Footwork Lure + Polearm Momentum = At-Will Knock Prone?

[Cryptos]

This may not be what's intended (more on that later), but per RAW it looks like you could get an at-will ability to knock opponents prone as a level 1 Fighter.

Here's how it breaks down:

Melee Weapon: A melee attack power that has a range of "weapon" allows you to attack a target within the reach of the weapon you're wielding.

Footwork Lure
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. You can shift 1 square and slide the target into the space you left.

Polearm Momentum
Benefit: Whenever you use a polearm or a spear attack to push or slide a target two or more squares, you can also knock that target prone at the end of the forced movement.

Now, at first glance it seems that obviously the intent was to have an at-will power that allows you to move one square and slide your opponent one square into the one you left to create flanking opportunities. But per RAW, as reach weapons would allow you to attack a foe two squares from your position, it seems you could slide them two squares with this power while you shift one. By sliding the target two squares, you knock them prone.

And it does seem odd that after a search of the PHB and Martial Power, I didn't see any 2+ squares slide or pull powers for the Fighter from 1-9, yet Polearm Momentum is a Heroic Tier feat. After a quick pass through the powers it seems like Footwork Lure is the only Heroic Fighter power that would work with the feat.

Could they have really intended this? It's not immediately apparent until you go looking to make a certain build and go looking for feats to support it, but there it is.

 

[cmbarona]

Looks viable to me. And for that matter, whether or not it's intended, it looks to be in line with the rest of the Martial Power stuff: lots of candy for everyone!

 

[MyISPHatesENWorld]

The following add 1 square to the distance of a push::
Gauntlets of the Ram (Lvl8)
Controlling Weapon (Lvl8)
Rushing Cleats(Lvl7)

So Tide of Iron plus any of the items above also gets you an at-will knock prone. It seems pretty likely they were aware of at least one if not all of those items... Hard to imagine it isn't intended. At Paragon, you can pick up Spear Push and do it without an item.

 

[Ibixat]

This ability does cost you 15 dex and 15 wis though, which is a pretty heavy cost in attributes

 

[Thanee]

And being knocked prone isn't that bad really... more close to inconvenient.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Bagpuss]

And being knocked prone isn't that bad really... more close to inconvenient.

Unless they are setting you up for a Rogue. But I agree the stat requirements for the feat make it unlikely to be worth taking until at least Paragon Tier, where knocking prone becomes generally easier for a Fighter anyway.

 

[Thanee]

Flanking does that, too, and is likewise easy to set up.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ibixat]

Flanking does that, too, and is likewise easy to set up.

Bye
Thanee

I'll tell you how it plays out, I may actually play this build today, I'm not sure if it should be a battlerager or great weapon fighter build though, I think battlerager allows for the change to spear and shield at later levels while using glaive at first level. Though to be fair I may stick with glaive because of the awesome that HBO becomes with push 2 knockdown as part of it. It brings some new meaning to sticky when you can OA and force prone.

 

[Thanee]

It's definitely great to keep people where they are (at least roughly ).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ibixat]

A staggering weapon would be easy to get too at lower level, but it only affects slides

Critical: +1d6 damage per plus, and the target is knocked prone.
Property: When you use a power with the weapon keyword that slides a target, you can add this weapon’s enhancement bonus to the number of squares the target slides.

Though it does key in with the prone on crit to the builds idea.

Althought for a multiclass rogue/fighter, the trick strike daily makes it too funny.

Effect: Until the end of the encounter, each time you hit the target you slide it 1 square.

It's the effect line so hit or miss any time you hit that guy the rest of the fight you can slide him and knock prone.