Dimensional Thunder

[Khime]

Forked from: Class Acts: Swordmage

It's more like this:
You first teleport adjacent to Ted (if you can reach)
Then you hit Ted (dealing 2[W] + Int damage)
Then If Susie and Tim are adjacent to Ted they (Ted included) take the ongoing damage.

When this original Class Acts article came out, everyone seemed in agreement that this is how the Dimensional Thunder power worked - you teleported next to someone, swung at them, and then everyone adjacent to you took ongoing damage.

With the PHB II release, though, we got a more specific explanation on Reading a Power, and specifically regarding Sequence: The order of information in a power description is a general guide to the sequence in which the power's various effects occur.

So now I'm wondering if the view on how this power works has changed, if it's intended to be performed in the sequence as written:

Dimensional Thunder - Swordmage Attack 1
As you pass unseen through dimensional space, you leave in your wake a thunderous roar that bombards enemies upon your arrival.
Daily * Arcane, Teleportation, Thunder, Weapon
Standard Action, Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence vs. Fortitude
Effect: Teleport a number of squares equal to your Constitution modifier.
Hit: 2[W] + Intelligence modifier thunder damage.
Effect: Each enemy adjacent to you gains ongoing 5 thunder damage (save ends).

It almost seems like, if you read it strictly in order, that you swing at an enemy in melee range, then teleport, then (if your attack roll succeeded) you actually hit the target (i.e. after you teleport away), then you blast enemies you've arrived next to.

Or is the consensus still that the power was written incorrectly, and either the first Effect line should be before the Attack line, or that the Effect line should have "before making your attack" at the end?

 

[fba827]

I've seen it argued both ways and, honestly, I can see it justified either way because the wording is not standard (the effect line #1 splits the attack and hit lines which is not "normal").

Personally I think I prefer it to be attack->teleport->ongoing damage to those near your new location.
However, (again, personally) at my game table I'd rule it as teleport->attack->ongoing damage. I'd rule it this way because if the teleport happens after the attack, then there would be little sense in having two "effect" lines and instead have it as two sentences of one effect line. So by splitting that sentence to multiple effect lines, it seems more likley that effect #1 is supposed to happen before the attack.

Again, all that is just a personal interpretation and not based on raw in any way size shape or form.