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I've made a hunter that can fire Divine Bolts as a ranged basic attack. (Half-elf + power of skill + Invoker MC + Versatile Master = divine bolts at will as RBA)

Divine bolts:

Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One or two creatures Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier lightning damage.

Rapid Shot:

Effect: You make a ranged basic attack with a weapon against each creature in or adjacent to a square within the attack’s range. You take a -2 penalty to the attack rolls.

There's only one problem. It states "RBA with a weapon" How can I channel divine bolts or magic missile through rapid shot?

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Your character isn't viewable, "Sorry, but this iPlay4e item doesn't exist, or you aren't authorized to view it" – Pat Ludwig Jan 25 '11 at 11:55
Removed link. Apparently exhaustion forced me to delete character on site and on computer. I blame... me? – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Jan 25 '11 at 12:07
I've been wracking my brain looking for a way to change the implement keyword to weapon, as that would make doing this almost trivial, but have found no such possibility :( – Simon Withers Feb 3 '11 at 21:04
Yeah. Looks like the discussion on the forums is: "Cust Serv said it was fine, but that the target of rapidshot overrides target of divine bolts" – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Feb 3 '11 at 22:02
Which, of course, then creates other problems... but at least this one isn't broken. – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Feb 3 '11 at 22:09

2 Answers

up vote 5 down vote accepted

Moonbow Dedicate (feat, D367, page 69) lets you use a Shortbow as an implement for divine attacks. Thus you can meet the implement and weapon requirements, I believe.

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"Benefit: You gain proficiency with the shortbow, plus you can use a shortbow as an implement for divine and arcane powers." notes that it's explicitly used as an implement. – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Aug 13 '11 at 5:03
In other news, welcome to the site! Glad to have you with us! :) – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Aug 13 '11 at 5:04
Huh, ... on the other hand... the shortbow does count as a weapon.... and it doesn't require "weapon attack." No, I do believe you're right... – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Aug 13 '11 at 5:07
@Brian As I imply in my answer I think there is wiggle room in that semantic distinction to disallow, but I would very much allow it as a I don't think a 4 feat paragon combo to approximate blazing starfall needs a nerf bat anywhere near it. – Simon Withers Aug 14 '11 at 3:48
Agree, especially with the target override of rapid shot. – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Aug 14 '11 at 10:27
up vote 3 down vote

Divine Bolts ddi is an implement power, so rules as written, you can't.

You might however be able to either get your DM to approve the combination, or to get your DM to approve the combination when using an implement that is also a weapon (and thus requiring the investment of another feat).

In allowing the combo, I would rule that Rapid Shot's override of a normal RBA's targeting rules also overrides Divine Bolt's targeting. Meaning that you are not getting creating two area burst 1 attacks.

Overall, I don't see any real balance issues with doing this - it's a multi feat, paragon tier trick for an at will, ranged basic, area burst 1, Wis-2 vs Reflex, 1d6+Wisdom attack.

Lots of feats for a slightly improved Blazing Starfall.

Were I DMing, I would be happy to allow this combination for Divine Bolts, but probably would disallow it for Magic Missile, as the latter is unable to take a penalty to the attack roll.

Note: I call the rapid shotted bolts area burst 1, because in almost all cases that is how they behave, but unless Rapid Shot gets errata to change from being a ranged attack that targets things in a bunch of squares, these are not area bursts and so for monsters like swarms and their area burst vulnerabilities, are not as deadly.

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Er, divine bolts is "attack 2 targets" instead of Area Burst 1. So quite a lot of cheese can be had from it. So, in the "optimal" case,I'd attack 9 targets in the area burst 1 (hahaha) and then have 9 shots to do with as I wanted. – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Jan 25 '11 at 23:37
Man oh man... don't know how I missed that! .... On consideration, I'd rule that Rapid Shot's targeting rules override the RBA's targeting rules (after all that is what Rapid Shot does), and I'll update my answer to indicate as much. – Simon Withers Jan 26 '11 at 2:53
Ping. What's your opinion on moonbow dedicate that @surveyor suggested? – Brian Ballsun-Stanton♦ Aug 13 '11 at 5:10

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