Do Powers that count as 'Melee Basic' also work on charge?

[babinro]

Some powers have the special property: When charging, you can use this power in place of a melee basic attack. (example: Ardent Strike, pg83 Divine Power)

Others have: Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack (example: Virtuous strike, pg83 Divine Power).

My players recently brought up the idea that this means you can charge using Virtuous strike since the rulings on Charge say it must be a melee basic attack. Checking the rules, this makes sense to me but just feels wrong.

Is it correct to say Virtuous strike can be used for both melee basic attacks, charges, and at-will while something like Ardent strike can only be used as a charge and at-will?

I've always had the mental image of virtual strike being good for opportunity attacks only, while ardent strike is for charging giving each type of attack its own strengths as opposed to one being strictly better.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Is it correct to say Virtuous strike can be used for both melee basic attacks, charges, and at-will while something like Ardent strike can only be used as a charge and at-will?

Yes.

 

[babinro]

That is how we've played it since this was brought up, it just 'feels' wrong so I thought I'd bring it up on the boards. Thanks.

 

[sfedi]

Being Basic Attack is strictly better than "can be used in a charge"

 

[the Jester]

Yeah, "Can be used in place of a basic attack when you charge" is a subset of "counts as a melee basic attack".

 

[DracoSuave]

The reason it works is simple.

Charge ends in a basic attack.

Virtuous strike can be used as a basic attack.

Done.

Restricting it to opportunity attacks is nonsensible, as that's not even close to the amount of other things you can do with it.

You can also use it to:

Aid Other
Leaders who give out free basic attacks give you this.
Combat Challenge for those who are multiclassed
Oh, yeah, and Charge too.

And other corner uses as well.