Rain of Steel = being hit by an attack

[Flipguarder]

I was DM in a session last night, and I came across this situation. The fighter has rain of steel, which is worded like this

Rain of Steel Fighter Attack 5
You constantly swing your weapon about, slashing and cutting
into nearby enemies.
Daily ✦ Martial, Stance,Weapon
Minor Action Personal
Effect: Any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes
1[W] damage, as long as you are able to make opportunity
attacks.

An enemy started their turn adjacent to them. But had this power:

Bend Space (immediate interrupt, when it would be hit by an
attack; recharge ) ✦ Teleportation
The foulspawn seer teleports 3 squares.

Now as DM I made a snap judgment regarding their interaction that goes like this.

Rain of steel is an attack power. The only two reasonable ways for a player to directly damage a monster is by an aoe power that creates an effect, or by attacking them. Since this is not an aura (would count under aoe power) and it doesn't create a zone, I ruled that it is an attack. It does hit automatically just like it says, but still an attack, based on both the fact that it is not a close burst, or aura.

That being said, the monster can use his power because he is being hit by an attack. Im curious about other's input on this.

EDIT: LOL I suppose Im tired. We also realized last night that it is an immediate interrupt during his turn and therefore does not work. So..... yeah. Still would like to hear others input on the ruling if there was a situation similar but not during the enemies turn.

 

[Markn]

I'm sure you will get conflicting answers on this but my take is that since there is no attack roll, he could not use the power.

Additionally, I will point out that immediate actions can't be used on your turn so the enemy couldn't use Bend Space since its his turn.

 

[Flipguarder]

If he isn't being hit by an attack when an attack power that doesn't create an aura or effect damages him, then what exactly is happening?

 

[Markn]

That's the conundrum. He didn't hit on an attack because he didn't make one. He dealt damage. To me, an attack implies attack roll. In this case, there isn't one.

The wizard spell, Winter's Wrath (I think thats the name) is another example of a power that does damage at the beginning of the creatures turn. No attack roll, no zone, nothing, just damage.

4e is unfortunately full of wonky cases like this.

Again though, the point is moot since the creature is triggering the power on his turn and you can't use immediate actions on your turn.

 

[keterys]

What's happening when he takes ongoing damage, or starts in a zone or aura, all of which avoid that interrupt? Wrong place, wrong time, took some damage.

 

[DracoSuave]

Bend Space is not concerned with whether you use an attack. It is concerned with whether you -hit- with an attack.

That requires an attack roll... so no attack roll, no hit. (same as a power that triggers on a miss requires an attack roll)

 

[Flipguarder]

What's happening when he takes ongoing damage, or starts in a zone or aura, all of which avoid that interrupt? Wrong place, wrong time, took some damage.

In my logic, any effect or zone isn't an attack, it is the afterthought of an attack. You make a bunch of fire everywhere, next turn nobody attacks the guy in fire. He's on fire, and you are right, wrong place wrong time.

But this is a stance and not an aura. And in addition to that it is an "ATTACK POWER".

 

[Flipguarder]

Bend Space is not concerned with whether you use an attack. It is concerned with whether you -hit- with an attack.

Your statement is self-defeating. How do you hit with an attack, without using an attack?

 

[Markn]

Your statement is self-defeating. How do you hit with an attack, without using an attack?

Let me ask this. Attack powers that deal damage on a miss, how would you explain that? He didn't hit, so the power can't be used but inexplicably he took damage.

 

[Mengu]

Rain of Steel is an attack power, but it is not an attack. Nothing in the power says to make an attack, it has no attack line, it is not an attack. It simply does damage. Triggers that are based on being attacked will not trigger if you are damaged by rain of steel because you were not attacked by rain of steel, you are simply damaged by rain of steel.