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This week, the Ranger comes off the grid with Twin Strike. The ability to strike two targets with a ranged weapon simultaneously has countless applications beyond combat. It’s also incredibly cool–like having two wands or ice cream cones.
The Ranger
Twin Strike
Dok Tortran surveyed his surroundings. In front of him, Jinx stood between two large cages suspended above a boiling pit of magma. Pullies, gears, and other parts of the insane death trap hung from the ceiling. The far walls were concealed in shadow.
“I apologize little hero. I’ve been so selfish lately, killing all the innocent people on my own. But not today. Today, my diminutive d0-gooder, you get the chance to condemn a good soul to death.” Jinx erupted in a fit of laughter as some unseen mechanism lit two lamps on either end of the room. The two little flames licked greedily at strands of rope.
“On each side of the room is a separate mechanism that will burn a rope. Once the rope burns through, the cage it’s attached to will plummet into liquid fire.” Jinx paused while the occupants of both cages shrieked in fear.
“With your short little legs, you only have time to go and disarm one… leaving the others to die.”
Dok’s arms flew out to the sides and a dagger collided with each lamp, extinguishing the flames.
“We’ll see how you like the short jokes after I put a blade through your knees,” Dok drew two more daggers and advanced forward.
Jinx quivered in fear as he realized all the stories about Dok Tortran were true. He really was the most bad-ass halfling in Waterdeep.
Dok can Twin Strike his way out of just about any encounter. While each device might have been too far to reach in a single turn, they were just at the edge of the halfling’s throwing distance.
I started Dungeon Mastering with secondhand AD&D materials in 1996 and have run a vast number of D20 campaigns, from cliche' medieval adventures in a kingdom made of Lego bricks to fighting zombies and the mob in the mid 1930s. I try to make the gaming experience as enjoyable, fast-paced, and easy to play as humanly possible. 
I like this series very much, but this addition is really pretty weak. It seems pretty “On the Grid” to me.
You’re right. This is rather on the grid since it’s at the beginning of an encounter. A more appropriate application may have been a trap that required two switches to be struck simultaneously or perhaps a Dwarven ranger that could drink two pints of ale simultaneously.
I’ve really enjoyed hearing about the different ways you can use the 4e powers…I just wish that my players read your site, and would start using thier abilities a bit more dynamically. I think it would open the game up for them with some of the things they could do.
Honestly tho, I’m looking forward to seeing more of the skill challenge and non-PC stuff again. Most of the powers and new classes and everything get lost on me since I’m strictly a DM for 4e. The few times I’ve gotten to sit on the PC side of the table for 4e, it’s been a lot of fun.
Thanks a ton, Ethan – keep up the good work!
@Devo317
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Your appreciation is greatly accepted
I’ve been on the PC side of the screen a lot these days, and as a player, it’s always difficult for me to remember an abstract application of my character’s powers. I also feel a little guilty of taking up the GM’s time by asking to use an at-will power in a non-offensive way and inviting the ensuing chaos of a rule bent here and there.
I like this series . . . that is all.