Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 cretaross Sep 04, 2010 20:12:49	In the DSCS it says that "When you use any arcane power, you can choose to defile, destroying mundane plant life within at least 1 square of you." Mechanically speaking, does that mean a player can use the actual arcane defiling power at any time even though even though the power itself states just arcane dailies, is it a reference to how certain abilities (like Master Defiler Path Features) and feats (ie Defiling Action) let you use it on encounters/at-wills? Is it just flavor text that lets me as the DM say "You turn this square into defiled terrain X," or "The Human Defiler defiles this square and turns it into Y" or text that I'm reading way too far into? Also, I remember there being a discussion on how psionic classes with power points work with theme powers. My groups Ardent is thinking about taking the level 3 wilder encounter and I'm not sure how that works with him gaining an extra at-will. And lastly, say further down the road he decides to take Psionic Defiling at paragon tier, would Defiling Action let him use arcane defiling with psionic at-will/encounter powers?
#2 Pennarin Sep 04, 2010 20:31:25	A character can choose to defile all the time. To gain benefits while defiling, one needs to use arcane defiling. The first option is cosmetic and flavorful, the second option grants a mechanical benefit. You gain the arcane defiling power and can use it with psionic daily attack powers. How is this not clear?
#3 cretaross Sep 04, 2010 20:42:51	Well it started out when our Tiefling Warlock wanted to defile to re-roll an encounter power, I told the at-will power said daily arcane power he said the paragraph above that said any arcane power, so we were a little confused. The Psionic defiling was just a random thought I figured I might as well ask, you know, while I was making the thread. Thanks for the clarification on the first part though! Any ideas on the Psionics/Themes power swap?
#4 chaosfang Sep 05, 2010 11:41:55	tl;dr -> Check out the Dark Sun Creature Catalog entry on Defiled Terrain, link it up to the ability to defile, and have fun with it The DSCS entry on defiling allows players to create defiled terrain as listed in the DSCC, should the DM allow it (and frankly, I'd go for it).  This is regardless to the actual use of arcane defiling, which is limited to arcane daily attack powers (and psionic daily attack powers with Psionic Defiling).  For themes to grant arcane defiling, the player has to pick a theme that has the Arcane power source and pick an arcane daily attack power. Again, although Pennarin says that the first portion that refers to any arcane power is just cosmetics/flavor, while the arcane defiling at-will is the only mechanical benefit, the DSCC gives DMs the power to grant even "cosmetic" defiling a mechanical benefit.  And frankly the ability to weaken opponents with one type of defiled terrain, combined with defiling with your at-will powers (like, oh let's say, Eldritch Strike with an Obsidian Fullblade) should be fun Although I think the DM *would* have the right/ability for that type of defiled terrain to also affect your own square, so a defiling player should be wary... especially if the DM decides to slap in Dead Magic terrain instead (prevents use of arcane defiling and arcane & primal powers take -5 penalty to attack rolls). If the player wishes to use arcane defiling with his at-will / encounter attack powers, there's a feat for that, although he has to use said power alongside an action point.