Greetings fellow Space Marines.

I have a Librarian in my group who wonders if he can use his smite and avenger powers in melee combat.

The rules state that one can only use actions with the melee subtype in close combat, but most psychic power have no specified action subtypes at all.

Did I overlook something? How do you handle that in your groups?

I am sorry if this topic has already been brought up, I couldn't find anything useful.

There are very few psychic powers that are Melee, indeed.

But the question is well-founded, I'd say a bit of clarification here could be needed.

Then again, as a GM, most of these questions can be ruled out through "common sense": Smite is a ranged attack, you have to concentrate on your target. Quite clearly, you can't do that while a Genestealer is trying to pop your head out.

Defensive powers, however, could be used in Melee (I'm speaking very generally here, please no "This particular example shows you're wrong", guys ) in general (sounds reasonnable, and their destined use more or less).

But overall, yeah, hapering psychic powers in Melee seems right (you're not supposed to have the time to concentrate on the Warp).

Thanks for the reply, I also had the feeling that the Librarian should not be able to use these powers in melee, but you know how players are when you want to restrict their characters' abilities...

I think it's high time psychic powers get specific action subtypes, so that there is no ambiguity whether or not a certain power can be used under specific circumstances.

A friend of mine asked Customer Service who said psychic power can be used in melee combat.

Psychic Powers and melee:

3a. Can you use a free action psychic power while in melee?
Example: Short-range telepathy.

3b. Can you use a half action psychic power while in melee?
Example: Blood Lance.

3c. If you CAN use a half action psychic power while in melee (question 3b), can you choose to hit yourself with Smite and automatically affect anyone else within PR meters (since it has an area of effect)?

3d. Can you use a psychic power (free or half action) while controlling a grappling?

3e. Can you use a pshychic power (free or half action) while being grappled?

3a. Yes.

3b. Yes.

3c. No, has to target an opponent.

3d. 3e. No, participants in a Grapple can only use the Grapple Action.

Andrew Fischer
Associate RPG Producer
Fantasy Flight Games
[email protected]

Also, in DH there was no restrictions on using Powers in melee, just using Powers as well as attacking.

The newest addition to the Errata helps clear that up, much to my dismay.

It basically stats that any psychic power that deals damage is now classified as an attack action, and that you can only make one attack action a turn (unless a talent )

The exact text reads: Power Format (page 189): Add the following sentence to the Action entry: "If the power targets an opponent or does damage to an opponent, the power gains the Attack Subtype (see page 237), and thus cannot be combined with other Attack Subtype actions (such as Full-Auto Burst or Semi-Auto Burst, and so on).

Alas, my days of swinging my Force Sword AND casting Spite must now be behind me.

EDIT: Sorry, I misread the question, so that may have been superfluous.