Magic Garrote?

[DimitriX]

As far as I can tell, the garrote is the first weapon that doesn't belong to any weapon group. In it's listing, it just gets a '-'. Does this mean that garrotes can not be magical weapons? Rogues with the proper weapon mastery multiclass can use them as light blades for their powers. Would it be appropriate for garrotes to be considered light blades for the purpose of enchanting them?

This is mainly important because without the scaling effects of magic item enchantments then a character's attack bonus will not be able to keep up with increases in monster stats. At heroic tier this may not be very important, but you wouldn't be able to play that epic assassin that strangles demon lords because you're still using the crappy garrote that your mom gave you when you went off to assassin school.

 

[abyssaldeath]

Um, there are enhancements that are listed as "Weapon:Any".

 

[DimitriX]

Um, there are enhancements that are listed as "Weapon:Any".

Oh yeah, I forgot about those. That's what happens when I read articles at work and don't have any books around. Thanks.

 

[Dalzig]

I've been wondering...

Garrotes used in a grab are fine. That's how I would imagine a garrote being used.

Garrotes used in normal melee? Err... Um... Do you try to cut off fingers? Shave off a bit of skin? I'm just not seeing it.

 

[Omnifarious Grey]

I just went along with the idea that you might have a dagger that the garrote comes out of the end of the pommel.

Just a thought for my flavor take for it.

 

[WalterKovacs]

One possible thing, although it's a bit odd, is that whenever the attack doesn't end in a grab, it was a grab attempt that hurt, but failed. It would be a bit weird though. However, outside of having a garrote as the only/best magic weapon, you'd probably want to use another magic weapon most of the time unless you were benefitting from the grab. A dagger would give a better to hit, while a short sword or shiruken would give greater damage (not to mention dagger/shiruken give ranged attack options).

One interesting combination would be rattling powers, since you could put the attack penalty as being a result of tying them up with the garotte. Also you could do something like use the garotte to pull them towards you and hit them with a knee, elbow, fist, etc.

 

[Rechan]

Garrotes used in normal melee? Err... Um... Do you try to cut off fingers? Shave off a bit of skin? I'm just not seeing it.

Using a garrote, when you hit, you grab the target.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I dunno, I'm trying to imagine garroting a Storm Titan...

 

[themilkman]

Using a garrote, when you hit, you grab the target.

I'm not sure about this. The D&Di article says that you can use the garrote with rogue powers that have the light blade keyword. Rogue powers aren't grabs by default.

Does using the garrote make it a grab? Because that seems like a pretty big deal for them not to mention it directly. Or do they assume that you garrote the badguy, to do damage then immediately let him go?

Very strange, this one.

 

[Rechan]

Does using the garrote make it a grab? Because that seems like a pretty big deal for them not to mention it directly. Or do they assume that you garrote the badguy, to do damage then immediately let him go?

Page 22 of the article, under the Garrote description:

Someone proficient with the garrote can use it to deal damage as part of a grab attack.

I emphasize AS PART OF A GRAB ATTACK.

So, when you use the garrote, you make a grab attack. If you hit, you do damage, and you have the target grabbed.

The Garrote Training multi-class feat says:

Each turn you successfully maintain a grab with a garrote used with two hands, you have combat advantage against the target you're grabbing for the purposes of attacking again with the garrote.

Again, I emphasize the last part of that: purpose of attacking again with teh garrote'. You attack with the garrote while in a grab.