Twin Strike Target Declaration Question?

[captainsacrifice]

I play a ranged attack Ranger and use Twin Strike all the time. All it says is the target can be 1 or 2 targets, but it doesn't state when you have to declare the targets.

My question is...Can I fire one shot at one target and if it dies use my second shot to attack a different target? It seems like it would be ok to do so, but the question came up in my game last week and I wanted to clarify the rule.

Help is most appreciated

 

[Mort_Q]

From memory, there are two separate attack rolls. Declare your target. Roll. Declare your next target. Roll. That's my take.

That said, it's really up to your DM.

 

[Mengu]

Good question. I can't find a direct answer so far, but here is what it says under Hunter's Quarry:

Once per round, you deal extra damage to your quarry. The extra damage is based on your level. If you can make multiple attacks in a round, you decide which attack to apply the extra damage to after all the attacks are rolled.​

This seems to imply you first make your attack rolls, then you make your damage rolls. So you wouldn't necessarily know your target would go down, before deciding on the next shot. But I can't with certainty say this is the way it works. I'll keep digging.​

 

[Mort_Q]

Just pulled out teh book.

PHB 269, bottom right.

By RAW you declare your targets before you roll.

 

[fba827]

Unless/Until there is some sort of official statement on it, it probably is best for your DM to decide.

But, having said that, I read it as "declare your targets (one or two), then roll, then apply damage"

Playing as a Ranger with twin-strike, I also find that this way keeps things moving at the table since I can roll both dice at once rather than an extra pause to consider options between rolls when it really all should be one fluid motion to use one power.

If it was anything like a "secondary attack" line entry on the power, then I'd say you could choose after seeing if the first hits, but since both attacks are listed on the the same target line, I read it as one motion to fire two arrows at once, and the second arrow won't know what the first arrow is doing ... so you declare both arrow targets at the time of using the power.

Again, that's all just my take on it. As said up top -- it's up to your DM.


Edit: Or follow the RAW as referenced by Mort_Q

 

[Mengu]

Just pulled out teh book.

PHB 269, bottom right.

By RAW you declare your targets before you roll.

Yeah, I just read that too. It seems you have to declare your targets first, before making attack/damage rolls.

I don't know if this is the way anyone plays multiple attacks (edit: And fba827 proves me wrong ninja style).

 

[Kordeth]

Yeah, I just read that too. It seems you have to declare your targets first, before making attack/damage rolls.

I don't know if this is the way anyone plays multiple attacks (edit: And fba827 proves me wrong ninja style).

those are the rules for making an attack[/i]. Twin Strike is a single power that lets you make two attacks. Each of those Twin Strike attacks would thus be resolved in the order described on p. 269. A power like Split the Tree, on the other hand, which is a single attack with two targets, would have to have both targets declared at the same time.

 

[Tellerve]

Something odd to consider about this twin attacking and hunter's quarry. It would appear that the agreement is that you do your two attack rolls before any damage rolls.

And then it was mentioned that in Hunter's Quarry if you have multiple attacks you can see the attack roll results before deciding which attack to add your hunter's quarry too.

So, just remember that if you are attacking two different creatures, the closest has to be your Hunter's Quarry.

 

[Kordeth]

So, just remember that if you are attacking two different creatures, the closest has to be your Hunter's Quarry.

No it doesn't. You can only declare the nearest creature to be your quarry. Once it's been declared, it stays your quarry even if it moves farther away.

 

[Mengu]

those are the rules for making an attack[/i]. Twin Strike is a single power that lets you make two attacks. Each of those Twin Strike attacks would thus be resolved in the order described on p. 269. A power like Split the Tree, on the other hand, which is a single attack with two targets, would have to have both targets declared at the same time.

How do you then explain the wording for Hunter's Quarry? (other than as erroneous)