Heavy Blade Opportunity & Twin Strike

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Though I'm asking specifically about Twin Strike, I imagine that the same answer would apply to any at will (if there are others) that let you strike with the weapons in both hands.

Basically, heavy blade opportunity allows you to use an at-will in place of a basic attack when wielding a weapon with the heavy blade characterstic.

However, can you use a different weapon as part of that at will? For example, if a ranger has a long sword and an axe, can the ranger use twin strike with heavy blade opportunity? Does the sword need to be in her main hand?

Likewise, can a fighter use heavy blade opportunity to use Tide of Iron instead of a basic attack?

BTW, sorry if I misnamed anything - don't have my books with me at the moment.

 

[Mort_Q]

The Ranger is using a heavy blade for his OA if he uses Twin Strike, is s/he not?

Perfectly legal.

 

[Obryn]

Likewise, can a fighter use heavy blade opportunity to use Tide of Iron instead of a basic attack?

Yes, and in fact, it's awesome. One of the best reasons to use a heavy blade, IMO. The opportunity attack interrupts their action, which can be tasty in all kinds of ways, particularly if you can push them away to kill a melee attack.

-O

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks for the responses - that's what I thought, it just seemed... odd... to use your skill with a sword to hit people with your axe/shield.

As for the Tide of Iron thing, my understanding was that opportunity attacks were reactions, not interupts, so pushing the target away would not prevent the target from hitting you as it would happen afterwards.

Does bring up even wierder applications - having a rogue carry a longsword in one hand to allow it to use its dagger for an at will on the charge.

 

[On Puget Sound]

To clarify, the at will must use the heavy blade. It needn't use ONLY the heavy blade, nor does it require that all weapons used must be heavy blades. But one of them must be. If your at will allows (for instance) you and your beast companion to both hit the target, your companion doesn't need a heavy blade (yes, I know there is no such at will published at present).

Now, commander's strike with HBO? Ya got me there.

 

[Llamas Notsheep]

An OA is an interrupt as the enemy moves out of a threatened square, not to the entire move action. Otherwise, you wouldn't get to attack until they were 5 squares away, and that MBA wouldn't do you a whole lot of good

From PHB 290:

Opportunity Attack: Opportunity Action
Interrupts Target’s Action: An opportunity action
takes place before the target finishes its action.
After the opportunity attack, the creature resumes
its action. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points or
fewer by the opportunity attack, it can’t finish its
action because it’s dead or dying.

 

[Mort_Q]

Now, commander's strike with HBO? Ya got me there.

How so? It's a weapon power... works just fine. Presumably you distract your opponent or some such.

 

[Obryn]

HBO also rocks with swordmage powers.

Booming Blade on an OA is basically extra free damage.

-O

 

[Mort_Q]

Beast master ranger, with HBO, Beast Protector, and Circling Strike.

 

[Llamas Notsheep]

Of course, for even better control, just pick up Mark of Storm and Polearm Momentum to use with a lightning glaive or other heavy blade polearm. Add in rushing cleats and on every single hit, you slide your enemy 2 and knock them prone. For OAs, that completely shuts down their move action, and doesn't even require HBO. Draconic Arrogance really capitalizes on this (as does Iron Vanguard, although then you really start to run into MAD).

You can use a staggering weapon to increase the slide distance by the weapon's enhancement, too.

To kick it up another notch, go swordmage, swordburst, arcane admixture (thunder for swordburst), HBO, mark of storm, resounding thunder (increase burst size by 1), and arcane reach (point of origin for a close burst can 2 squares away) with rushing cleats. At-will (and OA) "close" burst 2 with a point of origin anywhere within 2 squares of you, that lets you slide 2 and prone every enemy it hits. And it only hits enemies Go hybrid wizard to pick up Enlarge Spell and make it a "close" burst 3. Heck, tack on the white lotus riposte feats and every time one of the massive number of enemies you hit comes at you for revenge, you get to blow them all up yet again.