Psychic Powers with no Target in Range?

[WestRider]

Just wanted to check, I think I have this right, but I may have missed something in one of the FAQs. As I read it, it is possible to Manifest a Psychic Power even with no valid target in Range. E.g. Smiting with no Enemy Unit within 18". Because you go through the whole Manifestation process before selecting targets, I'm pretty sure it works.

The reason it matters is for the Space Wolves Stratagem Cloaked by the Storm, which can only be used on a Rune Priest who has successfully Manifested a Power. But the only Power available to Rune Priests that doesn't target an enemy Unit is WC8, so pretty unreliable if you want to use the Rune Priest to help support a backfield firebase of some kind. It would be far easier to trigger Cloaked by the Storm by just Smiting with no target, or at least having that available as a backup plan, since all the Rune Priests can Manifest two Powers per Turn.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, WestRider said:

Just wanted to check, I think I have this right, but I may have missed something in one of the FAQs. As I read it, it is possible to Manifest a Psychic Power even with no valid target in Range. E.g. Smiting with no Enemy Unit within 18". Because you go through the whole Manifestation process before selecting targets, I'm pretty sure it works.

The reason it matters is for the Space Wolves Stratagem Cloaked by the Storm, which can only be used on a Rune Priest who has successfully Manifested a Power. But the only Power available to Rune Priests that doesn't target an enemy Unit is WC8, so pretty unreliable if you want to use the Rune Priest to help support a backfield firebase of some kind. It would be far easier to trigger Cloaked by the Storm by just Smiting with no target, or at least having that available as a backup plan, since all the Rune Priests can Manifest two Powers per Turn.

No clue on the spacewolf thing, but in 8e psychic powers are manifested prior to selecting a target.

Players often misrepresent smite (and others) when describing them in play, but in 8e it works as follows: you pick psyker, choose a power, cast the power, then resolve the effect (smite's effect is the mortal wounds to the nearest enemy target).

[WestRider]

Yeah, that's my reading. My issue is whether or not a Psychic Power that turns out to not have a valid target still counts as having successfully Manifested.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, WestRider said:

Yeah, that's my reading. My issue is whether or not a Psychic Power that turns out to not have a valid target still counts as having successfully Manifested.

My read is that it would be sucessfully manifested provided you pass the psychic test and it was not denied. The spell's actual effect has no bearing on whether it was manifested.

I would note that once successfully cast, if there is a valid target, the spell would affect it, even if you decide after manifesting that you don't really want it to affect that target. Smite will hit the nearest enemy model within the spell's range, regardless of that model being the target you wanted to hit with mortal wounds. 

[WestRider]

That was pretty much my line of thought as well. I don't actually care which way it works, I just want to know so I don't get blindsided by being wrong on it, one way or the other. The FAQ didn't address it at all.

[Guest]

On the other hand, casting smite in that manner would still count towards the smite Warp Charge increase for multiple castings, plus remains risking perils. So it's not without a tactical descision, and I think that's the point. 

[WestRider]

Yeah, it's definitely not getting something for nothing, which is part of why I think it's reasonable, if stupid from a fluff perspective.