Spiritual Weapon

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I'm finding this power a bit confusing. The text for this power says:

Spiritual Weapon
Cleric Attack 5

Daily Conjuration, Divine, Implement
Standard Action Ranged 10

Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC

Hit: 1d10 + Wisdom modifier damage.

Effect: You conjure a weapon that appears in the target’s square and attacks. Your allies gain combat advantage against the target. You can move the weapon up to 10 squares to another enemy’s square, within range, as a move action. The weapon lasts until the end of your next turn.

Sustain Minor: When you sustain the power, repeat the attack. Your allies continue to gain combat advantage against the weapon’s target.

Can you sustain the power and move the weapon up to 10 squares if there isn't an enemy within range?

Cheers


Richard

 

[Nytmare]

As written, no. If it were worded "you can move 10 squares" and "if another enemy is in that space," then yes. As it stands however, you can't move it unless there's another enemy within range, and you can only move it to that enemy's space.

 

[mlangsdorf]

As written, you can sustain it, as that doesn't depend on it being in a target's square. But you can't move it.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

As written, no. If it were worded "you can move 10 squares" and "if another enemy is in that space," then yes. As it stands however, you can't move it unless there's another enemy within range, and you can only move it to that enemy's space.

This is how I'd rule it. Once you are out of enemies in range, the power ends. Time to have your buddies push/pull/slide more fodder into the area.

 

[Nytmare]

Once you are out of enemies in range, the power ends. Time to have your buddies push/pull/slide more fodder into the area.

I'm not sure if I'd go with that ruling. I can see a case being made for being able to sustain after a foe is dropped and waiting for someone else to wander too close.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I'm not sure if I'd go with that ruling. I can see a case being made for being able to sustain after a foe is dropped and waiting for someone else to wander too close.

Out of curiosity, would you allow the priest to cast it outside of combat and just keep it sustained as the group wandered about the dungeon until they found something to set it on?

 

[Nikosandros]

Out of curiosity, would you allow the priest to cast it outside of combat and just keep it sustained as the group wandered about the dungeon until they found something to set it on?

You can't sustain a power for more than five minutes.

 

[Nytmare]

Pendragon - It also specifies one creature as the target, but doesn't specify needing a target to be sustained.

Beyond that, if my interpretation is correct, if the cleric cast Spiritual Weapon and then wanted to extend the encounter till the party managed to find another target, they'd still need to draw the enemy all the way back to within 10 spaces of the weapon since they wouldn't be able to bring it along with them.

 

[DracoSuave]

All you need to Sustain a power is a Sustain entry and spending the indicated action. Then you do as the Sustain effect says, and the power lasts another round. If the effect is impossible, you do what you can do.

However, the movement is, explicitly, 'move ten squares, within range, to another target'

Without 'another target' you can't move the weapon. The 'within range' is redundant, as the Conjuration keyword already covers that.

But, if you can lure another enemy within ten squares of the conjuration, and within ten squares of yourself, without you moving more than ten squares away from the conjuration, you're good for the full five minutes it lasts.

You can't cast it outside a fight tho, no target, unless you want to have it beat on your allies.

 

[RichGreen]

Thanks for all the replies! I think being able to sustain it without moving makes sense to me.

Cheers


Richard