Pact Initiate, Vestige Pact [4e]

[Yakk]

What happens when a character takes the MC feat Pact Initiate for Vestige Pact.

The at-will power, on a hit, places a Warlock's Curse on a target. But (by default) you lack the Warlock's Curse class feature. Does the Curse get placed on the target anyhow? Or does that feature not work?

[ghost_warlock]

Hrm. By RAW, I don't think you can place what you don't have. (You place 'your' warlock's curse on the target; but you don't have a warlock's curse so it does nothing.)

However, since the MC gives a encounter ability, I'd probably allow it to affect the target and do the extra damage once.

[Sir Homeslice]

I would rule that it places a curse that does nothing for you, much like what the Quickcurse rod would do. No damage.

[Yakk]

Now, what if you have the ability to place a Curse that does 1d6 damage as a minor action once per encounter, but the curse placed fades once you do damage.

I suppose the right thing to do would be to make the curse placed by the Vestige also fade.

(Ie, use the other warlock MC feat to gain the curse ability).