Mordenkainen's Sword. Am I reading this right?

[Kisanji Arael]

Okay, I do not trust the words in front of me, so I thought I would check in here, since you all know what you're doing.

Mordenkainen’s Sword Wizard Attack 9
You invoke a sword of crackling golden force that slashes and
stabs furiously at the creature you indicate.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Conjuration, Force, Implement
Standard Action Ranged 10
Effect: You conjure a sword of force in an unoccupied square
within range, and it attacks. As a move action, you can move
the sword to a new target within range. The sword lasts
until the end of your next turn.
Target: One creature adjacent to the sword
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d10 + Intelligence modifier force damage.
Sustain Minor: When you sustain the sword, it attacks again.

So as I read this, assuming that casting the spell was a wizard's first action, then he should have 1 move action and 1 minor action left this turn, and 1 standard action, 1 move action and 1 minor action on the following turn.

Wizard casts MS. MS appears. MS attacks.
Wizard substitutes turn 1's move action into a minor action and, using both minor actions, the sword attacks twice more.
Assuming that the target does not move or cannot move, then:
The sword does not automatically attack on his next turn, and -
Wizard substitutes his standard action and his move action into minor actions, and sustains the spell three more times.

At this point,, for a wizard with intelligence 18 and no implement, the sword's maximum damage is 6 * (10 +4) = 84.

Is my understanding sound?

 

[HighTemplar]

Nope, you cannot sustain a spell more then once a round, and you cannot sustain it the round it's been cast. Someone else will bring you the exact pages on what im saying ^^

 

[HighTemplar]

okok i dirtied my hands

✦ Sustained Durations: An effect that has a "sustain standard,” a “sustain move,” or a “sustain minor” duration lasts as long as you sustain it. Starting on the turn after you create an effect, you sustain the effect by taking the indicated action: a standard action, a move action, or a minor action. (You can sustain an effect once per turn.) Some effects do something, such as attack, when you sustain them. A power’s description indicates what happens when you sustain it or let it lapse. At the end of your turn, if you haven’t spent the required action to sustain the effect, the effect ends

 

[Kisanji Arael]

Thanks. That makes it go from unbalanced to underpowered, which was just what I was expecting.

 

[HighTemplar]

If you call a free INT VS REF attack for 1d10+int dmg for a minor action underpowered.

I personnaly like it. It's a refreshing kind of power, plus as a wizard you can usually just do a standard action and hit pretty much any target, which leaves you with an unused move and minor action, perfect for moving the sword up to 20 squares!!(as long as you keep it within 10 sq of yourself) to attack another bad guy when you spend your minor to sustain it

 

[jelmore]

Nope, you cannot sustain a spell more then once a round, and you cannot sustain it the round it's been cast. Someone else will bring you the exact pages on what im saying ^^

For me, it helps to think of the "Sustain:" line as similar to paying upkeep in MtG. In order to keep the effect going, you have to pay X, where "X" in this case is a minor action.

 

[kerbarian]

Thanks. That makes it go from unbalanced to underpowered, which was just what I was expecting.

I think it's pretty strong for a level-9 daily, actually. If you cast it at the start of a 10-round fight and it attacks every round, that's (eventually) equivalent to an attack with 10d10 + 10x Intelligence modifier damage + 10x implement enhancement damage. At level 9, I'd expect a +5 Intelligence modifier and a +2 implement enhancement, so that's 10d10 + 70 damage. If you're pushing it, you could have a +6 Intelligence modifier and a +3 Force Wand for 10d10 + 110 damage.

Another way to look at it is that, for the rest of the encounter, it gives you an extra at-will attack as a minor action every round. It's not exactly equivalent to a wizard at-will attack, but it's pretty close.

 

[blargney the second]

Neat spell - it's kind of like eldritch blast as a minor action.
-blarg

 

[Kisanji Arael]

Kerbarian-

Actually, as I read it, it can only last two rounds. Thus the, "lasts until the end of your next round."

AKA Even if you sustain it, the spell doesn't last for another round. It just, "attacks again."

 

[Stogoe]

Kerbarian-

Actually, as I read it, it can only last two rounds. Thus the, "lasts until the end of your next round."

AKA Even if you sustain it, the spell doesn't last for another round. It just, "attacks again."

I don't know what to tell you except "you're reading it wrong." Sustaining a power pushes its time limit out one round further. That's how they work.