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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fuzzlewump" data-source="post: 4834767" data-attributes="member: 63214">I think keterys' point is that, why would melee enemies move away from the fighter if the damage happens at the start of their turn? The enemies aren't going to stop themselves from moving adjacent once they realize that the fighter will chase them down wherever they do end up. They're going to take the damage no matter what, because even if they move, the fighter will move to them. So, at worst, a single melee enemy will ignore the fact that the power is used, and at best multiple enemies will spread apart so multiples can't be auto-damaged at the start of their turn.The "3x3" zone idea isn't wrong of course, but the fact that it can moved at will means that monsters won't try to move out of it. Thus, the power is just extra damage on the top, therefore a striker power. I also agree that the same power can be used in a different context, or more how I see it, with different intention and be considered a different role-type power. If the fighter becomes the damage machine akin to a striker, there is not much incentive in bypassing the fighter to get to the other strikers, thus making him stickier in turn, so more defendery.Maybe every component of an ability has a role attached to it. Strikering is the damage component. Leadering is the buffing allies component. Defendering is the debuffing enemies, unless they attack the source. Controllering is debuffing enemies, sometimes with all kinds of conditions for escape attached, except for attacking the source. With this model, Rain of Steel is strictly a strikering power. If you consider the result of this power, the fighter might have some kind of battlefield control, because even if the only meta-effect of the power is that multiple enemies are moving so as to not both get hit by auto-damage, that could potentially be very useful if it means they aren't able to get combat advantage without biting the auto-damage. A Stormwarden ranger seeks, normally, just do take down the opponent with no interest in having its attacks target the Stormwarden, so he fulfills his role as the striker.That is certainly the case, that the assumption is the fighter is pursuing the monster, because anything else is less than optimal choice. If the monster is running permanently, then the battle is over and it doesn't matter. If the monster is baiting the fighter away from his allies, who cares? He's biting tons of OA's and possibly imm. interupts along the way. If the monster plans to ignore the fighter, then it doesn't matter where the fighter is standing, or that he is using Rain of Steel, unless it is a 5-foot wide hallway. If the monster plans to engage the fighter because it doesn't want to be punished by marking mechanics, then the extra damage of Rain of Steel has no bearing on that. Either way, the monster will take the damage from Rain of Steel.No need for pictures, but what is a situation that a fighter with Rain of Steel on would stay away from his foe instead of running up to his foe?  Remember, the monster has already decided that the fighter -can- pursue him wherever he runs, unless he runs from the encounter entirely, so the fighter's position means nothing. With that information, the monster will choose to engage the fighter and try to take him down, or attempt to ignore and go for the allies. Either way, again, he is taking Rain of Steel damage. The only difference you make by staying next to your allies is allowing the enemy to freely use ranged attacks it might have, because it won't be marked by you, or take damage from your Rain of Steel, or take OA's. If the monster who only has melee attacks foolishly stays out of combat to avoid the 1[w] damage, then chalk it up to foolishness, not the result of the power. Although both would have an important role, of course.One situation perhaps is if the party is flanked by melees, the fighter will stay put so as to not be baited away from the left side while the right side runs up to destroy a glass canon. But if melee monsters are staying out of melee just to avoid the fighter damage, their loss is assured, because they aren't doing any damage at all. So, staying put only makes sense if you're wasting the time of melee combatants who foolishly stay out of combat, effectively "stunning" them, as the effect, with no combat advantage and all that.</blockquote>

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