Warden Forms / Weapon Keywords ????

[Istar]

I am trying to get to grips with keywords in particular "Weapon", what does it mean if that is not their ???

For example Warden Forms, have lots of standard action attacks.

"Boiling Cloud" level 5 Daily zone, has a burst 1 and blast 3 attack, that doesnt have "Weapon" keyword, which I sort of missed in the past.

If its not there do I add these things to TH and Damage:

1. Magic Weapon
2. Goliath Great Weapon Expertise.
3. Axe expertise
4. Iron Armbands

 

[Larrin]

According to the compendium Boiling Cloud does have the weapon keyword in the description of the attack (which is important because its damage is defined by a [W], if its not a weapon attack this would have no meaning). Lets use 'form of the lightning lord' (D379), which is still a warden power and does lack a weapon keyword (there are a couple at level 29, look at those if you don't have dragon or compendium).

If a power doesn't have the weapon keyword it has nothing to do with any weapon, you aren't making the attack with the weapon so no feats that add to attacks made with that weapon apply. This gets muddied if its an implement power and you're using a weapon as an implement, then you need to read if the feat/item states "weapon attacks" or just "attacks". But some powers mention neither implement nor weapon and are fully independent from such things (ie the warden powers I mentioned also the dragonborn's breath).

.....so if there is no weapon OR implement key word
1. no magic weapon
2. no Goliath Greatweapon prowess
3. no axe expertise
4. if its a melee attack iron armbands of power WILL add, they aren't tied to weapons in any way. But the power you mention is a burst (NOT melee) so they would not, nor with ranged or area attacks.