Consecrated Ground

[tarrasque27870]

Question 1: Does Consecrated Ground continue to affect unconscious characters?

Question 2: Can Consecrated Ground be maintained outside of an encounter?

Question 3: Can actions/powers be used outside of an encounter?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Rafe]

Question 1: Does Consecrated Ground continue to affect unconscious characters?

It's a healing keyword power and says "any who start their turns in...", so I assume yes. Regardless of their state, they're starting their turn there.

Question 2: Can Consecrated Ground be maintained outside of an encounter?

It's an Attack power, so I would say no, which leads to...

Question 3: Can actions/powers be used outside of an encounter?

Attack powers cannot be. Utility powers can be. I can't think of any exceptions off hand.

 

[Mort_Q]

I guess if you really want to save your party some healing surges... I'd go with the maximum 5 minutes though. Remember it only heals if you're bloodied.

 

[burntgerbil]

I seem to remember reading an article by one of the designers that stated otherwise - that you could use any power at any time - in or out of combat.

Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

[elecgraystone]

Powers with durations can last till the end of combat OR 5 min. You can activate a power and use it for the 5 min, in or out of combat.

 

[tarrasque27870]

OK, Question 2 and 3 are resolved.

Bottom line, yes or no, Consecrated Ground will or will not heal an unconscious/dying character?

HELP!!!!!!

 

[DracoSuave]

Bottom line, yes or no, Consecrated Ground will or will not heal an unconscious/dying character?

HELP!!!!!!

Well, technically, you are bloodied if you are half your current hps or less. Less than 0 is definately that, which means you are bloodied, so as it stands, yes, it does work.

As it stands, there's no threat of clear and present danger or threat, so there's no enemies to use it on, and therefore, by the 'bag of rats' rule, the DM might decide it can't be used out of battle.

 

[elecgraystone]

As it stands, there's no threat of clear and present danger or threat, so there's no enemies to use it on, and therefore, by the 'bag of rats' rule, the DM might decide it can't be used out of battle.

So a mage couldn't hunt with a magic missle because it isn't combat? A inspiring word doesn't work once the battle's over? I don't see the 'bag of rats' rule here. That only applies with powers that require hitting or damaging something to activate. As it stands, most abilities can be used outside of combat since a 'threat' isn't needed to atcivate them.

 

[DracoSuave]

So a mage couldn't hunt with a magic missle because it isn't combat? A inspiring word doesn't work once the battle's over? I don't see the 'bag of rats' rule here. That only applies with powers that require hitting or damaging something to activate. As it stands, most abilities can be used outside of combat since a 'threat' isn't needed to atcivate them.

That's for a DM to decide. It's the sort of thing that should be handled by the common sense of the referee of the game and no amount of 'technically' change that. That's what the bag-of-rats rule is about. Hense the bag-of-rats rule might apply if your DM says it does.

That said, if someone has enough hit point damage to set them at bloodied, then it's -by definition- the result of an encounter, and using this power to heal that damage is certainly within the bounds of an encounter, which is the best time to use it anyways. I'd question the judgement of a cleric who doesn't use this while that damage is clear and present danger rather than after everyone's gotten rid of the problem, unless said cleric was unconscious at the time.

A more pertinent question is, if someone uses this during an encounter, can they sustain it for the full five minutes to -absolutely- ensure everyone can get above bloodied? And the answer is 'yes.'

 

[Derren]

It's the sort of thing that should be handled by the common sense of the referee of the game

I wouldn't say that disallowing the use of powers outside of combat when no "meaningful threat" is available has anything to do with common sense, rather with the lack of it.