Shaman's Spirit Companion Questions

[Kinneus]

I'm making a Shaman, and I'm just trying to make sure I understand the rules right. Two big questions I need clarified:

1) The spirit doesn't count for flanking, does it? I assume not, seeing as how that would make the Stalker's Strike power rather redundant. This is due to it being a Conjuration, correct?

2) The 'Call Spirit Companion' feature specifically says:

The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks... If a single melee or ranged attack deals damage to the spirit equal to 10 + one-half your level or higher, the spirit disappears... Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.

I find it odd that they specify 'melee or ranged' attacks each time. It's as if they're purposefully trying to exclude burst and blast attacks. Does this mean that the spirit companion is effectively immune to burst and blast attacks? I certainly hope so... otherwise these guys would be pretty much helpless against most creatures with burst or blast attacks. It's not like the spirit has defenses, after all.
Also, what about opportunity attacks? I'm assuming they provoke them like normal, unless some one can point to something that says otherwise.

 

[RickVigorous]

The spirit is indeed immune to close and area attacks, but it does have defenses; they're the same as the shaman's defenses.

Also, it doesn't flank.

 

[dravot]

I'm making a Shaman, and I'm just trying to make sure I understand the rules right. Two big questions I need clarified:

1) The spirit doesn't count for flanking, does it? I assume not, seeing as how that would make the Stalker's Strike power rather redundant. This is due to it being a Conjuration, correct?

The spirit does not flank. Note that there are powers that can allow the spirit to flank for a round, but that's the exception to the rule.

2) The 'Call Spirit Companion' feature specifically says:

I find it odd that they specify 'melee or ranged' attacks each time. It's as if they're purposefully trying to exclude burst and blast attacks. Does this mean that the spirit companion is effectively immune to burst and blast attacks? I certainly hope so... otherwise these guys would be pretty much helpless against most creatures with burst or blast attacks. It's not like the spirit has defenses, after all.
Also, what about opportunity attacks? I'm assuming they provoke them like normal, unless some one can point to something that says otherwise.

The spirit is immune to burst and blast attacks. I think that's because you don't want the shaman to be in the same burst as the spirit - the character would be hit twice.

 

[Gunpowder]

The Importance of English

the hell is this? I assume a spam bot.
So how do you report posts?

 

[Piratecat]

Little triangular ! button under your avatar - but I've got it.

 

[Jools]

I read on the WOTC board that customer services said blast/burst attacks do affect spirit companions. Also, that they don't illicit opportunity attacks.

 

[Gunpowder]

Little triangular ! button under your avatar - but I've got it.

ah, thanks

 

[ForbidenMaster]

I read on the WOTC board that customer services said blast/burst attacks do affect spirit companions. Also, that they don't illicit opportunity attacks.

Do you have a link?

 

[Mengu]

Here is what I asked and what they answered:

When the spirit companion moves, does it provoke opportunity attacks?

Can the spirit be targeted by area or close attacks?

If I use healing spirit on an ally adjacent to my spirit, and apply the bonus 1d6 healing to another ally adjacent to my spirit, do both allies benefit from the protector spirit spirit boon?

Thanks in advance.

-Mengu

Mengu,

The Spirit Companion is a conjuration and does not provoke opportunity attacks, however, it is affected by area of effect attacks.

The ally adjacent to your Spirit Companion that gets the additional healing will also enjoy the benefits of the Protector's Spirit Boon.

Please let me know if you need anymore help!

 

[Doctor Proctor]

I find it odd that they specify 'melee or ranged' attacks each time. It's as if they're purposefully trying to exclude burst and blast attacks. Does this mean that the spirit companion is effectively immune to burst and blast attacks? I certainly hope so... otherwise these guys would be pretty much helpless against most creatures with burst or blast attacks. It's not like the spirit has defenses, after all.
Also, what about opportunity attacks? I'm assuming they provoke them like normal, unless some one can point to something that says otherwise.

Hmmm, that is odd. It doesn't make them immune, since something like Scorching Burst is a Range 10 Burst 1 attack...so it still falls under being a "ranged" attack. What it does cause problems with is Close attacks. Those are neither ranged, nor melee, and not mentioned.

Since CS apparently came back and said that they can be targeted by Bursts and Blasts, I would go with that for now. However, it might be a good idea to post something about this on the errata boards to get a clear update about it into the books. Personally though, I don't see why there's any reason why they should be immune, so I think that the CS answer is probably the right call. Not to mention the fact that Bursts and Blasts tend to do less damage to make up for their ability to hit multiple targets, and are therefore less likely to actually pop your spirit. A single target power is the most likely thing that's going to kill it.