Ice Rays question

[Kirellan]

Icy Rays is:

Target: One or two creatures. Attack: Int vs. Ref, one attack per target. Hit: 1d10 + Int, and immobilize.

The flavor text says "You fire two bolts..."

If I target one creature (with "two bolts"), do I:

A. Roll 1 attack roll, and if I hit, do 1d10+int (because it's only "one attack per target");

B. Roll 1 attack roll, and if I hit, do 1d10+int twice (because I'm hitting with two bolts, but only roll "one attack per target"); or

C. Roll 2 attack rolls, and each that hits does 1d10+int, but both to the same target?

Under the RAW, I think the answer is A, but that seems a bit weak. What's really confusing me here is the combination of "one or two targets" with "one attack roll per target", when compared to the flavor text of "two bolts". Is this really designed to prevent wizards from using both bolts against the same target and "doubling up" on damage or chance to hit?

 

[Runestar]

Seems like A as well. I guess it is the designer's really awkward way of saying that you cannot aim both bolts at the same foe to deal double damage (as may be the case if you are facing a solo enemy, or want to deal more damage to a single target). So if you can only hit 1 enemy at a time, one bolt is wasted.

 

[Arakim]

Icy Rays is:

Target: One or two creatures. Attack: Int vs. Ref, one attack per target. Hit: 1d10 + Int, and immobilize.

The flavor text says "You fire two bolts..."

If I target one creature (with "two bolts"), do I:

A. Roll 1 attack roll, and if I hit, do 1d10+int (because it's only "one attack per target");

B. Roll 1 attack roll, and if I hit, do 1d10+int twice (because I'm hitting with two bolts, but only roll "one attack per target"); or

C. Roll 2 attack rolls, and each that hits does 1d10+int, but both to the same target?

Under the RAW, I think the answer is A, but that seems a bit weak. What's really confusing me here is the combination of "one or two targets" with "one attack roll per target", when compared to the flavor text of "two bolts". Is this really designed to prevent wizards from using both bolts against the same target and "doubling up" on damage or chance to hit?

If you have 2 targets in range, you may attack both targets. If you only have one target in range, you may only attack and damage him once, for d10+int in your example.

 

[Kirellan]

The more I think about it, I think A is the correct answer as well. d10+int is pretty high damage for a wizard power. Being able to do 2d10+int or 1d10+int (x2) to a single target, and immobilize, as a third-level encounter power would tend to be overpowered for a wizard (but not for a warlock - at least without the immobilize effect).

 

[ForbidenMaster]

Flavor text has nothing to do with what the power actually does.

 

[Kirellan]

Where the rules are unclear, the flavor text can provide guidance on how the power is intended to work. That's the only reason I referenced it.

Having said that, I'm pretty confident that a single target only gets attacked with one ray, not two.

 

[dervish]

I'll just chime in with the other people here. The "one attack per target" part is what implies that it is just that: One attack per target. Look at Twin Strike for an example of the opposite. Twin Strike instead says "two attacks", so they can be directed at the same target.

 

[Oompa]

Never.. ever.. use flavor text for crunch.. flavor is flavor..

You gave the answer in the first post already..

Target: One or two creatures. Attack: Int vs. Ref, one attack per target. Hit: 1d10 + Int, and immobilize

So one attack per target.. and also one hit per target..

 

[Hypersmurf]

I asked the same question in regards to Spikes of the Manticore

-Hyp.