Simple Q&A D&D 4e Thread II: Electric Boogaloo

[Tegu8788]

A #466

Some weapon feats require that your stats are at least a certain level. A secondary stat shouldn't be a problem, and a decent tertiary stat can handle most of them. You can certainly use a hammer if you dump Con with no penalties, but you won't be able to get the extra bonuses to certain riders in particular powers, or access to some tasty feats.

[Echobeats]

Q467

Generally: how much of a distinction is there between close attacks and area attacks? Are they two separate categories or is one a subtype of the other? PHB pretty clearly suggests the former but I wonder if any errata might change that.

Specifically: does the feat Closing Advantage work with Sword Burst, which is a close burst 1?

Closing Advantage
Heroic Tier
Prerequisite: Swordmage
Benefit: When you use a ranged or area swordmage attack power and hit an enemy, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls with melee swordmage attack powers until the end of your next turn.

Thanks in advance.

[Kurald Galain]

A467 They are distinct. Page 270 of the PHB enumerates the four types of attack, i.e. melee, ranged, close, and area. Close attacks are not area attacks, nor are area attacks close.

Specifically: does the feat Closing Advantage work with Sword Burst, which is a close burst 1?

No.

[Stain]

Q468

I have seen a 4e mundane item called "camouflaged clothing" mentioned somewhere. Can somebody tell me where exactly I can find it?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Q468

I have seen a 4e mundane item called "camouflaged clothing" mentioned somewhere. Can somebody tell me where exactly I can find it?

Dragon 373 p22

GW

[Dimers]

Q 469

By RAW, is it possible for a Psionic Augmentation classed character to switch out their at-will attacks for theme encounter attack powers? Does any Dark Sun book address this?

[Dimers]

Also, Q 470:

If you choose an at-will power that you can use once per encounter (as with Acolyte of Divine Secrets feat), is it encounter, at-will or both?

If you choose an at-will and can use it as an encounter power (as with Corellon's Boon of Arcane Might alternative reward), is it encounter, at-will or both?

For both Q469 and Q470, even answers that aren't strictly RAW would be appreciated if they have some authority, e.g. Customer Service team.

[Inevitability]

Q470 I'd say that if you can use an at-will power 'once per encounter' it still is an at-will power.
If you can use an at-will power 'as an encounter power' it is treated as an encounter power.
For example, the warlock multiclass feat works with Sacrifice to Caphion.

[Kurald Galain]

Q470 I'd say that if you can use an at-will power 'once per encounter' it still is an at-will power.

I would say the opposite: if you can use a power once per encounter, then it is by definition an encounter power; this is similar to how if you make a power deal fire damage, then it is by definition a fire power.

That said, I'm not aware of any rules or FAQs explicitly stating this either way.

[Echobeats]

Q471: The magic item Hungry Spear has the following power:

Power * Encounter (Standard Action)

Make a ranged basic attack with this spear. On a hit, the target is also immobilized (save ends). The spear doesn't return to you until the immobilized effect on the target imposed by this weapon is ended.

This implies that there is a general rule under which it would otherwise return (by magic, presumably) to the wielder after being thrown at an enemy. However, I can't find this rule. Where/what is it, and what does it apply to? All ranged attacks, all thrown weapons, only magical spears...?

Thanks all.

[GPuzzle]

A471

If I'm not mistaken, it's in the PHB. All magic thrown items go back to your hand after they're thrown.

[Echobeats]

For both Q469 and Q470, even answers that aren't strictly RAW would be appreciated if they have some authority, e.g. Customer Service team.

A469: I just tried it in the Character Builder with a 7th level Battlemind I had already made, and the option wasn't there, even with "Additional Options" ticked. I did get the theme option for the L5 daily though. Not sure if this constitutes sufficient authority for you. Was the question prompted by you finding the same thing?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

A471

If I'm not mistaken, it's in the PHB. All magic thrown items go back to your hand after they're thrown.

It is indeed in the PHB (and I believe even more clearly in Rule Compendium), but I suspect it is only for magical weapons, or possibly even only for magical weapons with "thrown" quality. You can't throw your magical boots and have them return (more's the pity)

Will check when I get home, if no-one beats me to it.

Grey Wolf

[Kurald Galain]

A471 Indeed, all magical "light throw" or "heavy thrown" weapons return, and other items do not (PHB1 page 232) although if you're using a ki focus, then anything you can physically throw will count as a magic weapon.

...including wolves.

[Echobeats]

It is indeed in the PHB (and I believe even more clearly in Rule Compendium), but I suspect it is only for magical weapons, or possibly even only for magical weapons with "thrown" quality. You can't throw your magical boots and have them return (more's the pity)

Will check when I get home, if no-one beats me to it.

