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

[Snowbody]

Originally Posted by NecroRebel

A 383

None of those things happen. The charger would still be charging unless the interrupting effect stopped it, so they'd need to continue abiding by the rules of a charge. In other words, they'd still be required to move up to their speed with every square of movement taking them closer to the target and they'd still need to end this move at least 2 tiles from where they started. They just wouldn't be able to make any attack at the end of the charge because the target wouldn't be within range of their MBA or bull rush abilities.

So in your understanding, the "target" of a charge is a particular square rather than a particular enemy? I don't think that's right.

It's unclear what would happen if a change in terrain made it impossible for the charger to fulfill those requirements. If a pit suddenly opened up, they might be required to attempt the charge out into open air, but what happens if a wall appeared is simply not covered by the rules.

What's supposed to happen if a change in terrain makes a regular move impossible? Is someone required to talk into a pit that opens up 20 feet in front?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Originally Posted by Snowbody

So in your understanding, the "target" of a charge is a particular square rather than a particular enemy? I don't think that's right.


What's supposed to happen if a change in terrain makes a regular move impossible? Is someone required to talk into a pit that opens up 20 feet in front?

I believe that, per RAW, for a charge to be successful you need to move at least two squares and then be within striking distance. The conditions are reconsidered after each square traveled. If at any point in the movement further movement becomes impossible and you are not within striking distance, the action ends and it is wasted. Equally if you reach striking distance without first traveling two squares.

So a pit opening before you (not under you) would mean you stop immediately (if you can't get around it under charging movement rules), even if you are far from the pit. If it open under you, you'd fall.

An interesting situation is a delayed action to "step one square close to that enemy that is 2 squares away if he charges me". By RAW, the charge would fail since after moving one square, he wouldn't be able to move another (they would already be at minimum distance) and he'd loose the attack action since the charge failed.

All that said, if this doesn't convince you (and I can't say I blame you), I'd recommend starting its own thread for the question so we don't run afoul of the Q&A posting rules - I can see this topic quickly becoming murky with rule interpretation on all sides.

Grey Wolf

[Dralnu]

Q 384

What's the difference between Reach 2 and Melee 2? Also, can they stack with each other?

[NotScaryBats]

Q 385
Do the attacks of (lbl 1 Ranger At Will) Twin Strike happen simultaneously or one-after-another?
Is it considered "one attack" or "two attacks"?
If I have +2 to my next attack, it applies to one of the Twin Strikes, not both?
With a Learning Weapon, that gives +1 to hit if I miss, could I roll one Twin Strike roll, then if I miss, add +1 to hit to the next one?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Originally Posted by Dralnu

A 384

What's the difference between Reach 2 and Melee 2? Also, can they stack with each other?

A 384

PHB 56: one indicates the distance at which you can perform melee attacks, the other the distance at which you can perform ranged attacks. Thus, they are not stackable.

Originally Posted by psiclone57

Q 385
Do the attacks of (lbl 1 Ranger At Will) Twin Strike happen simultaneously or one-after-another?
Is it considered "one attack" or "two attacks"?
If I have +2 to my next attack, it applies to one of the Twin Strikes, not both?
With a Learning Weapon, that gives +1 to hit if I miss, could I roll one Twin Strike roll, then if I miss, add +1 to hit to the next one?

A 385

They are two rolls to hit, and thus are consecutive. +2 to your next attack only affects the first, and indeed the +1 from learning weapon affect the second if you miss the first.

Grey Wolf

[tcrudisi]

Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c

A 384

PHB 56: one indicates the distance at which you can perform melee attacks, the other the distance at which you can perform ranged attacks. Thus, they are not stackable.

A 384 CORRECTION

Grey_Wolf mixed up Range with Reach. They are different.

If a power says that it's range is Melee 2, it does not matter if you are using a reach weapon or not: the reach weapon does not enhance this. So if you use a power, like, say, Lodestone Lure (Battlemind level 3 power from the Psionic Power book), it is a Melee 2 power (or Melee 5 if you augment it) and have a reach weapon, it is still Melee 2 (or 5) and not 3 (or 6).

Oops. I was actually going to cite my source, but it was PHB 1 ... around page 250 or 270. I can't remember and I closed it. :p

edit: You also asked about the difference. If a power says it is melee 2, you can always attack a monster one or two squares away from you, even if you are using a dagger. If a power says that it is a melee weapon attack (and not melee 2, for example), then typically you attack only enemies adjacent to you. Melee weapon increases when you use a reach weapon to become melee 2 --- basically.

