Prayer Question - Cause Fear

[parcival42]

My friends and I are playing an adventure using the prerelease 4th edition rules and the pregens. I'm playing Erias the Sunlord, the cleric, and I had a question about his encounter power, Cause Fear.

It states that, on a hit, "The target moves his speed +2 squares away from you. The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks."

First, does the target flee immediately, or on its next turn? We ruled that it fled immediately, which allowed it to run directly back to its original position on its turn. Seems like, unless the foe is going to provoke OAs, the spell isn't that useful.

Anyone else see something that I'm missing?

 

[Gargazon]

My friends and I are playing an adventure using the prerelease 4th edition rules and the pregens. I'm playing Erias the Sunlord, the cleric, and I had a question about his encounter power, Cause Fear.

It states that, on a hit, "The target moves his speed +2 squares away from you. The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks."

First, does the target flee immediately, or on its next turn? We ruled that it fled immediately, which allowed it to run directly back to its original position on its turn. Seems like, unless the foe is going to provoke OAs, the spell isn't that useful.

Anyone else see something that I'm missing?

That's how I ruled it too, and it does seem a little underpowered...

 

[Pistonrager]

I'm sure there is something in the rules that makes it clearer... but thats how it's been ruled in my game. there may be some fiddly text specifically for fear effects that says the movement occurs on it's turn....but no book just yet.. closer though.

 

[Lacyon]

My friends and I are playing an adventure using the prerelease 4th edition rules and the pregens. I'm playing Erias the Sunlord, the cleric, and I had a question about his encounter power, Cause Fear.

It states that, on a hit, "The target moves his speed +2 squares away from you. The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks."

First, does the target flee immediately, or on its next turn? We ruled that it fled immediately, which allowed it to run directly back to its original position on its turn. Seems like, unless the foe is going to provoke OAs, the spell isn't that useful.

Anyone else see something that I'm missing?

Well, for one, the spell works best when the target would provoke a LOT of OAs. Otherwise it's on the weak side. But then if he runs back, he grants combat advantage for the turn, too, which makes everybody on your team +2 to hit him.

 

[TheLordWinter]

My friends and I are playing an adventure using the prerelease 4th edition rules and the pregens. I'm playing Erias the Sunlord, the cleric, and I had a question about his encounter power, Cause Fear.

It states that, on a hit, "The target moves his speed +2 squares away from you. The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks."

First, does the target flee immediately, or on its next turn? We ruled that it fled immediately, which allowed it to run directly back to its original position on its turn. Seems like, unless the foe is going to provoke OAs, the spell isn't that useful.

Anyone else see something that I'm missing?

Have the target flee on its turn. This way the spell both wastes an enemy turn, provokes an OA and gets them across potentially dangerous terrain. They won't necessarily flee exactly along the same path they came from either because they are seeking to escape the cleric. If the cleric is in a different direction, they'll just try to move away from him.

 

[Gargazon]

Well, for one, the spell works best when the target would provoke a LOT of OAs. Otherwise it's on the weak side. But then if he runs back, he grants combat advantage for the turn, too, which makes everybody on your team +2 to hit him.

But the target doesn't run back, they only moves their movement speed +2, and nothing says you gain combat advantage against them afterwards.

 

[Bagpuss]

Is it not one of those powers that stays in effect until the target makes a successful save?

That would seem a reasonable ability for a Encounter power.

Seems to me it is missing "(save ends)" if it is going to be any good at all.

 

[Lacyon]

But the target doesn't run back, they only moves their movement speed +2, and nothing says you gain combat advantage against them afterwards.

I mean if they run back to the square they started in (on their turn, after the cause fear). Otherwise they have to double move or move + charge, instead of hitting you with a power or something.

 

[Bold or Stupid]

But the target doesn't run back, they only moves their movement speed +2, and nothing says you gain combat advantage against them afterwards.

In 4th ed running is moving your speed+2 (with a move action) and doing grants your opponents combat advantage until your next turn.

 

[jaelis]

I think it should be on his turn. It's a fear effect... you are making him run away from you; not a push effect where you are moving him away.