Non-combat uses for martial powers

[NMcCoy]

With magical or supernatural effects, it's often relatively easy to roleplay out or otherwise handle "off-label" uses of powers - I have a dragonborn Dragon Magic Sorcerer who, as a hobby, uses his breath weapon and fire resistance to sculpt glass... by hand. Purely a roleplaying thing, but fun nonetheless.

For the people who allow such uses of powers (i.e., not always strictly-by-the-book effects), have you ever seen or used martial powers to similar effect? Or do these characters generally need to rely on skill checks in your games for unusual maneuvers?

 

[Asturia]

I have an Eladrin Rogue who uses his feyestep to break into houses without having to open the door.
Easy way in and easy way out.

 

[UltimaGabe]

I have an Eladrin Rogue who uses his feyestep to break into houses without having to open the door.
Easy way in and easy way out.

...Don't you need Line of Effect to teleport?

 

[Majushi]

I'm pretty sure you only need line of sight...

Either way, I'd allow an eladrin rogue to do that if I was DMing.

 

[UltimaGabe]

I'm pretty sure you only need line of sight...

Either way, I'd allow an eladrin rogue to do that if I was DMing.

Well, what you're doing completely invalidating the need for any sort of lock, arcane or mundane. Any locked door, any impassable wall, as long as it isn't blocked by a Forbiddance effect, can be easily passed by an Eladrin with ten minutes of free time. That's far too powerful, in my opinion.

 

[robsenworldaccount]

Window Shades: an elegant way to stop eladrin rogues.

Now....

Stopping Eladrins from getting free rooms at the inn....

Priceless

Rawr.

 

[Kordeth]

...Don't you need Line of Effect to teleport?

PHB p. 286: "Line of Sight: You have to be able to see your destination.

No Line of Effect: You can teleport to a place you can see even if you don’t have line of effect to it."

 

[N0Man]

PHB p. 286: "Line of Sight: You have to be able to see your destination.

No Line of Effect: You can teleport to a place you can see even if you don’t have line of effect to it."

I guess this makes Warlocks with Ethereal Sidestep to be great burglers. Eladrin and Shardar-Kai aren't aren't bad either (once every 5 minutes).

On the other hand, I can't say I like the idea that so many characters can just teleport through a closed window if they can see through it...

In addition, does anyone else think it's weird that a character can teleport through a glass window, but can't use telepathy through it?

 

[Hejdun]

Other than the necessity of a shield, and the side effect of knocking your partner unconscious, my fighter finds that Footwork Lure and Tide of Iron make great dance moves.

In combat, the rest of the party calls him a ballerina. Just not to his face.

 

[eriktheguy]

Use vicious mockery at-will in a skill challenge to get +2 to bluff or intimidate.

When dancing alone, any skill power that lets you shift gives you a +1 bonus to acrobatics for each square shifted.
when dancing with a partner, any power that lets you push, pull or slide a target without damaging it gives you +1 bonus to such checks for each square of movement.