So if you are using a Greatspear with a melee basic attack (which is a melee weapon power), then you can attack monsters two squares away. If you use a dagger to do this, you can attack monsters one square away. If you use a melee 2 power with a dagger, you can attack monsters two squares away. If you use a melee 2 power with a greatspear, you can attack monsters two squares away.

So, in other words, reach has no influence when the power specifies the distance as anything other than melee weapon.

[tcrudisi]

Q 386

Has the goddess Shar had her stats printed anywhere? If so, is it up to MM3 values?

[INDYSTAR188]

Q387:
Where can I find the feat Mobile Challenge?

[dariathalon]

A387

Mobile Challenge is in Dragon Magazine 378. This sort of thing can easily be looked up using the online compendium. It takes Insider to look up what the feat does, but even without it you can look up the sources that feats, classes, magic items, etc come from.

[Candle Jack]

Q388: In what book can I find the Herbalist feat?

[Mandrake]

A388

By courtesy of dariathalon and WotC (http://www.wizards.com/dndinsider/co.../database.aspx) in Primal Power, page 137.

[Sipex]

Q389

Kind of a two parter, but:

a) Is there any specific rule stating that you must be standing to mount?

b) If such a rule doesn't exist I'll be assuming (as the DM) that you can mount from prone. This is more matter of opinion, but if a character mounts from prone, are they still considered prone?

[tcrudisi]

A 389

A) Yes. Under the rules for prone: "The only way the creature can move is by crawling, teleporting, or being pulled, pushed, or slid." (Rules Compendium, p. 232)

Since mounting an adjacent creature requires that you move into its square, you can only mount a creature when standing.

Mount (Move Action): The rider mounts a creature adjacent to it and enters its space. (Rules Compendium, p. 253)

I can see an argument against having to be prone. The move action to mount never says you move into its space, it says you enter it. So, it can be read by strict RAW that you can mount while prone. Or it can be read that you cannot. Take from that what you will.

B) If you choose to read "enters its space" as something other than "you are entering its space by doing something other than moving", then that seems like a reasonable house-rule. However, since you are asking for opinion, I think it's clear enough that you can't mount a creature while prone.

[obryn]

Originally Posted by Sipex

A389
a) Is there any specific rule stating that you must be standing to mount?

tcrudisi covered this. I concur. (Edit: I concur that you cannot, that is, because you can't move into a space with the Mount action if you're prone.)

b) If such a rule doesn't exist I'll be assuming (as the DM) that you can mount from prone. This is more matter of opinion, but if a character mounts from prone, are they still considered prone?

I think this part is subsumed under (a), but...

"Prone while mounted" does not seem to be a possible game-state, given the rules for being knocked prone while mounted. The two possible outcomes are (1) not prone, still mounted; and (2) prone, no longer mounted. Voluntarily dropping prone also removes you from the Mount.

If this is an enemy, you can simply give them a Move power to simultaneously stand & mount from prone.

-O

[Kurald Galain]

Originally Posted by tcrudisi

A 389

I can see an argument against having to be prone. The move action to mount never says you move into its space, it says you enter it.

"Moving into" is a synonym of "entering", both by common English grammar and by the game rules. The rumor that those two terms are somehow different was only started on internet forums as a way to deal with a poorly written power, Storm Pillar, which has long since been errata'ed. Linky.

[Sipex]

Ah, I didn't think to look under the prone section of the rules :P

Another question, if you guys don't mind:

Q390

The warlord in my party is looking at the item the Timeless Locket, which has a power to allow you to make a standard action as a minor action BUT the action can't be an attack.

If the warlord uses her at will which grants an ally a free attack, does it count as the Warlord making an attack for purposes of this item?

[Yakk]

A390: See the ATTACK keyword on the power? (As in Warlord Attack 1) Or does it have an Attack line? Either one makes it an attack.

[Sipex]

Thank you!

[Kurald Galain]

Originally Posted by Yakk

A390: See the ATTACK keyword on the power? (As in Warlord Attack 1) Or does it have an Attack line? Either one makes it an attack.

Also, targeting an enemy makes it an attack; there has been some debate on whether the new Magic Missile is an attack, but the authors have confirmed that yes, it is.

[Snowbody]

A390
Direct the Strike doesn't target an enemy, it targets an ally.

Q391
My understanding is that:

Anything that targets an enemy is an attack -- even if it doesn't do damage. This includes forced movement, status effects, but not activating an aura. As such it breaks invisibility/Hidden.

Is this true?

[NecroRebel]

Originally Posted by Yakk

the ATTACK keyword on the power... makes it an attack.

