Battle Pyres

[brehobit]

The Warpriest Prestige Path (PHB) has a power called "Battle Pyres". I've always been confused about how it works and was wondering if there has been any clarification from WotC and what others think.

It is a close-burst 5 where the "hit" line includes a secondary attack. Does that secondary attack go off for each hit or just for one or more hits? I think, RAW, it goes off for all hits, but I have a hard time believing that that is the intent given the massive damage that would occur.

Also, the primary attack does ongoing radiant damage and the secondary attack requires that the target be taking ongoing radiant damage. Say you only hit one target, can you then use the secondary attack against that same target?

 

[Nikosandros]

It is a close-burst 5 where the "hit" line includes a secondary attack. Does that secondary attack go off for each hit or just for one or more hits? I think, RAW, it goes off for all hits, but I have a hard time believing that that is the intent given the massive damage that would occur.

The secondary target is one creature, so you can only make one secondary attack per round with this power.

Also, the primary attack does ongoing radiant damage and the secondary attack requires that the target be taking ongoing radiant damage. Say you only hit one target, can you then use the secondary attack against that same target?

Yes.

 

[brehobit]

The secondary target is one creature, so you can only make one secondary attack per round with this power.

Sounds like I'm missing something. If I had an area attack that said on a hit take a secondary attack against that same target then I'd make a secondary attack against each and every target I hit with the primary attack yes? If so, how is Battle Pyres different? If not, why not?

 

[Nikosandros]

Sounds like I'm missing something. If I had an area attack that said on a hit take a secondary attack against that same target then I'd make a secondary attack against each and every target I hit with the primary attack yes? If so, how is Battle Pyres different? If not, why not?

The point I was making is that the power doesn't say to make a secondary attack against the same targets. It explicitly states that the secondary attack is against one creature.

However, I'm now seeing your point. The instruction about making a secondary attack is in the hit line and it does seem that this will trigger each and every time that a hit is scored against. If that's correct, it really looks excessive.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Seems like it should be rewritten.

I guess it is only one secondary attack and only if you hit at least one creature... otherwise you could stack the damage onto a single foe...

actually this power should have an effect line that reads:
effect:
make a secondary attack against a creature taking ongoing radiant damage...