Rules question: untargetable by psychic powers

[hivefleetkerrigan]

How does untargetable by psychic powers interact with powers that need to target the closest unit?

For example, if I successfully cast smite and the closest unit is a sisters of silence unit, does smite hit the next closest targetable unit or does smite count as being cast but do no wounds?

[infornography]

hmm... I don't remember, does Smite say 'closest visible' or 'closest targetable'?
If the former, then I think you are SOL. If the latter then you are good.

Though to be really sure I'd have to read the phrasing on the SoS unit too.

[hivefleetkerrigan]

For reference

Sisters of silence anti psychic rule

Psychic Abomination: This model can never be targeted or affected by psychic powers. When a Psychic test or a Deny the Witch test is taken for an enemy model, subtract 1 from the total for each unit from your army with this ability within 18" of that model (to a maximum of -4).

Smite states the closest visible target.

[infornography]

closest visible target....

Can never be targeted

I think you are good. The SoS cannot be the closest visible TARGET.

If the SoS rule said can never be affected by but didn't say targeted, then you would be in trouble, but since it says it cannot be targeted and smite says closest visible target, it would go to next nearest visible unit just fine.

[hivefleetkaiju]

Side topic
Shadow in the warp should be able to stack like SoS's

[hivefleetkerrigan]

Jun 11, 2020 21:45:44 GMT infornography said:

closest visible target....

Can never be targeted

I think you are good. The SoS cannot be the closest visible TARGET.

If the SoS rule said can never be affected by but didn't say targeted, then you would be in trouble, but since it says it cannot be targeted and smite says closest visible target, it would go to next nearest visible unit just fine.

Good find! I'd like a definitive FAQ for sure. I worked around this once by purposely shifting my unit to be our of line of sight, but there not always that luxury.

[hivefleetkerrigan]

Shoot. Misread it earlier. It's the closest visible enemy unit. I'm thinking then that casting smite is a no go.

[Hive Bahamut]

Jun 11, 2020 23:53:05 GMT hivefleetkaiju said:

Side topic
Shadow in the warp should be able to stack like SoS's

Yeah no chance that a galactic void snuffing power from a Xenos army would have that effect. You must have the seal of Imperium to get well thought out rules that stack. Funny how it even works while in transport, while our Synapse can't penetrate a door.

[LordPathos]

Maybe a decent tactic is making SoS your screens then? If enemy psykers need to get closer to use their 'close target' powers then that means they are closer to the Sisters. And with that max flamer hits strat coming out next week, I wouldnt want that.

[able]

GW making leaps and bounds in the name of gender equality. Women are now regarded as a shield to hide your men behind!

Not sure this is progress...

[sneggy]

Its been this way for ages, culexus assasin also eats smites.

[autoxidation]

Q: If a psyker manifests a psychic power that affects the nearest enemy unit (e.g. Smite) and that unit happens to be either a Culexus Assassin or a Sisters of Silence unit with the Abomination/Psychic Abomination ability, what happens? Does that psychic power then affect the next nearest unit instead?

A: No, the power simply has no effect.

FAQ Index Imperium 2.

[infornography]

Jun 15, 2020 3:01:37 GMT autoxidation said:

Q: If a psyker manifests a psychic power that affects the nearest enemy unit (e.g. Smite) and that unit happens to be either a Culexus Assassin or a Sisters of Silence unit with the Abomination/Psychic Abomination ability, what happens? Does that psychic power then affect the next nearest unit instead?

A: No, the power simply has no effect.

FAQ Index Imperium 2.

Oof, yeah, that kills it. Specifically called out the situation. I would argue that the verbiage was definitely leaning the other direction without an FAQ like this, but you can't dispute that wording.

[brassangel]

Psychic Abomination specifically says, "can't be targeted OR affected..." so it couldn't have been affected even if it weren't the target anyway. The FAQ makes perfect sense.