So.... why, exactly, is Lay on Hands an at-will?

[UltimaGabe]

It's an at-will that can be used a (very) limited number of times per day. Why isn't it a Daily with multiple uses (like how Inspiring Word is an encounter that can be used twice)?

I mean, seriously. An at-will?

 

[Squizzle]

I'd say it's a purely semantic distinction, but the more I consider it, the more I see that it's not. At-wills have an exclusive status, being frequently modified by feats or, at times, enemy abilities. For instance, with the Dominate condition, an enemy can force you to use an at-will. The intent here is obviously, in part, that you cannot be forced to lost/expend limited resources (excepting actions) when Dominated; since Lay on Hands is technically ann at-will power, you can be made to exhaust its uses.

I feel it'd be a very dickish DM move, and certainly not one I'd use myself, but it's rules-legal.

 

[robsenworldaccount]

You sir, have the mind of an Evil DM.

 

[rainsinger]

I always assumed it was just a screw up on wizards part. None of the other heals are at-wills and it doesn't actually function like one to begin with... so... /shrug.

Though the evil DM card being played definitely could be fun too. heh.

 

[Wolf88]

I think it simply meant that you could use all your lay on hand charges in one fight. If it had been an encounter or a daily, additional text would have been required to ensure this.

 

[UltimaGabe]

I think it simply meant that you could use all your lay on hand charges in one fight. If it had been an encounter or a daily, additional text would have been required to ensure this.

But... there was additional text anyway. There's no limit to how many dailies can be used in an encounter, so there wouldn't need to be any text beyond what they put in the at-will description.

 

[Flipguarder]

You all know darn well that if they made it an encounter then there would be a thread titled:So.... why, exactly, is Lay on Hands an encounterl?

 

[Runestar]

I think the point is exactly that the paladin is able to use lay on hands as many times as he has healing surges. But the number of surges he has is not a constant, so you can't really peg it down to a definitive number. So it seems more intuitive to simply make it an at-will, meaning you can use it as often as you wish, provided you have the resources to burn, of course.

You can't really compare it with healing word. I doubt they were meant to be similar. Healing word is situationally more useful, so I think the designers wanted to limit how often it could be used at any one time.

 

[Blizzardb]

I think the point is exactly that the paladin is able to use lay on hands as many times as he has healing surges.

You mean as many times as his Wisdom modifier allows...

 

[kouk]

You mean as many times as his Wisdom modifier allows...

Actually, you're both right