Question about Steel Avalanche (Monk Daily)

[LittleElvis]

The effect on this Close blast 3 power reads:

Effect: You shift 4 squares to any square adjacent to the blast.

Can you shift into the blast? Or would you have to be in a square outside of the blast? Or could you be in a square that is either just outside of the blast or just within the blast (anything but the center square of the blast)?

Thanks very much!

 

[Sunseeker]

I would rule that you could shift through the blast, but must remain outside of it at the end of the movement.

 

[Ajar]

I would rule that you could shift through the blast, but must remain outside of it at the end of the movement.

Yep, this.

 

[Jhaelen]

Hmm. This reminds of a rule that if you are in the same square as another creature you are considered to be adjacent to it, too. I wonder if that would also apply to a close blast area?

 

[Trit One-Ear]

Hmm. This reminds of a rule that if you are in the same square as another creature you are considered to be adjacent to it, too. I wonder if that would also apply to a close blast area?

If I'm understanding your pondering correctly, it does raise an interesting point. Can you hit a target with a close blast if it's also in your square? I feel like RAW could go either way, leaning towards no (otherwise wouldn't you also hit yourself?). But I'd rule I. Game that you could, as that's a natural tactic to try and hit a swarm that's all over you.

As for the the OP, I rule with the posts above: there are no restrictions on where you shift, as long as you end outside it in a space adjacent to the area.

Trit

 

[Ferghis]

Hmm. This reminds of a rule that if you are in the same square as another creature you are considered to be adjacent to it, too. I wonder if that would also apply to a close blast area?

This is exactly what I was thinking (which would allow you to finish your shift inside the blast per RAW), but I think, from the phrasing, that this particular writer's intention was to position the monk outside the blast. Therefore, you should end up outside the blast area per RAI.

Perhaps more relevant to actual play, I see little harm in allowing the character to finish the shift inside the blast area. So, in the course of play, I would allow it, whether this be a houserule or not.

 

[Ferghis]

I'm also having difficulty figuring out how this would be an issue in practical play. Proper placement of the blast area can get you to any position within 4 of the monk's starting point. Maybe there is an obstacle that prevents such movement? In most cases, that obstacle would also prevent the blast area from extending through it, so it still is likely to be a non-issue...

 

[Jhaelen]

Can you hit a target with a close blast if it's also in your square? I feel like RAW could go either way, leaning towards no (otherwise wouldn't you also hit yourself?).

I remember it now:
The question came up in our game because of the Ancient Soul feat from PR: Dragonborn. It includes the following:

Whenever you take damage of the type dealt by your dragon breath (after the damage dealt is reduced by your resistance), you regain the use of your dragon breath if you have already expended it in this encounter.

This means, if my Dragonborn Sorcerer had this feat and he could hit himself with his Dragon Breath, he'd be able to use it every turn.

The reason it doesn't work is the definition of 'blast':

The blast must be adjacent to its origin square, which is a square in your space. The origin square is not affected by the blast.

So, while you _could_ include your own space in the blast, you wouldn't be affected by the power.

There was a solution, though, with the Feat 'Hurl Breath' that changes 'Dragon Breath' into an area burst 2 within 10!

Here's the relevant part from the definition of 'Burst':

Unless a power description notes otherwise, a close burst you create does not affect you. However, an area burst you create does affect you.

Now back to the question at hand: Including your own space in the close blast wouldn't really help a monk, since all it would do is to allow her to shift to her own space, something she could do anyway.