Shaman/Spirit Rules Questions - so confusing!

[babinro]

As my campaign nears an end, I will finally have an opportunity to play a PC. I have interest in running a Protector Shaman as the party leader, but have come to realize that it is the most confusing thing ever. Various questions below will greatly improve my understanding on how this character actually plays. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Call Spirit Companion says that "When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed". I assume this movement provokes opportunity attacks against the spirit.

1) Can I move the Shaman 6 squares, but use my move action for the spirit to shift 1 square? Or is the companion limited to a literal move action rather than move equivalent actions.

2) If my shaman takes a move equivalent action such as standing up from prone, am I permitted to move my spirit up to my characters speed?

3) Does the spirit provide combat advantage to my allies when flanking? If not, when my shaman then attacks with a melee spirit 1 power while flanking with only the spirit companion and a different ally, does this mean I don't get +2 to my attacks? <I assume the companion doesn't grant CA at all, and as such the shaman in actual play often fights beside his spirit>

4) Does the spirit companion gain any of my resistances/vulnerabilities/immunities? <I assume it doesn't as there is no mention of such things, only that it has my defenses>

5) Is the spirit immune to all conditions/zones/utility buffs targeting it?
As an example, if the spirit companion attacks from within a zone created from the Battle Standard of the Vanguard granting +1 attack rolls and the Shaman is outside of the zone. Does the attack gain this bonus or not? If the roles are reversed and the shaman is in the zone but the spirit is not, does this change anything when it comes to melee spirit powers?

6) Is the spirit companion considered a creature, an ally, or simply a conjuration for the purposes of determining targets and friendly fire?

7) Do monsters clearly realize this is a conjured spirit and as such a minor threat relative to the actual PC's? Or would they be as inclined to attack it as they would say a Ranger's Beast Companion?

8) Do monsters know that area attacks and bursts are not effective from the get go, or would they only learn this after trying such attacks?

That's all I can think of for now. Any other proactive answers to Shaman/spirit problems DM's have had to adjudicate can only be helpful.

 

[Teemu]

I'll try my best...

1) They don't provoke OAs as far as I know since they're not proper creatures, just conjurations. So shifting doesn't apply to them.

2) I'd say yeah.

3) No, the spirit can't flank, unless you have a certain power(s?). I don't think taking the shaman himself to melee is a good tactic (though I'm no expert on this).

4) Not temporary effects, no. Not sure about permanent (I'd say yes).

5) I believe it is immune to all effects that don't specifically target conjurations and spirit companions. It can be attacked by melee and ranged attacks. If the shaman has a buff, I believe the spirit melee powers gain that bonus.

6) I think it's just a conjuration. Since it's immune to area effects, friendly fire shouldn't be a problem.

7) I think this should depend on the specific monster. Note that the shaman will take damage if a melee or a ranged attack disrupts it and destroys it.

8) Same as 7.

Basically, you should stress that spirit companions are conjurations, not proper creatures (as far as game mechanics go). They don't flank, they're not susceptible to area attacks, they don't shift or provoke OAs (they just move like a floating ball of fire would move). I think they can even move vertically, although I guess that's up for debate. At least I'd grant them that ability if the party lacks ranged attacks and faces flyers or monsters otherwise out of reach.

Once you get the hang of it, they're not that complicated. It's a very tactical class, that's for sure. Remember that Spirit's Shield's healing is an effect, so it will happen even if you miss. Also, instead of moving the spirit, you can just resummon it as a minor action in a new square.

 

[Aulirophile]

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[babinro]

I appreciate the help Teemu, but I'm totally going to bookmark Aulirophile's link as it seems to nail pretty much anything that may come up regarding the spirit companion. Thanks so much!

 

[yesnomu]

It looks like 2 and 5 are the only things not covered by the faq, so:

2 - Yes, any move action you take lets you move the spirit. That includes moving a zone or just jogging in place.

5 - You must be in the zone to get the bonus. The spirit can't be buffed/debuffed by anything that doesn't specifically target conjurations. If it helps, consider the spirit almost like a reach extension--you're still the one making the attacks, only LOS and LOE are taken from the spirit.

 

[DracoSuave]

Call Spirit Companion says that "When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed". I assume this movement provokes opportunity attacks against the spirit.

The effect of Call Spirit Companion is not a creature, so it cannot trigger opportunity attacks.

1) Can I move the Shaman 6 squares, but use my move action for the spirit to shift 1 square? Or is the companion limited to a literal move action rather than move equivalent actions.

The Spirit Companion does not take any move actions. And there is no such thing as a 'literal move action' (That is called the 'Walk' action.) The spirit companion simply moves to the new location.

You -can- move 6 squares, and move the companion 1 square, and this does not provoke opportunity actions because, again, the companion is not a creature.

2) If my shaman takes a move equivalent action such as standing up from prone, am I permitted to move my spirit up to my characters speed?

Yes.

3) Does the spirit provide combat advantage to my allies when flanking? If not, when my shaman then attacks with a melee spirit 1 power while flanking with only the spirit companion and a different ally, does this mean I don't get +2 to my attacks? <I assume the companion doesn't grant CA at all, and as such the shaman in actual play often fights beside his spirit.

Only allies can flank. Only creatures can be allies. A spirit companion cannot (by default) flank. (There is a power that is specifically an exception)

4) Does the spirit companion gain any of my resistances/vulnerabilities/immunities? <I assume it doesn't as there is no mention of such things, only that it has my defenses>

The spirit companion is immune to -everything- except for damage from ranged and melee attacks, and abilities that explicitly affect conjurations. It mentions this directly in the power.

5) Is the spirit immune to all conditions/zones/utility buffs targeting it?
As an example, if the spirit companion attacks from within a zone created from the Battle Standard of the Vanguard granting +1 attack rolls and the Shaman is outside of the zone. Does the attack gain this bonus or not? If the roles are reversed and the shaman is in the zone but the spirit is not, does this change anything when it comes to melee spirit powers?

The spirit doesn't make attacks, and cannot be affected by any effect. The shaman makes attacks, the spirit does not. As such, if the shaman gets a bonus to the attack, then powers he uses with the spirit keyword get those bonuses, just like any other power he uses.

6) Is the spirit companion considered a creature, an ally, or simply a conjuration for the purposes of determining targets and friendly fire?

The spirit is not a creature, nor an ally. It is a conjuration. However, the exception is explicit that it can be targeted by any ranged or melee attack. In such a case, only damage counts, and only if it's above the stated threshold. And if it is, the conjuration ends, and if it is not, nothing happens.

7) Do monsters clearly realize this is a conjured spirit and as such a minor threat relative to the actual PC's? Or would they be as inclined to attack it as they would say a Ranger's Beast Companion?

That is a question for DMs. I run it that it depends on the monster's knowledge and intellegence, but that the shaman can do things to affect that (Bluff checks, for example.)

8) Do monsters know that area attacks and bursts are not effective from the get go, or would they only learn this after trying such attacks?

Ask the DM.