Bonuses to "can be used as a basic attack" powers?

[oakbriar]

From what I can tell, when you have at-wills that have the "Special: You can use this power as a melee/ranged basic attack" line, you will gain benefits that would apply to basic attacks only. Like for instance Bracers of the Perfect Shot (PHB 244, When you hit with a ranged basic you get +2 to damage), or the Keen Missle PP feature (PHB3 130, When you make a ranged basic, you score a crit on 19-20).

By RAW it seems fine, but it appears to be easily prone to exploitation.

 

[Patlin]

Yes, with that special line you can get the benefit otherwise only available to a basic attack. In general, the power is functionally a basic attack for the particular class, so it does not feel like an exploit to me.

For example, a wizard uses magic missiles in the same way that a fighter might use a basic ranged attack. A druid uses the claw attack (whatever its name was) as a basic attack, and per RAW could not use a normal basic attack in beast form, as a normal basic attack has no "beast" keyword.

The special line is certainly a very useful part of the power, and the power should be balanced with that in mind, but its not an exploit.

 

[Chris Knapp]

I believe most of the powers say "In place of a melee basic attack." Our group took this to mean is not a basic attack any more and its now a "Brutal Rebuke" attack (or whatever power you are substituting) and by RAW the bonuses to basic attacks wouldn't apply.

However, since so many of our martial characters make use of powers that have that ability, we allow the magic items in question to apply. The bonuses aren't that game breaking from what we've seen so far.

 

[CovertOps]

Note the differences between all these examples.

"Special: You can use this power as a melee/ranged basic attack"

I'm not so sure on this. Seems like you did this from memory so I'd want a specific example. See my other examples below.

Magic Missle Special: This power counts as a ranged basic attack. When a power allows you to make a ranged basic attack, you can use this power.

In the case of Magic Missile I would say yes. It IS a ranged basic attack and would get the benefits of Bracers of the Perfect Shot.

Special: You can use this power in place of a melee/ranged basic attack.

In this example (and there are some powers worded this way) you may not take advantage of Bracers of the Perfect Shot as this does not make the power a "basic attack", but instead allows you to use it in place of one.

 

[DracoSuave]

If the power 'counts as a basic ____ attack' then yes, it is one.

If the power 'can be used instead of a basic ______ attack' then no, it is not one.

 

[Gruns]

Meh...

If the power 'counts as a basic ____ attack' then yes, it is one.

If the power 'can be used instead of a basic ______ attack' then no, it is not one.

I'm calling it a case of shoddy templating. In my game, if a power has the 'use this like a basic attack' rider in any of the various wordings, then it is, for all intents and purposes a Basic Attack.
Looking through the Character Builder reveals several different wordings for the feature. Only the Player's Handbook Magic Missile and Eldritch Blast used the exact wording "This power counts as a ranged basic attack. When a power allows you to make a ranged basic attack, you can use this power." This is by far the wordiest (and most redundant) of the various wordings, and I suspect it was changed for those reasons. Similarily, Eldritch Strike also uses the "This power counts as a melee basic attack." words, but leaves off the unnecessary last sentence.
The Sorcerer's Acid Orb simply reads "This power can be used as a ranged basic attack.". Much shorter, yet, in my opinion, means exactly the same thing. Another Sorcerer At-Will, Energy Strobe uses the wording "You can use this power as a ranged basic attack." This power came from a Dragon article though, which further confirms the lack of a standard template. Oddly enough, the two Invoker powers that came from the same book as the Sorcerer use the "You can use this power as a ranged basic attack." wording, which matches the Dragon article but not the same PHB2 that it should!
Paladins have a "This power can be used as a melee basic attack." as well as a "When charging, you can use this power in place of a melee basic attack.".
The druid powers also use the exact same wording as the paladin's powers. Ditto for the Barbaian's and the Fighter's charge replacing powers. I suspect this is going to be the template that is used from here on out for these types of powers and as I initially stated, they all mean the same thing.
Later!
Gruns

 

[Kingreaper]

With the fact I'm a barbarian that has a weapon that gives me +[W] on basic attacks at the end of a charge, I've gotta say, having "can be used in place of a basic attack"="is a basic attack" would significantly boost my power

And seems a bit cheesy.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Drop a line to CS and ask them about it. For this sort of fairly commonly asked question they usually have a consistent stock answer. It is really hard to say for sure what the RAI is on this and even the various interpretations of RAW are arguable.

 

[Gruns]

Well...

With the fact I'm a barbarian that has a weapon that gives me +[W] on basic attacks at the end of a charge, I've gotta say, having "can be used in place of a basic attack"="is a basic attack" would significantly boost my power

And seems a bit cheesy.

Well, the tradeoff is that you have a generally slightly weaker At-Will power most of the time. (Weaker when compared to most of the other options.) Therefore, there are certain times when it gets to be slightly stronger than just a basic attack, given the right circumstances and equipment. I don't see this as cheesy at all.
Gruns

 

[Mengu]

If the power 'counts as a basic ____ attack' then yes, it is one.

If the power 'can be used instead of a basic ______ attack' then no, it is not one.

Fully agree with this, and the distinction is important when the phrase "instead of" or "in place of" is used. The latter wording is typically attached to things like charge attacks or opportunity attacks. When you use a power in place of a basic attack, it should not count as a basic attack.

So, no, you can't charge with howling strike and at the same time benefit from an Avalanche Hammer's extras [W] or from Bracers of Mighty Striking.

However, you can charge with Savage Rend and benefit from a Horned Helm and Bracers of Mighty Striking.