Clrification : One target in burst

[BobTheNob]

Hi All

Was just after a small clarification. A number of powers stipulate "One target within a burst" (Cleric Healing Word being a classic example).How is this different from "One target within Range"? Healing word for instance is Close Burst 5, which is the same as Range 5...so why not say "Range 5"?

I get the feeling I am missing something.

Help appreciated

 

[keterys]

You don't suffer from concealment problems in a burst, for example. You also don't provoke attacks of opportunity.

Personally, I wish Close 5 were accepted for a single target within 5.

 

[BobTheNob]

Of course. Makes sense. Well, its a good thing I have never made my priest suffer an AOP for using healing word then.

Thank you

 

[Legildur]

There are also issues around Line of Effect to consider.

 

[keterys]

Are there? How are the rules for Line of Effect different for Close vs. Ranged?

As a good highlight of the difference. Bastion of Health (Ranged, Cleric Utility 6) provokes, while healing word does not. I'm not sure if Bastion _requires_ line of sight or not, but I think it does.

 

[Legildur]

Cover may come into play. A Close Burst power has a square of origin adjacent to the 'caster'. While for a Ranged power it is the target square. There are situations where cover could block line of effect, and hence the power.

 

[chitzk0i]

Cover may come into play. A Close Burst power has a square of origin adjacent to the 'caster'. While for a Ranged power it is the target square. There are situations where cover could block line of effect, and hence the power.

FYI, close and area powers are never affected by cover, but ranged and melee powers are.

 

[Legildur]

FYI, close and area powers are never affected by cover, but ranged and melee powers are.

Not even hard cover?

Edit: From the Compendium (DMG entry):

Determining Cover for Close and Area Attacks
Like Ranged Attacks: You determine cover for these attacks in the same way as for ranged attacks, with two exceptions:

Origin, Not Attacker: Treat the origin square of the effect as the attacker’s square.

Creatures Aren’t Cover: Creatures don’t provide cover against close and area attacks.

 

[keterys]

Cover may come into play. A Close Burst power has a square of origin adjacent to the 'caster'. While for a Ranged power it is the target square. There are situations where cover could block line of effect, and hence the power.

In both cases, cover is determined from the caster*. If it's an attack, it's true that close would get around soft cover.

Line of effect is determined the same for both - that is to say, if it's blocked, it's blocked for both.

* Well, without the Arcane Reach feat

 

[Legildur]

I think my headache is corrupting my thought processes... I'm mentally substituting 'close blast' instead of 'close burst', and similarly for 'area' versus 'ranged'. Sorry, a bit of a hangover from 3ED, I think....