Ettin wrath chanter (monster vault version)

[Alukane]

I was thinking about building an encounter for my guys, and I was looking at the Ettin Wrath Chanter from the Monster Vault, but this power persuaded me to write here:

Standard Action

Invoke Fury - At will
Effect: Close Burst 5 (one enemy in the burst). The target must use a free action to charge or make a basic attack against a target of the ettin's choice. The movement for this charge does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Is this been "errataed"? 'cause I know my players will bother me for this...No hit roll? An at will attack? That makes a pc attack one of his friends?

 

[mudlock]

There has been no errata for monster vault.

Remember, though that PC still has to make an attack roll for this to do any damage (it's still a great power though; compare to Decree of Khirad (Warlock Daily 1), which effects multiple targets, but has an attack roll.)

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

As noted, given the player needs to make an attack roll to do anything, IMHO the only powerful thing about the power is that the monster gets to reposition a PC without a to hit roll. His smash is likely better (better damage than most PC charges + knocks prone), unless the PC in question is a charge build. And if it is a charge build, go at her - from experience, charge builds tend to do huge damage and annoy the DM to no end, so its only fair that you give the PCs a taste of their own medicine.

Now, from a fluff perspective, it may be difficult to describe why it doesn't require an attack roll when most such powers do. Perhaps the ettin is able to animate bodies really well, bypassing the mind altogether - it simply tells the muscles how to move, and they do. In such a case, be sure to have a bunch of other meat puppets (perhaps both living and dead) around to forewarn/demonstrate this effect.

Now, as DM, you are free to modify the power as you wish. Personally, though, if you are going to give it a to hit roll, I would convert it to a 1/turn minor action - otherwise its pretty much never in the monster's best interests to use it.

 

[the Jester]

Invoke Fury - At will
Effect: Close Burst 5 (one enemy in the burst). The target must use a free action to charge or make a basic attack against a target of the ettin's choice. The movement for this charge does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Is this been "errataed"? 'cause I know my players will bother me for this...No hit roll? An at will attack? That makes a pc attack one of his friends?

It's fine. There's no need for errata. The ettin is trading its own attack roll for a pc's; if he had to hit first to trigger this, he might hit and still do no damage (if the pc missed).

 

[Alukane]

Thank you all for the answers, my conscience is clear now