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The power description for Rain of Steel says specifically that

Effect: You assume the rain of steel stance. Until the stance ends, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes 1[W] damage, but only if you’re able to make opportunity attacks.

The description for blindness does not specifically mention preventing the ability to make opportunity attacks which appears to mean that a blinded character is still capable of opportunity attacks and therefore can still use rain of steel.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ We've got both a YES and NO answer to this one ... so a person could be confused \$\endgroup\$
    – SteveC
    Feb 13, 2012 at 16:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ We played it as a YES at the table but now reading the answers I think we may play it as NO in the future. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mykroft
    Feb 14, 2012 at 16:09
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Mykroft: Being able to see is something that is often overlooked - speaking from experience as both a player and a DM. Things like "close burst 5, target: all enemies in burst you can see" are quite common. If I could change the wording of the Blinded condition, I would explicitly mention Opportunity Attacks and add a hint to check the specific wording of the power. \$\endgroup\$
    – user2862
    Feb 14, 2012 at 18:35

2 Answers 2

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No

The chain of conditions you need to follow is a bit tricky and not-so-obvious, but it still clearly laid out in the rules.

  1. Blinded[DDI]:

    While a creature is blinded, it can’t see, which means its targets have total concealment against it, and it takes a -10 penalty to Perception checks. It also grants combat advantage and can’t flank.

  2. Total Concealment[DDI]:

    [...] Total Concealment (-5 Penalty to Attack Rolls): You can’t see the target. The target is invisible, in a totally obscured square, or in a heavily obscured square and not adjacent to you. [...]

  3. Opportunity Attack[DDI]:

    [...] Able to Attack: You can’t make an opportunity attack unless you are able to make a melee basic attack and you can see your enemy. [...]

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    \$\begingroup\$ Stack overflow! :D \$\endgroup\$
    – edgerunner
    Feb 13, 2012 at 12:51
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    \$\begingroup\$ Seconded ... for me the logic is valid, you can't see, therefore no opportunity attacks, and the RoS power says explicitly that you must be able to do OA's \$\endgroup\$
    – SteveC
    Feb 13, 2012 at 16:43
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Yes,

Rain of steel would still affect your opponents for the reason you stated. The condition Blinded does not prevent Opportunity Attacks.

Don't try to literally interpret the names of the conditions or you'll find yourself questioning a lot of things. My favorite is that folks that are Immobilized can still stand up. That doesn't meet with my interpretation of immobilized!

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    \$\begingroup\$ Are you sure? The DDI Compendium entry for opportunity attacks says: "[...] Able to Attack: You can’t make an opportunity attack unless you are able to make a melee basic attack and you can see your enemy. [...]" \$\endgroup\$
    – user2862
    Feb 12, 2012 at 10:43
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think this is incorrect, the logic from @arotter looks spot-on \$\endgroup\$
    – SteveC
    Feb 13, 2012 at 16:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yeah, this looks wrong to me based on the fact that the Opportunity Attack rules state you have to be able to see the opponent. \$\endgroup\$
    – GodEater
    Feb 16, 2012 at 13:52
  • \$\begingroup\$ It's not just the name of the condition. The description of Blinded explicity says "You can't see". If you can't see, you can't do AoO. \$\endgroup\$
    – T. Sar
    May 8, 2014 at 16:22

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