Can you cite a source for this? I don't think that "attack" powers are necessarily attacks. For instance, the Ranger's Spitting Cobra Stance power (L5 daily, MP1 p. 47) is an attack power, but I wouldn't call the power itself an attack.

A cited source for Kurald's assertion that the post-errata Magic Missile is an attack would be a suitable precedent for the ruling that attack powers that don't actually involve attack rolls can be attacks, but doesn't necessarily extend to the general case.

[Kurald Galain]

Originally Posted by NecroRebel

A cited source for Kurald's assertion that the post-errata Magic Missile is an attack

Rules Compendium.

[Yakk]

A390 cont'd:

and some powers, such as magic missile, are designated as attacks yet lack attack rolls (using such a power counts as making an attack if the power has a target).

So "Ranger's Spitting Cobra Stance" is an attack, but activating it isn't making an attack. To make an attack, you need a target or an attack roll (I am not aware of a power that lacks a target, yet has an attack roll, so this can be simplified to "making an attack occurs when you use an attack on a target. If your attack has no target, you did not make an attack. The darkness counts (D.A. ca 1996).")

As it happens, Timeless Locket says "making an attack", so you could use the standard action to activate Spitting Cobra Stance. However, by RAW, a power with the ATTACK keyword that targets an ally and grants them the ability to do (something) is still "making an attack". It doesn't have to target an enemy.

Similarly, a utility power that lacks the ATTACK keyword that does target an enemy and doesn't have an attack roll isn't making an attack by the RAW.

[tcrudisi]

Q 392

Please help as quickly as possible! Is there a god(dess) that could be considered to be for the beggars?

Thanks in advance!

[Ashdate]

Originally Posted by tcrudisi

Q 392

Please help as quickly as possible! Is there a god(dess) that could be considered to be for the beggars?

Thanks in advance!

A 392: I don't think you'll find any specifically, but your best bet would probably be a god of luck (on the premise that they'll eventually get out of poverty). Otherwise, you might consider a god that has a domain such as "hope" (one who would likely take care of a beggar).

Luck:
PHB: Avandra
Forgotten Realms: Tymora
Eberron: Olladra

Hope:
PHB: Bahamut, Pelor
Forgotten Realms: Angharradh, Chauntea, Ilmater
Eberron: Dol Arrah

[tcrudisi]

Originally Posted by Ashdate

A 392: I don't think you'll find any specifically, but your best bet would probably be a god of luck (on the premise that they'll eventually get out of poverty). Otherwise, you might consider a god that has a domain such as "hope" (one who would likely take care of a beggar).

Luck:
PHB: Avandra
Forgotten Realms: Tymora
Eberron: Olladra

Hope:
PHB: Bahamut, Pelor
Forgotten Realms: Angharradh, Chauntea, Ilmater
Eberron: Dol Arrah

Thanks! Hope is a good idea and one of which I had not thought. Too bad none of those deities overlap.

[Dimers]

Q393

I have DDI but I don't have whichever book introduced themes into the game. Is there some way to look up in the DDI Compendium how to use themes? And am I correct in assuming that the player may freely swap in theme powers for class powers at the appropriate levels? (Non-DarkSun campaign, pre-Essentials classes)

[obryn]

A393
The Dark Sun Campaign Setting introduced the concept.

Dragon 399 introduced it to non-Dark-Sun Settings.

You pretty much take any theme you like (if you're using them in your game) and get a bunch of freebies - usually an encounter attack, at a minimum.

Power swaps are easy for Utility powers; you just take it instead of your numerous other Utility choices - class, skill, racial, etc.

For Attacks, it's a tad different. You need to be able to take an Attack power of that level (so e-Martial classes can't get them). Also, if these leveled attack powers get better at higher levels, you don't upgrade automatically. You need to take the power at that level. So, for example, if you took Storm of Debris (Primal Guardian 5/15/25) at 5th, you'd need to take it at 15th in order to upgrade it. You couldn't keep it in your D5 "slot" and have it work with its level 15 upgrades.

-O

[Tegu8788]

Q 394

What is the largest [W] weapliment a Primal or Arcane character can get for one feat and/or up to a level 3 item? Two-handed preferred.

[Ashdate]

Originally Posted by Tegu8788

Q 394

What is the largest [W] weapliment a Primal or Arcane character can get for one feat and/or up to a level 3 item? Two-handed preferred.

A 394: Without any more specifics about what you're looking for, you can get a d12 with a Fullblade by investing in the specific proficiency feat. If you're a Swordmage (an Arcane Defender), you can then use that Fullblade as an implement.