Newbie DM question: Does Arcing Fire "side effect" hit minions?

[Chrone]

Hi! I'm crazy russian newbie DM. I have a question about this power:

Arcing Fire Sorcerer Attack 1

At-Will * Arcane, Fire, Implement
Standart Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs Reflex
Hit: 1d8 + Charisma modifier fire damage. Any enemy providing the target cover against this attack takes fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

What are the official rules? Does this power hits every minion (e.g.) on the way to primary target? Isn't it overpowered against them?

Thank you!

 

[Stumblewyk]

As per RAW, a minion is destroyed if it takes any damage. The only damage it is exempt from is damage it would take from a miss effect on a power. Since Arcing Fire causes automatic damage without a roll to creatures granting cover on a hit, minions will be killed by it, much like a Fighter's Cleave.

As for being overpowered...it's only going to destroy your minions if you're lining them up in and marching them at your PCs single file. At most, it's only likely to be hitting 1-2 monsters in addition to the spell's target at any given time. If a PC looks at the map, sees he can draw a straight line to a monster and hit a bunch of other monsters at the same time, then good for them, IMO.

 

[eamon]

Also, it only works on a hit, which is typically fine - a hit with cover too . There are several common area burst 1 at-wills which are probably similar balance wise - so this looks like a great minion killer in the sense that it's interesting and tactically fun!