired from a splitting weapon magically splits into two missiles in mid-flight. Both missiles are identical, sharing the nonsplitting properties of the original missile; for example, a +1 splitting arrow splits into two +1 arrows in mid-flight. Both missiles strike the same target. Make a separate attack roll for each missile using the same attack bonus.
Aura/Caster Level

Crystals: An augment crystal is a small gem, crystal, or similar object
that provides a magical effect when affi xed to a weapon, shield,
or suit of armor (or any other magic item that grants an armor
bonus to AC). Each item can hold a single augment crystal, but
an attached crystal can be swapped for another one at any time.
Attaching an augment crystal to (or removing it from) an item
requires a move action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
Effectively, each eligible item has a single “slot” that can
be fi lled by any appropriate augment crystal. Each augment
crystal’s Body Slot entry gives the appropriate item to which
it can be attached.

[Deophaun]

By strict RAW, your DM is generally correct. Enhancements that bestow their abilities upon ammunition state this in their descriptions (see energy aura in the MIC or flaming in the DMG for examples). The weapon crystal would need to state the same.

That said, archery is pretty sad, so boo to the DM.

[hamishspence]

One augment crystal specifically says it affects the user's next melee attack, but none of the rest do.

[reapersoulEater]

By strict RAW, your DM is generally correct. Enhancements that bestow their abilities upon ammunition state this in their descriptions (see energy aura in the MIC or flaming in the DMG for examples). The weapon crystal would need to state the same.

That said, archery is pretty sad, so boo to the DM.

Well if we are going with that ruling then weapon crystals would not function at all with bows then. Since to be able to deal the damage in the first place said crystal damage would have to be applied to the ammunition itself, after all that IS what is dealing the damage.

[DarkSoul]

Hello, hope everyone is doing well.

As the tittle suggest, would the arrows being split benefit from a weapon crystal bonus according to the rules?

DM told me no,

Bad news: thread's over right here, nothing else you said matters.

That being said, there's ample precedent that a weapon crystal on a bow would imbue the ammunition, and the arrow doesn't split until after it leaves the bow.

As a DM, I'd allow it. Yours didn't, though.

[reapersoulEater]

Bad news: thread's over right here, nothing else you said matters.

Lol he is not a tyrant, I've been able to change his mind before with good reasoning offcourse.

[Deophaun]

Well if we are going with that ruling then weapon crystals would not function at all with bows then. Since to be able to deal the damage in the first place said crystal damage would have to be applied to the ammunition itself, after all that IS what is dealing the damage.

That is correct: weapon crystals don't by strict RAW. (Note, I'm saying strict; it doesn't explicitly say it so it doesn't happen)

If, however, you are playing that they do, then it should transfer over. Here is the relevant text from splitting:

Both missiles are identical, sharing the nonsplitting properties of the original missile; for example, a +1 splitting arrow splits into two +1 arrows in mid-flight.

The arrows have everything that the original arrow had save for the splitting enhancement. That includes enhancement bonuses, other enhancements, spells, and modifiers applied by other items like weapon crystals.

[reapersoulEater]

I hope i'm not replying too late but my DM stated that the reason he doesn't allow it its because the crystal is considered a secondary magic enhancement, therefore not applicable. He said that if the bow had the +1 of shocking then it would be part of the split.

[Crake]

I hope i'm not replying too late but my DM stated that the reason he doesn't allow it its because the crystal is considered a secondary magic enhancement, therefore not applicable. He said that if the bow had the +1 of shocking then it would be part of the split.

Ask him if any of the arrows would have the augment crystal enchantment? If at least one of them has it, then why wouldn't they all have it?

[Deophaun]

I hope i'm not replying too late but my DM stated that the reason he doesn't allow it its because the crystal is considered a secondary magic enhancement, therefore not applicable.

There is no distinction in the rules between an enhancement and a "secondary magic enhancement." I don't think secondary enhancements are even a thing.