Tac Lord, Inspiring Word, and Battle Inspiration...

[BobTheNob]

He needs to spend a surge. That is both RAW and RAI.

Seconded. I have read the posts here (including the fore arguments) and I just cant see any ambiguity in this. I cant see intention outside raw. The only stated case was, to me, too variant from the original point.

To OP, you can seek out WOTC's take on this, but the answer will be "as RAW" (lets faces it, thats there answer to EVERYTHING).

The OP has been arguing against RAW, and if your DM allows it, you are free to houserule. But really, RAW is there, and it aint broken.

 

[DracoSuave]

As a DM, I'd allow it, while saying... 'Are you sure you want to use up your healing word -now- so you can give these bonuses?'

There's very few instances where you want to give up a healing word power just for the side benefits.

 

[Trainz]

As a DM, I'd allow it, while saying... 'Are you sure you want to use up your healing word -now- so you can give these bonuses?'

There's very few instances where you want to give up a healing word power just for the side benefits.

We also have a cleric, and I can do *4* inspiring words per fight, so pretty much all the time in our case.

I will bring this matter to my DM and tell him what the general consensus is.

 

[DracoSuave]

We also have a cleric, and I can do *4* inspiring words per fight, so pretty much all the time in our case.

I will bring this matter to my DM and tell him what the general consensus is.

Yeah, but you're in one of two situations: You don't need the healing surge, in which case, you don't really need the buffs, or you do need the buffs, in which case, you'll probably use the healing surge.

Warlords don't have any trouble buffing party members without spending their word.

 

[Amaroq]

Draco, it sounds like the issue could be restated as:

"Given the +7 bonuses to both Speed and Attack, when I win initiative, sometimes it feels like my best first-round Minor Action is to drop those +7's on either a defender or a striker who hasn't gone or been attacked yet: the increased mobility lets them get into position (especially if we started at longer than 6 squares away from the enemy), and break out an Encounter or Daily power with a near guarantee that it will hit.

Since the party has so much healing available, it hardly matters to us if we're one Healing Word short, especially if it buys us a big tactical advantage."

I'd rule much as the consensus has: yes, you can target a character who has not taken any damage. The character targeted has a choice: spend the surge and gain the bonuses, or not spend the surge and let you waste your Inspiring Word.