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View Full Version : [4e]Powers, shifting, and difficult Terrain



Blackfang108
2009-09-28, 09:33 AM
If a power states "you shift before the attack" does difficult terrain stop this shift?

Specific powers question: Angelic Alacrity, Aspect of Agility. (both Avenger Powers)

Kurald Galain
2009-09-28, 09:45 AM
If a power states "you shift before the attack" does difficult terrain stop this shift?
Unless you're an elf, or have some kind of way of shifting more than one square, you cannot shift onto difficult terrain.

Blackfang108
2009-09-28, 10:31 AM
Unless you're an elf, or have some kind of way of shifting more than one square, you cannot shift onto difficult terrain.

So if the power says you shift 1+DEX mod squares (5 total in this case) I should be able to shift (1+DEX)/2 squares (or 2 squares.)

Kurald Galain
2009-09-28, 10:43 AM
So if the power says you shift 1+DEX mod squares (5 total in this case) I should be able to shift (1+DEX)/2 squares (or 2 squares.)

Precisely. Or 1 difficult square and 3 regular ones.

meet shield
2009-09-28, 10:47 AM
about that, remember that a square of difficoult terrain count double when you ENTER that square, and normal when you came out. Of course , if the second square is also difficoult terrain , you still have to half you movement. But still.

Blackfang108
2009-09-28, 01:03 PM
about that, remember that a square of difficoult terrain count double when you ENTER that square, and normal when you came out. Of course , if the second square is also difficoult terrain , you still have to half you movement. But still.

Everything was difficult terrain (Last Breaths of Ashenport. Rainy as all the Abyss, crappy roads.).

but yeah. Ok, thanks. Now to point thsat out to the DM who said: no, you can't shift, even if the power lets you. (I was able to get one shift off, as I gained pahsing as part of the power.

Thajocoth
2009-09-28, 01:05 PM
Difficult terrain uses up an extra square of movement to enter. It don't matter what the type of movement is. So if you're only moving one square (which is what MOST shifting is), then you cannot enter a difficult terrain space. So shifting is OFTEN blocked by difficult terrain, but not for some powers. Also Elves and Bullywugs ignore difficult terrain in specific scenarios (forests & swamps, I believe...)

FoE
2009-09-28, 01:12 PM
Everything was difficult terrain (Last Breaths of Ashenport. Rainy as all the Abyss, crappy roads.)

Did you try to leave town? Silly boy. :smallamused:

Blackfang108
2009-09-28, 01:18 PM
Did you try to leave town? Silly boy. :smallamused:

Nope, this was in town. A massive rainstorm still makes it Difficult Terrain, even on modern day roads. (as I found out on my way home after the session last night. Blasted Midwest Fall.)

TheEmerged
2009-09-28, 02:19 PM
Also note that there are a couple of powers/items that explicitly say the shift for this power ignores difficult terrain (can't remember the specific ones right now, though).

Boci
2009-09-28, 02:24 PM
Would it be reasonable to allow a kobold to shift 1 square by exspending 2 minor actions? I know that by strict RAW they cannot.

Blackfang108
2009-09-28, 02:31 PM
Would it be reasonable to allow a kobold to shift 1 square by exspending 2 minor actions? I know that by strict RAW they cannot.

I'd allow it. Granted, it seems like a massive waste of actions, but I'd allow it.

Artanis
2009-09-28, 02:54 PM
Would it be reasonable to allow a kobold to shift 1 square by exspending 2 minor actions? I know that by strict RAW they cannot.

I think it would be fine. It'd basically just be extending the double-move mechanic to this one specific case.

Thajocoth
2009-09-28, 03:26 PM
Would it be reasonable to allow a kobold to shift 1 square by exspending 2 minor actions? I know that by strict RAW they cannot.

I'd allow it as well. If a person does multiple movement things in a row, I let them use them as one big piece... So a Fighter with speed 5 who wants to move + charge through 5 squares of difficult terrain, for example, I'd allow as well, even though that 3rd square is half-moved into in one action and the other half in the other... But, like, for: move, attack, action-point, charge, (all through difficult terrain with a speed of 5) I wouldn't allow a 5th total square, because they stopped to attack between movements.

I'm not so sure that that's a houserule so much as something that the rules never really clarified that just makes sense.

KillianHawkeye
2009-09-28, 06:22 PM
I'm not so sure that that's a houserule so much as something that the rules never really clarified that just makes sense.

The only houserule is that you're allowing the extra space on a move + charge. You already get that extra space normally when using a double move action in that situation. (The book says to use the total move distance when doing a double move, which is how you get that extra space from an odd movement speed.)

I think the double move rules even apply to shifting, which would allow even a human to shift over difficult terrain by spending both his standard and move actions to shift. Of course, hopefully he has something better to do with his turn than that, but it should be possible.