Whats the point of a ranged basic attack?

[Plane Sailing]

My expectation is that its got to do with warlord compatibility, and that we'll see more of it in martial power.

I think that it is important that books stand alone, personally. It would be pretty poor if any discussion could only be taken in the light of all the latest books (or even books yet to come!)

It seems to me that they might have originally intended for there to be a little more synergy with the warlord (or situations were it was valid) but it just fell through the cracks a little.

Where is that "Feather me yon oaf" power when we need it, eh?

(although I guess it got re-described as "stir the hornets nest" which IMO is a rather rubbish name in comparison)

Cheers

 

[HighTemplar]

When you are dominated you are are limited to using at-wills, not to basic attacks. And even if you were, it would just mean that a magic missiler is more of a liability when dominated since he would be able to blast away at you rather than picking up a stick and ponking you!.

I know this is originally from Rechan, and perhaps out of the subject, but:
If a vampire dominates you First, He chooses your actions and also chooses your targets, then I'm pretty sure he won't make you attack him.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I know this is originally from Rechan, and perhaps out of the subject, but:
If a vampire dominates you First, He chooses your actions and also chooses your targets, then I'm pretty sure he won't make you attack him.

My point I was making to Rechan exactly

 

[HighTemplar]

ok... I wasen't sure who the you was

 

[Brutoni]

I would also note that, for the martial characters such as a ranger the ranged basic attack is used with many of the ranged weapons. They have a daily power that allows a ranged basic attack to be made with special effects as well.

Flameburst, Thunderburst and one or two others i believe. Add these with bracers of the perfect shot......hehe nice little combo to increase your basic attack when the warlord uses a power.

 

[Nail]

I think it just opens up future design space, and options for interaction with warlord type powers. Right now it doesn't appear to be exploited much,

All very well, but there are at least twice as many powers which allow basic melee attacks as ranged attacks (including a warlord at-will), as well as non-power-related situations where basic melee attacks can be made (such as opportunity attacks).

Exactly!

Last night, my warlord helped several other party members do their schtick....but the Warlock? Not so much. Pretty much left out to dry, actually. Sorry bub, the Warlord can't help the Warlock.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Flameburst, Thunderburst and one or two others i believe. Add these with bracers of the perfect shot......hehe nice little combo to increase your basic attack when the warlord uses a power.

Not of any help to the warlock and magic missiler though, which is the main thrust of my discussion - since they are weapon enhancements.

Cheers!

 

[Hypersmurf]

I think that it is important that books stand alone, personally.

Well, consider the half-orc in 3E/3.5, with his Orc-Blooded feature which lets him use orc-only items.

In the Core Rules, there were no orc-only items. About the only connection Orc-Blooded had with anything in the Core Rules? Half-Orcs are susceptible to Orcbane weapons, and Rangers with Favoured Enemy (Orc).

But any orc-only items which came out in later supplements? Half-Orcs were in!

The "orc-only items" rule had no effect when considering a Core-Only game. But it came in useful later.

At least the Eldritch Blast/Magic Missile rule does interact with other rules in the 4E PHB - namely, as noted, a few Warlord powers and the Bracers.

-Hyp.

 

[Usumcasane]

Magic Missile and Eldritch Blast counting as ranged basic attacks are mostly flavor, with some mechanical hooks for later. While any class can use weapons, Wizards and Warlocks aren't really designed for it. With the exception of the Wizard of the Spiral Tower, neither class has powers that use weapons. They can use weapons that are also implements, but when they do so they use them as implements instead of attacking with them. So it is in the flavor of these two classes that they have a basic magical attack, and ranged made more sense than melee.

As to what they can use their basic ranged attack with, I'm sure we'll see a lot of possibilities, but I think the intent was primarily thematic and for flavor.

 

[Mad Hamish]

...but don't ranged basic attacks provoke OAs? ...so there are precious few times when you are pressed and want to make a ranged attack....

Any ranged power provokes.
So you generally won't use it if you're in a threatened area (unless you think the damage you do is more important than the damage you take)