D&D 4E 4e ask a simple question, get a simple answer

[darkbard]

Not that there are really any great advantages to this being so, but does the Far Hearing Wild Talent Cantrip (from Dark Sun Campaign Setting) allow a deafened character to avoid the penalties of deafness?

Effect: Choose one square you can see that is within 10 squares of you. Until the end of your next turn, you can hear as if you occupied that square.

Certainly not RAI, I imagine, but RAW?

 

[MwaO]

Not that there are really any great advantages to this being so, but does the Far Hearing Wild Talent Cantrip (from Dark Sun Campaign Setting) allow a deafened character to avoid the penalties of deafness?

Effect: Choose one square you can see that is within 10 squares of you. Until the end of your next turn, you can hear as if you occupied that square.

Certainly not RAI, I imagine, but RAW?

No, not RAW either. You're specifically deafened. You're specifically granted the ability to hear as if you were in a different location. That's not G v S, that's S vs S. Is there an outcome that satisfies both specific cases? Yes, for purposes of making hearing checks, you can pick a space up to 10 squares away. And then you are deaf

A bunch of things break horribly if that's not the case. As an example, Elven Arcane Precision:
Prerequisite: Elf, any arcane class
Benefit: You can use your elven accuracy racial power to reroll the attack rolls of a single arcane attack power against every target you choose.

So what happens if you don't actually have elven accuracy. Is the feat granting you elven accuracy? Nope. S vs S again - if you had Elven Accuracy, you could reroll. But you don't, so you can't.

 

[darkbard]

No, not RAW either. You're specifically deafened. You're specifically granted the ability to hear as if you were in a different location. That's not G v S, that's S vs S. Is there an outcome that satisfies both specific cases? Yes, for purposes of making hearing checks, you can pick a space up to 10 squares away. And then you are deaf

That makes sense. I was thinking it might be an instance of G vs. S, but you present a compelling case otherwise. I suppose I was thinking of the fictional element of a character using psionic senses to apprehend the world through supraphysical ability when faced with a temporary physical disability (for lack of a better term), but, ultimately, that has little bearing on how the actual game mechanics interact.

 

[MwaO]

That makes sense. I was thinking it might be an instance of G vs. S, but you present a compelling case otherwise. I suppose I was thinking of the fictional element of a character using psionic senses to apprehend the world through supraphysical ability when faced with a temporary physical disability (for lack of a better term), but, ultimately, that has little bearing on how the actual game mechanics interact.

Exactly. What you want is something that says, "Not only does X happen, but it happens even if Y is True or False."

 

[Arikabeth]

In the Adventurer's Vault p. 122, it says "Although the items in this section are tied to beast companions, all can be repurposed for other kinds of companions using the Transfer Enchantment ritual".

Question: Does this mean items with the Companion type can be used for the following (without first having to use the Transfer Enchantment ritual):
1. Animal Companion (the sentinel (druid subtype) companion)?
2. Fey Beast Companions (the companions gained from the "Fey Beast Tamer" theme)?
3. Quasit companion (from the Warlock paragon path from Book of Vile Darkness)?

I find it a bit ambiguous due to not knowing how to be certain what would fall under "other kinds of companions", but I think the above interpretation would make sense.

 

[Arikabeth]

Question If a character takes the "Spike Chain Training" feat, of which the relevant part says "You gain proficiency with the spiked chain. You can treat the spiked chain as a double weapon. As a double weapon, each end of the spiked chain is a light blade and deals 2d4 damage. ", does this allow a character to utilize spiked chain as BOTH a light weapon and a flail?

I'm curious if this enables, for instance, a character who took the feats "Spiked Chain Training" and "Flail Expertise" to knock targets prone with sliding powers that require using light blades.

I hope the question is not too "not simple".

 

[MwaO]

Question If a character takes the "Spike Chain Training" feat, of which the relevant part says "You gain proficiency with the spiked chain. You can treat the spiked chain as a double weapon. As a double weapon, each end of the spiked chain is a light blade and deals 2d4 damage. ", does this allow a character to utilize spiked chain as BOTH a light weapon and a flail?

I'm curious if this enables, for instance, a character who took the feats "Spiked Chain Training" and "Flail Expertise" to knock targets prone with sliding powers that require using light blades.

I hope the question is not too "not simple".

No problem at all. Yes, you can use it for both of those things. You could even as an example get both Flail Expertise and Light Blade Expertise to get the ability to prone on a slide and get the damage bonus with CA.

 

[Arikabeth]

No problem at all. Yes, you can use it for both of those things. You could even as an example get both Flail Expertise and Light Blade Expertise to get the ability to prone on a slide and get the damage bonus with CA.

If the target is not granting CA before being hit, would the damage roll benefit from the CA if the hit cause the target to go prone though? Would the following be correct?

1. The target is hit
2. The target becomes prone and thus grants CA
3a. The damage bonus from hitting a target granting CA with light blade expertise is applied
or
3b. The bonus damage from light blade expertise isn't applied because the target became prone only after the hit connected

I guess 3a. would be correct according to what you wrote above, but it doesn't seem clear to me why that'd be the case instead of 3b, but it doesn't seem that clear to me(as I don't quite understand how the timing between semi-instant happenings work)

 

[MwaO]

If the target is not granting CA before being hit, would the damage roll benefit from the CA if the hit cause the target to go prone though? Would the following be correct?

1. The target is hit
2. The target becomes prone and thus grants CA
3a. The damage bonus from hitting a target granting CA with light blade expertise is applied
or
3b. The bonus damage from light blade expertise isn't applied because the target became prone only after the hit connected

I guess 3a. would be correct according to what you wrote above, but it doesn't seem clear to me why that'd be the case instead of 3b, but it doesn't seem that clear to me(as I don't quite understand how the timing between semi-instant happenings work)

"of weapon attacks that you make with a light blade against a creature granting combat advantage to you"

You made a weapon attack and the creature was not granting combat advantage to you. So you don't get the bonus.

Most Rogues have Cunning Stalker, a feat that grants you CA any time you're adjacent to the target and other creatures are not. And some table variation about what it means if no one is adjacent to the target at all.

 

[darkbard]

Hey, all. I've been away from the game completely for the better part of a year and as I look back over some character builds and such, I need a refresher on a ruling. Considering a "move" is defined as "Any instance of movement, whether it is done willingly or unwillingly. Whenever a creature, an object, or an effect leaves a square to enter another, it is moving. Shifting, teleporting, and being pushed are all examples of moves," does a power like Chains of Levistus trigger its extra damage on each square an enemy is forced to move, for example: "Hit: 2d6 + Constitution modifier cold damage. If the target moves before the end of your next turn, it takes 2d6 extra cold damage."

So if a Beguiler action points to use Beguiling Flash after Chains and slides the target 3 squares, does the target take 6d6 extra cold damage? Or just the 2d6?

Thanks!