When do Iron Armbands apply?

[blargney the second]

Over the last few days I've been reading threads here and on wizards about iron armbands of power in an attempt to determine when their bonus damage applies. I'm getting confused.

"Gain a +2 item bonus to melee damage rolls."

Melee damage rolls is the confusing part. Does that mean it applies to:
1) Only powers with the melee keyword?
2) Only damage using a melee weapon? (Not used at range for the sake of argument.)
3) Only powers with the melee keyword AND using a melee weapon?
4) Something else? (Does it follow the [W]?)

Ultimately I'm trying to figure out which powers the armbands will affect on my mordenkrad fighter. The biggies that I'd like to figure out are Rain of Steel and his close burst 1 powers like Sweeping Strike.
-blarg

 

[renau1g]

In the CB close burst 1's don't get the bonus to damage maybe because they're not melee in the keyword?

 

[Mirtek]

In the CB close burst 1's don't get the bonus to damage maybe because they're not melee in the keyword?

Correct.

Also note that for some time close burst 1's did get the bonus to damage in the CB and the responsible WotC stuff told at the WotC forums that this was a known bug and scheduled to be fixed, which they eventually did

Does that mean it applies to:
1) Only powers with the melee keyword?

That's how it works.

The biggies that I'd like to figure out are Rain of Steel and his close burst 1 powers like Sweeping Strike.
-blarg

The armbands apply to neither of them

 

[blargney the second]

Aside from relying on the character builder, how do you arrive at those conclusions?
-blarg

 

[Mirtek]

Aside from relying on the character builder, how do you arrive at those conclusions?
-blarg

Because D&D knows exactly four types of attack (melee, ranged, area, close as defined on PHB 1 pages 270-271) which are used as keywords in a technical document rather than being used in their colloquial language meaning.

A close burst 1 is a close attack, no matter whether you're actually hitting mulitple enemies with a melee weapon (thus making a series of melee attacks in the colloquial sense) or cast some spell. The way it works in CB (and that it used to work differently and was specifically called out as a bug to be fixed) just supports that.

PS: Note that the weapon mastery feats also only work on melee attacks. So if you plan to take one of them at epic levels they won't increase your crit chance with close burst attacks either

 

[Obryn]

Aside from relying on the character builder, how do you arrive at those conclusions?
-blarg

Well, let's take a look at what you posted...

Melee damage rolls is the confusing part. Does that mean it applies to:
1) Only powers with the melee keyword?
2) Only damage using a melee weapon? (Not used at range for the sake of argument.)
3) Only powers with the melee keyword AND using a melee weapon?
4) Something else? (Does it follow the [W]?)

I'm going to say, simply, only Melee attacks. "Melee" is not a keyword. It's a Range, and it's one of the four types of attack.

If you allow it for all damage rolls when using a melee weapon, then it would apply to all attacks using a melee weapon as an implement - for Swordmages, Staff Wizards, Pact Hammer Warlocks, and the like. I think this is pretty clearly not the intent. There'd be no basis to exclude ranged attacks if you're making this argument.

Close Attacks are not Melee Attacks, so IMO it should clearly not apply to them.

The Weapon keyword is unnecessary, too. Monks and Druids have "Melee 1" Implement powers, which would qualify for the Iron Armbands.

Finally, the exact Range doesn't matter. For example, the Assassin's attack "Inescapable Blade" has a range of "Melee weapon +2 reach", thus qualifying.

You're making it more complicated than it needs to be. Look at the power's range - that will tell you right then and there.

-O

 

[Starfox]

PS: Note that the weapon mastery feats also only work on melee attacks. So if you plan to take one of them at epic levels they won't increase your crit chance with close burst attacks either

This was news to me. You learn something new every day.

 

[DracoSuave]

Well, let's take a look at what you posted...


I'm going to say, simply, only Melee attacks. "Melee" is not a keyword. It's a Range, and it's one of the four types of attack.

Actually it's an attack type.

The word after 'Melee' or the attack type is the range.

Melee weapon (the most common) has a range of 'weapon' or, your weapon's reach.
Melee 1 has a range of 1. No more, no less.
Melee touch has a range of 'touch', or your reach without considering your weapon.
Melee spirit/beast 1 has a range of 1, with a point of origin being your beast or spirit companion.

A power's range is a numerical value. 'Melee', 'Area', etc are attack types.

 

[Obryn]

Actually it's an attack type.

The word after 'Melee' or the attack type is the range.

Yeah, but I was right otherwise.



-O

 

[DracoSuave]

Yeah, but I was right otherwise.



-O

Yup, it was just a nitpick.