Does forced movement trigger an attack from a spirit companion?

[Tav_Behemoth]

The Shaman spirit companion powers that are Opportunity Actions have a curious phrasing:

Trigger: An enemy leaves a square adjacent to your spirit companion without shifting

Does that mean that if the enemy is pushed, pulled, or slid out of the adjacent square, the spirit companion's attack is triggered?

 

[Dalzig]

RAW, most likely.

My RAI, the attack is an Opportunity Action, which is close enough to an Opportunity Attack, therefore Forced Movement doesn't provoke these attacks.

Yeah, it's a bit of a stretch...

 

[Obryn]

RAW, most likely.

My RAI, the attack is an Opportunity Action, which is close enough to an Opportunity Attack, therefore Forced Movement doesn't provoke these attacks.

Yeah, it's a bit of a stretch...

I disagree. Opportunity Actions are pretty clearly defined in the PHB1, so if the action type is an Opportunity Action, it won't work against targets forced to move.

-O

 

[Paultimatum]

I also think that the by RAW, the spirit companion's attack is triggered. In the PHB 1 it never says that opportunity actions cannot be triggered by forced movement (as far as I can tell, could be wrong but I definatly don't see it), only that opportunity attacks, a specific type of opportunity action, are not. This could have some overpowered results, although opportunity actions are still limited to one per turn.

 

[Obryn]

Aha. Found it... I know I remembered it, but you folks were starting to convince me when I didn't see it in the Opportunity Actions section. It's not there - it's in the forced movement section.

PHB, page 285.

No Opportunity Attacks: Forced movement does not provoke opportunity attacks or other opportunity actions

-O

 

[DracoSuave]

Agreed with above poster.

Opportunity actions are not triggered by forced movement, RAW, and RAI.

 

[Tav_Behemoth]

So the strange wording is there to say that the spirit companion gets to use this power to make opportunity attacks based on movement as normal, but can't take them in response to other things like making a ranged or area attack?

I'd hoped to make a shaman multiclassed into druid, with forced movement powers that'd trigger the companion's OA power. Looks like that won't work, but it's still attractive for zone attacks that'd force the enemy to either stick around and take damage or move away and take the OA. (I'd have no chance of doing enough damage to snuff out the spirit companion, so I can include it in the zone without worry.)

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

So the strange wording is there to say that the spirit companion gets to use this power to make opportunity attacks based on movement as normal, but can't take them in response to other things like making a ranged or area attack?

I'd hoped to make a shaman multiclassed into druid, with forced movement powers that'd trigger the companion's OA power. Looks like that won't work, but it's still attractive for zone attacks that'd force the enemy to either stick around and take damage or move away and take the OA. (I'd have no chance of doing enough damage to snuff out the spirit companion, so I can include it in the zone without worry.)

Yep, I think the OA allowances for spirit companions were limited deliberately in order to reign in its power a bit. If ranged or area attacks triggered SC OAs then they would virtually be the cure all for artillery. This way you can do as you say and drop a zone or AoE on top of the companion (or another caster can do it) and give the monster a no-win choice of moving away and getting OA'ed or stick around and take the spell ongoing effects. Plus you can do all your other spirit companions nasties to them.

Forced movement is still good too. Just force move the monster next to the companion and when it tries to move away, then you can OA it. Combined with a zone that's pretty neato. Even without a zone it is not bad.

 

[Obryn]

So the strange wording is there to say that the spirit companion gets to use this power to make opportunity attacks based on movement as normal, but can't take them in response to other things like making a ranged or area attack?

That's how I'm reading it, yep. It's a more limited form of Opportunity Attack. (It's still better than nothing, though!)

I'd hoped to make a shaman multiclassed into druid, with forced movement powers that'd trigger the companion's OA power. Looks like that won't work, but it's still attractive for zone attacks that'd force the enemy to either stick around and take damage or move away and take the OA. (I'd have no chance of doing enough damage to snuff out the spirit companion, so I can include it in the zone without worry.)

I think the Shaman has quite a few Zone attacks as is, actually. It's still a good idea, though - it's a good way to force the issue and use your powers with one another.

-O