Ask the Sage: Quick Rules Questions Vol. 5 (DnD 4e)

[X-Codes]

Originally Posted by Nocturnal

Cunning Weapon
Page 67: Replace the first sentence of the item’s property with the following text: “When your attack with this weapon delivers an effect that a save can end, the target of the effect takes a –2 penalty to the first saving throw it makes against the effect.” This saving throw limitation is part of a larger effort to mitigate the use of saving throw penalties to lock down enemies for the duration of an encounter.

They should have thought of that before they made items with scaling penalties to saving throws. =_=

[Nocturnal]

They should have thought of a lot of things...

[Nof]

Hi All,

I was using character builder to roll my first 4e Paladin, when it came to choosing powers though I came across a term I didn't see in the PHB and couldn't find in any mention of "divine sanction" is this the same as divine challenge?

Thanks,

Nof

[hvg3akaek]

Originally Posted by Nof

Hi All,

I was using character builder to roll my first 4e Paladin, when it came to choosing powers though I came across a term I didn't see in the PHB and couldn't find in any mention of "divine sanction" is this the same as divine challenge?

Thanks,

Nof

Hi Nof!

If you have a look at the paladin class, you will find information on both their divine challenge (arising in the PHB), and divine sanction (from the Divine Power book). They both mark and deal damage if the target attacks someone else, but they work in slightly different ways, and are meant to compliment each other.

Basically, Divine Challenge works on a single target, and you have to either attack them or stand next to them to keep it valid (and it could last all encounter); whereas Divine Sanction is invoked through a variety of powers, and typically lasts a single round.

So, my suggestion is to use the Challenge on the guy you are directly attacking, and use the Sanction on some of the others, who are harassing your friends.

[Nof]

Makes sense, thanks for the explanation hvg3akaek.

[hvg3akaek]

You are welcome

[Houtoku]

So, incredibly obvious but completely over my head question about Daily Power usage. It comes mostly from discussions I've read vs. the wording in the PHB.

I constantly see mention in things I read online/vague references in the PHB of "preparing" a Daily spell after each extended rest, to the extent that you can only use one (or limited) Daily Power(s) a day. (PHB1, pg158, Spellbook>Daily and Utility Spells)(PHB1, pg195, Feats>Expanded Spellbook)

PHB1 (pg15, box) though, says that I can use each Daily power I know once a day.

So basic questions are.. can I use more than 1 Daily Power a day (ie: Daily1, Daily2, etc) but each one only once per day?

OR

Can I ONLY use 1 Daily power per day (ie: Daily1 OR Daily2, but not both in the same day)

Sorry for the incessant bolding/italicizing/underlining, trying to add emphasis since obviously text has no vocal inflection and relatively certain I can't just copy the rulings due to OGL limitations.

[gatherer818]

You can use each of your daily powers once per day, EXCEPT if you are a Wizard.

Wizards get to choose TWO powers each time they get a new Daily or Utility power. For each Daily or Utility power level you have, you can select a different one after each extended rest to use. For example, at first level you can choose two Level 1 Daily powers, and can memorize one at a time. At second level, they can choose 2 Level 2 Utility powers, which you can prepare one of at a time.

This allows the prepared Wizard to customize his loadout for what he expects to encounter, a traditional benefit of the Wizard over the Sorcerer class.

As to the fact that a different page says you can use EACH daily power you know once per day: specific rules always trump general (PHB, pg. 11) Every character knows 2 at will powers, 1 Level 1 Encounter power, and 1 Level 1 Daily power, as well as one power of each level. That's the general rule. Your Spellbook special ability is a Specific rule that trumps the general rule - you know twice as many, but can only cast one or the other on a given day. (human ability to get an extra at-will is another example of a specific rule that overrides that general rule).

You still get as many Daily powers and Utility powers as everyone else, but you get to change yours every day, where everyone else is stuck with theirs.

I hope that made sense, I didn't sleep much :P

[Houtoku]

It made enough sense that I got it, and I just woke up like 5mins ago. Thanks, that clarified it.

[Magnai]

How much should you try to save up your daily's? It seems like you only should use them when you're about to die.

[Nocturnal]

That's not technically a rules question... but yes most people save them for the direst emergencies. Some people spend them as soon as it looks like they'll have a tough fight. Many daily powers have effects that last for the whole encounter, like a Barbarian's Rage, so if you know you're going to use one in the battle you'd rather open with it early than wait until you're almost dead. Sometimes you get a sense of "well we are planning to go to sleep right after this fight, so let's feel free to blow all the resources we have remaining."

[KithKunabi]

Rules answer:
You should save them up so that you only use them once per day.

[hvg3akaek]

I also like playing characters with encounter-long dailies (barb's rage as mentioned, fighter's stances, and warden's forms). Then, I can happily use one an encounter without fear of running out! The hard part becomes choosing which to use when!

[Houtoku]

Got a new one for you guys,

Non-magical Holy Symbols/Implements/etc all state that they confer no benefit, and class descriptions all state that Implement Keyword powers can be used without an Implement.. is there any purpose to a non-magical Symbol/Implement/etc outside of RP purposes?

[Nocturnal]

That's not a new one, I'm sure it was asked before. Short, inaccurate answer: No.

Slightly longer more accurate answer: Some class features (such as the Wizard's Implement Mastery features) and some feats (such as Implement Expertise) trigger off your using an attack through a particular kind of implement. A non-enchanted implement will suffice for these purposes.

So for example if you have the Holy Symbol Expertise feat, and you use a non-magical holy symbol, you'll get a +1 feat bonus to the attack though you won't get any enhancement bonus. You wouldn't get this bonus if you used the attack without any symbol.