Shadow Wasp Strike?

[comrade raoul]

Am I missing something, or is Shadow Wasp Strike really weak for a 3rd-level encounter power?

It looks like it does less than lots of 3rd or even 1st level encounter powers: plain old Str/Dex vs. AC, and plain old 2[W] + Str/Dex damage--AND it's limited to your quarry! I really can't think of any case where I'd prefer it to ANY of the other encounter powers for that level.

Could it have been intended to do 3[W]? Involve multiple attacks? Be useable as a minor action?

 

[Nifft]

Am I missing something, or is Shadow Wasp Strike really weak for a 3rd-level encounter power?

Nope. It's really weak.

Cheers, -- N

 

[bardolph]

Am I missing something, or is Shadow Wasp Strike really weak for a 3rd-level encounter power?

It looks like it does less than lots of 3rd or even 1st level encounter powers: plain old Str/Dex vs. AC, and plain old 2[W] + Str/Dex damage--AND it's limited to your quarry! I really can't think of any case where I'd prefer it to ANY of the other encounter powers for that level.

Could it have been intended to do 3[W]? Involve multiple attacks? Be useable as a minor action?

It's the only 3rd level power that can be used with a single melee weapon (or 2-hander).

Also, if you have 1 great primary weapon and 1 mediocre off-hand weapon (magical bastard sword + nonmagical short sword, for example), you may be better off taking [2W] with your primary, than taking two [1W] attacks.

 

[comrade raoul]

It's the only 3rd level power that can be used with a single melee weapon (or 2-hander).

Not even! You can use the way cooler Disruptive Strike with a single melee weapon. You're also pretty much always better off picking another 1st-level encounter power over Shadow Wasp Strike--Evasive Strike is my least favorite 1st-level power, but it's strictly better than Shadow Wasp.

edit: That's it. IMC, Shadow Wasp Strike now targets Reflex.

 

[bardolph]

Not even! You can use the way cooler Disruptive Strike with a single melee weapon. You're also pretty much always better off picking another 1st-level encounter power over Shadow Wasp Strike--Evasive Strike is my least favorite 1st-level power, but it's strictly better than Shadow Wasp.

Disruptive strike is a great ability, but the trigger makes it more difficult to choose who to use it against.

edit: That's it. IMC, Shadow Wasp Strike now targets Reflex.

A reasonable compromise. As written, Shadow Wasp Strike is a "special case" power that will appeal to certain builds, and at certain times.

 

[FadedC]

Yep it's a bad power. There are lots of bad powers though, and trying to fix them often causes more problems then it solves. So I'm only inclined to worry about it when there aren't other good options, which is clearly not the case here.

 

[Max1mus]

Shadow Wasp Strike has been changed in the errata. It now targets Reflex instead of AC. This should prove to be a viable choice now.

 

[Nifft]

Shadow Wasp Strike has been changed in the errata. It now targets Reflex instead of AC. This should prove to be a viable choice now.

The joy of errata!

Thanks, -- N

 

[abyssaldeath]

Great galloping necroposts!