Paladin's Divine Challenge Timing

[Caliber]

Quick and easy Q for you guys. A Paladin has a Boneshard Skeleton (or some other monster that explodes upon death) marked. The creature attacks someone else when it has few enough hit points that the Paladins mark will kill it. Does it explode before or after its attack completes? That is, does it roll to hit and damage with the attack before the mark strikes it down?

My group found the wording in the PHB inexact, so I ruled on the spot it happened before, but it seems that there has to be an official ruling right?

[Intrope]

Given that it isn't explicitly an Interrupt, I'd probably rule that it happens after the attack. So the creature does damage and then gets fried.

You're the first person I know of to bring this up, so I don't know of any official ruling on this.

[abyssaldeath]

I would say that the Boneshard Skeleton rolls to hit and damage with the attack before the mark strikes it down. I say this only because the Hybrid Paladin playtest for the PHB3 changes the Divine Challenge from noaction required to a immediate reaction.

While the target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty
to attack rolls for any attack that doesn’t include you as
a target. The first time it makes an attack that doesn’t
include you as a target before the start of your next
turn, you can use an immediate reaction to deal radiant
damage to the target equal to your Charisma modifier.
The damage increases to 2 + your Charisma modifier
at 11th level and 4 + your Charisma modifier at 21st
level.

Generally, Hybrid class features are less effective, but I don't think the timing of the damage given is part of that reduction.

[Intrope]

Originally Posted by abyssaldeath

I would say that the Boneshard Skeleton rolls to hit and damage with the attack before the mark strikes it down. I say this only because the Hybrid Paladin playtest for the PHB3 changes the Divine Challenge from noaction required to a immediate reaction.

Generally, Hybrid class features are less effective, but I don't think the timing of the damage given is part of that reduction.

Interesting! The PHB doesn't use that language, even in the most up-to-date errata. I wonder if that language will eventually be errata'd in?

[abyssaldeath]

Originally Posted by Intrope

Interesting! The PHB doesn't use that language, even in the most up-to-date errata. I wonder if that language will eventually be errata'd in?

I think the point of the way DC is worded in the PHB is so DC doesn't take up your Immediate Action for the round. Paladin's don't have a whole lot uses for IA's, so I don't think it will really change anything it they were to change DC to a IR.