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One trick I often use when using Eldrad is to manifest smite even though there is no viable target.

My reasoning is this: the rules say that you roll to manifest a psychic power, your opponent gets to attempt to deny the witch if they are able to do so, then you resolve the power. These are three separate stages, which implies that you have successfully "manifested" a power even if it's denied (the bit on deny the witch simply states that it stops the effects of a power *that has been manifested* from being resolved) and even if you're not able to resolve its effects e.g. because no viable targets are in range. It does not state that you have to declare a target for the power and then attempt to manifest, which is what a lot of people assume.

This is significant because:

1. It means I can use smite to trigger Eldrad's +1 to cast for the remainder of the psychic phase
2. In maelstrom missions, I can get a point for "harness the warp" even if the power is denied and even if there is no viable target in range
3. If I don't have to tell my opponent know which unit I'm casting the power on then this may affect his decision as to whether to try and deny it

Am I wrong?

Targets for powers are chosen after manifesting. Therefore you can manifest without a valid target, it just does nothing.

It would still earn you VP if the only condition is to successfully manifest the power. The fact the power didn't do anything is irrelevant. You are still risking perils of course.

Some powers say you need to pick a unit as a target for it. Some don't say that. Smite is one of those. You can manifest smite without an enemy unit in range, and get VP for it.

 Krusha wrote:

3. If I don't have to tell my opponent know which unit I'm casting the power on then this may affect his decision as to whether to try and deny it

Am I wrong?

Smite targets nearest visible automatically so the moment you point who casts target is obvious

You don't pick targets until you have successfully manifested a power. This plays.

Smite doesn't target anything, so technically you don't even get to that point. You can smite even if the enemy has zero units on the board.

However, the rules re: manifestation do mean that you can cast any power - not just smite - even without a valid target to cast it on. It doesn't matter whether it's targeted or not. However, if you DO have a valid target, RAW you do have to cast the power on something if you can, assuming it goes off. I.e. if you cast Da Jump just to cast something, you have to Da Jump something if it goes off, even if you don't want to.