Question on Repulsion Armor from Adventurer's Vault

[Oren]

Player's Handbook page 268:

If a creature triggers your immediate reaction while moving (by coming into range, for example), you take your action before the creature finishes moving but after it has moved at least 1 square.

So if an enemy enters a square adjacent to you, you can push him, but then the enemy can continue moving towards you if he has hasn't used his entire movement yet (e.g. he moved 4 squares out of 6). Or can the user of the armor make sure that the enemy has finished his movement completely before invoking the power? What prevents a pushed enemy to move another square forward again?

 

[DracoSuave]

Player's Handbook page 268:



So if an enemy enters a square adjacent to you, you can push him, but then the enemy can continue moving towards you if he has hasn't used his entire movement yet (e.g. he moved 4 squares out of 6).

Yes.

Or can the user of the armor make sure that the enemy has finished his movement completely before invoking the power?

Sort of. You can wait to see if the enemy's got more squares of movement, if he moves to another adjacent square. This isn't as helpful as you'd think tho. What is good tho, is if the enemy is shifting, most likely he's only shifting one square, so you can completely foul his plans by pushing him.

What prevents a pushed enemy to move another square forward again?

By the item itself? Nothing. There's a -strategy- to using movement powers. Let's say you're standing adjacent to a large drop, a ledge. Buddy moves adjacent to you and the ledge, there's nothing stopping you from using this to push him off the ledge. Either he'll be knocked prone or he'll fall well away. Movement left or not, either's bad for him.

You could also push him adjacent to a Fighter, which would dissuade him from going anywhere else quite effectively.

 

[Hazard_53188]

Because of the reasons listed above, this power doesn't give virtual immunity to melee attacks.

There are some situations were this power is pointless. For example when an enemy moves adjacent to you but still has unused movement. After you push him out, he would simply move back.

However, it would protect you from a single charge per turn and there could be times when this power could be used with terrain features to great effect. Such as when on a narrow bridge and the push could send an enemy over the edge.

Without having seen it in practice, I think it's a reasonable level 2 magic item.

 

[Oren]

What actually prevents a charging enemy to continue moving after he's pushed? I know that a charge is one standard action and you cannot do anything afterward, but just like in the normal movement case, can't the enemy just move one square forward again or has the charge been invalidated as the movement is not "straight" anymore?

 

[Flipguarder]

What actually prevents a charging enemy to continue moving after he's pushed?

"CHARGE: STANDARD ACTION
✦ Move and Attack: Move your speed as part of the
charge and make a melee basic attack or a bull rush
at the end of your move."

PHB: 287

 

[Oren]

I know the rule, but I still don't see why. You can move up to your speed, and you have to move at least 2 squares. Let's say your movement is 5. After 2 squares you get pushed backwards one square. What prevents you from continuing the charge?

 

[Flipguarder]

I'm sorry I misread your statement, I'd rule its perfectly fine for a charger to finish his move action due to the fact that the immediate action doesn't state that it stops the mover from completing their move action.

 

[Hazard_53188]

What actually prevents a charging enemy to continue moving after he's pushed?

My understanding was that that was an official ruling but don't recall the details I'm afraid.

 

[Shaker]

It doesn't protect you from charges, since the push is an immediate REACTION, and a charge is a single standard action, not two separate actions. They get their charge off (move and attack), then are pushed back and their turn ends - they can't move forward afterwards. At least, that's my reading of it.

 

[Oren]

It doesn't protect you from charges, since the push is an immediate REACTION, and a charge is a single standard action, not two separate actions. They get their charge off (move and attack), then are pushed back and their turn ends - they can't move forward afterwards. At least, that's my reading of it.

It doesn't protect you from charges, but not for the reason you mentioned. Immediate Reaction works differently when movement is involved; quoting from the PHB (page 268):

If a creature triggers your immediate reaction while moving (by coming into range, for example), you take your action before the creature finishes moving but after it has moved at least 1 square.

In the case of Repulsion Armor you can take the immediate reaction as soon as the enemy enters an adjacent square, before it has finished the charge action. Of course, the enemy can continue charging afterwards if it has movement left.