Persistent Harrier

[Nullzone]

Rules question time-

Trigger: An enemy hits or misses you with an attack for the first time during an encounter

What's the "statute of limitations" (so to speak) on this power? If there are 4 monsters on the field, and I would prefer to use the power on monster 4, but monster 1 attacks me first, do I still have the option to wait for monster 4?

My read is yes, the first time any given enemy attacks me I can use the power. Obviously it's an encounter power, so it's nonfunctional once burned, but the wording isn't exactly clear with regards to whether you have to use it absolutely the first time you get attacked ever or if you can wait until a certain monster attacks you instead.

 

[bganon]

I always read this as "no". If they intended what you think it meant, I think they would've worded it as "Trigger: an enemy hits or misses you with their first attack in an encounter". Since it doesn't say that, I think it triggers the first time you're attacked, period.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Ambiguity of English. The last phrase could adhere to either the first term or the second term. Honestly I haven't read up on this one so I don't even know what the consensus is on it, if there even is one. Honestly? It isn't drastically more powerful with the more open interpretation. As you say, it can only work once per encounter anyway. If you hold off you risk the possibility that you won't trigger it at all, while if you blow it right away you might potentially have gotten better mileage out of it later.

 

[Ferghis]

I'm with bganon as far as a hard ruling is concerned, but AA has a good point. I don't know the power in question, and even if I did I might not know all the consequences, but if there's no clear need for the limitation, I'd be inclined, as a DM, to open it up to some flexibility. Within reason, that is.

 

[Mummolus]

It's just like the other battlemind features - triggers at the beginning of an encounter or not at all.

 

[tiornys]

It's just like the other battlemind features - triggers at the beginning of an encounter or not at all.

Not really. In fact, each Battlemind trigger has a distinctly different timing, and two of them can potentially not happen until very late in the combat.

Speed of Thought occurs simultaneous with the beginning of combat, always. Wild Focus must occur during the first round of combat*, but its trigger will go off for each enemy in the encounter during that round, so it's easy to wait until your preferred enemy starts their turn rather than firing it at the first enemy to act. Battle Resilience doesn't trigger until you get attacked, which will usually happen early but need not happen until very late (or possibly not at all). Persistent Harrier is similar (you have to be attacked, which might not happen early or at all), and its trigger is ambiguously worded, as AbdulAlhazred pointed out.

There's no way to give an official answer to the question; RAW is ambiguous. Great fodder for a FAQ entry.

t~

*technically, if you didn't fire Wild Focus on the first round, and an enemy were introduced into the combat later on, it too could be used well after the beginning of combat

 

[aurance]

I'm with AbdulAlhazred. There's just no way to tell, grammatically.

However it certainly isn't overpowered to let you wait for monster 4.

 

[Fkewl]

My take on this one would be :

If monsters #1 to #4 are the same , on the same initiative and before the player - then yes, you can trigger on #4 instead of #1, since they are hypothetically going all at the same time (init)

Now, if monsters #1 to #4 are not the same init, only the first monster (be it #1 through #4) can trigger it.

 

[Istaran]

The FAQ for Psionic Power covers this:

1. Does the persistent harrier Battlemind power trigger the first time any enemy hits or misses me in the encounter, or can it trigger be triggered any time a particular enemy hits me for the first time?

The power triggers the first time any enemy hits or misses you in the encounter.
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