Grey Wolf

This is what comes of playing a Wizard for too long: no idea how weapons work. I did try the compendium though under obvious searches like "thrown weapons". What entry does it come under?

[Epinephrine]

A471 Indeed, all magical "light throw" or "heavy thrown" weapons return, and other items do not (PHB1 page 232) although if you're using a ki focus, then anything you can physically throw will count as a magic weapon.

I'm not sure; you get to use the ki focus enhancement bonus, but it never states that the weapon become a magic weapon, so I'm not sure that you would get the returning ability mentioned in the PHB. Cats have fur. having fur doesn't make something a cat. PHB pg. 232 explains that magic weapons add an enhancement bonus to the attack roll, but having an enhancement bonus to the attack roll (from a ki focus) doesn't make a weapon magical.

I would say that thrown weapons used with a ki focus do not return, as the ki focus does not turn them into magical weapons.

[shamgar001]

Q472

Am I allowed to prepare an action with the condition that my turn ends?

For example, say I'm weakened. I use my standard action to prepare and attack. My turn ends, I save, and I make the attack while not weakened.

[Kurald Galain]

A472 No. Readied actions can only trigger off another action, and by a strict reading it has to be an enemy action. PHB1 page 291.

(besides, if tricks like this were legal, then every single monster would also start using them, and suddenly most conditions become worthless)

[Inevitability]

But shouldn't you be able to just say: 'I ready an action to attack when [monster right after me in initiative] does something'?

[Kurald Galain]

But shouldn't you be able to just say: 'I ready an action to attack when [monster right after me in initiative] does something'?

"Does something" is too vague as a trigger, you need to specify what you expect the enemy to do. That said, yes this will work, assuming you know which enemy comes after you (which most DMs will tell you, but they're not required to do that) and there's the chance that it'll delay or otherwise not trigger your readied action.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Also, the DM might rule that you don't roll your save until your readied action completes, just as it would happen if you delay, since readying, just like delaying, moves you out of the initiative order and places you back in when the action triggers. As per PHB 288:

Make Saving Throws after You Act: After you return to the initiative order and take your actions, you make saving throws against effects on you

Grey Wolf

[matrix_machine]

Q 473

The Battlemind power Momentum Swing states:

Effect: You shift 2 squares to a square adjacent to any enemy other than the target.

My question is: what happens if there isn't an enemy within 2 squares? What if there aren't any other enemies at all? There doesn't seem to be any stipulation about having nearby enemies in the power description, and, as written, my DM decided that this meant that I would either have to move in the direction of a nearby enemy (in the case that there is an enemy who is not within 2 squares) or not move at all (in the case of no other enemies). Any thoughts?

[Tegu8788]

A 473

If you can't shift (up to) 2 squares to be adjacent to another target, nothing happens.

[Echobeats]

A 473

If you can't shift (up to) 2 squares to be adjacent to another target, nothing happens.

A473

You can, however, augment this power to either increase the distance of the shift to your speed, or get a free charge without provoking an OA.

[Echobeats]

Also, the DM might rule that you don't roll your save until your readied action completes, just as it would happen if you delay, since readying, just like delaying, moves you out of the initiative order and places you back in when the action triggers. As per PHB 288:

Make Saving Throws after You Act: After you return to the initiative order and take your actions, you make saving throws against effects on you

A472

Can't see any basis for this in RAW seeing as "Delay" and "Ready an Action" are separate entries which don't refer to each other. Of course, a DM might rule that, but IMO it would be either a house rule or a mistake.

[Gavran]

Q474

Is the monk feat Slashing Kama Style mandatory?

It reads like it is, but so does forced movement so I thought it worth asking.

[Tegu8788]

A 474

No. You are not required to take it by any rule.

[Teapot Salty]

Q475

What is burst? When something says burst 5, or each enemy in a burst, what does it mean?


Q476

Can you use a reach weapon to strike adjacent foes?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

What is burst? When something says burst 5, or each enemy in a burst, what does it mean?

It means it targets every square in X squares in every direction around the source point. The source may be the caster (close burst) or a distant point selected by the caster (ranged burst), but once the source point is chosen, the area of effect is every square around it. See PHB 272

Can you use a reach weapon to strike adjacent foes?

Yes, just like you can shoot something not at the far end of the weapon range.

Grey Wolf

[Gavran]

Q474C

Amusing (genuinely), but I meant is the effect it offers (replace one Flurry of Blows damage instance with equivalent Ongoing Damage) mandatory after you've already taken the feat, or can I choose to not use it (say in the instance that the target is already under its effect, or is known to have many save bonuses)?