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U02dah4 wrote:
how do you know what unit it effects (sic)

It affects the nearest enemy unit within 18". We have criteria for which unit it affects. We don't know if that is sufficient to count as "targeting" that unit, from a rules perspective.

It may seem very clear from a common sense perspective, but from a rules-logic perspective, what counts as "targeting" is unclear at best.

Which is unknown. The rules cover target for attacks and charges (via the terms glossary) but not for Psychic Powers.

So since there is no clear definition, dealing with what a target is, in the psychic phase rules, we have to make assumptions.

Without those assumptions you go down to roll a dice.


The easiest assumption to make is that since smite is affecting the unit it is also targeting said unit.

40k doesnt have counterspells or stacks to work with, so theres no reason to assume there are spells that dont target a unit, unless they actually do not (such as ones that target a point on the table).

 Eihnlazer wrote:
The easiest assumption to make is that since smite is affecting the unit it is also targeting said unit..

I could just as easily say, "The easiest assumption to make is that since Smite doesn't say the word 'target' (or any synonym thereof), it doesn't target the unit."

I think for now, this is a "clear it with your opponent" type situation, because the rules are, for all that this is stupid, unclear.

Just for the record, I would not object to an opponent using FoW on Smite, because I think that's the good, common sense ruling. I would also not object to an opponent not allowing me to do the same (so long as they're consistent), because I think that's technically RAW.

Discuss with opponent before hand, and try to come to an understanding, but don't proceed on this assumption in game without discussing first.

by picking the closest unit your are targetting that unit.

Exactly not to mention some units such as inquisitor draxus have a choice of targets with smite

 skeleton wrote:
by picking the closest unit your are targetting that unit.

Except when two or more units are in the same distance you dont pick or target the closest unit for smite.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

U02dah4 wrote:
Exactly not to mention some units such as inquisitor draxus have a choice of targets with smite

In this case the stratagem would be usable.

But does Inquisitor Draxus target a unit? Doesn't her rules say "select"? Do any Psychic Powers actually use the word "target"?

 alextroy wrote:
Do any Psychic Powers actually use the word "target"?

Certainly none of the Death Guard psychic powers use the word "target".
Nor do the Chaos Demon psychic abilities.
Or the Chaos Space Marine psychic abilities.
Or the Craftworlds psychic abilities.
Or the Thousand Sons psychic abilities.

That's where I stopped checking without finding a power that said "target". It ended up with three categories:
- select a unit, with a range and qualifiers
- "the closest" unit (Cacaphonic Choir, Smite, Infernal Gateway, etc.)
- do something to "every unit" with qualifiers
- misc stuff

HIWPI is that you can use Fortress of Willpower against Smite.

Mayhaps not RAW, but given Solkan's findings, I'd imagine it's RAI.

If you envision it being an issue in a game, bring it up with your opponent before the game starts and work it out.

We can add Astra Militarum to the list of psychic disciplines that never use the word target.

So I think we can conclusively conclude that either:

A) Fortress of Willpower doesn't do anything because target is not defined for psychic powers
B) When Fortress of Willpower says 'target' it means 'is the selected unit or otherwise affected by a psychic power'

HIWPI is B.

 alextroy wrote:
We can add Astra Militarum to the list of psychic disciplines that never use the word target.

So I think we can conclusively conclude that either:

A) Fortress of Willpower doesn't do anything because target is not defined for psychic powers
B) When Fortress of Willpower says 'target' it means 'is the selected unit or otherwise affected by a psychic power'

HIWPI is B.

There's a third option, which is a slight modification of B. We could conclude when Fortress of Willpower says 'target' it means 'is the selected unit'. The second part of your sentence is just one interpretation, not the only one.