Punishing Radiance question

[DarkLord Of DForce]

Okay, this came up in our last lev25 session. We're in Death's Reach (oh joy!)...

Anyway, my Avenger critted on a foe and I've got Punishing Radiance as a feat. Basically all enemies within 5 squares are now vulnerable 10 radiant until the end of my next turn. No problem there.

In the Stable? we were in (somewhere around gates 3-5, can't remember exactly), there were walls with enemies behind them. Our DM questioned whether PR would affect them at all since I couldn't see them, even though they were within the 5 squares.

Punishing Radiance doesn't present itself as a burst, aura, zone, blast or anything like that. It just says target and all enemies within 5 squares. Period.

So what's everyone think? I just wanted to resolve this before it comes up again. (and it will - my Avenger *loves* to crit)...

Thanks everyone.

 

[DracoSuave]

That's a very good question, and I can see a couple different valid interpretations for it.

Not being able to see enemies is not relevant... invisibility is not the same as untargetability.

However, were you -aware- of the enemies? It seems you were, so the argument 'you can't see them' is moot, You knew where they were so they obviously weren't stealthed.

I, however, would hinge it entirely on line of effect. If any corner of the square of the target you crit has an unbroken line to any corner of someone behind a wall, regardless if you can see them or not... there's no reason they can't be punishing radiance'd.

The thing is, it IS an effect, it does have an origin square, and line of effect probably still applies.

 

[DarkLord Of DForce]

This makes sense to me, as much as I'd like it to just smack everything in 5 squares.

My son and I were talking it over. We decided, in flavor text context, to think of it as a wave of radiance washing out from the target I critted on. As it hits each enemy, they become vulnerable. If they are effectively out of a line of effect, behind something, such as a 10 foot high wall, the wave crashes up against the wall and doesn't affect that enemy.

Works for us.

Thanks!

 

[DracoSuave]

No problem. There isn't actually a strict RAW way of dealing with this, so if that works for you, awesome!

Have fun gaming!