[Practical Tactical] Provoking Opportunity Attacks for more Damage;Use that Defender!

[inati]

Something I posted to my blog that I thought I would share with you all!

I. Intro

The scope of this article is exploring how to use intentionally provoked Opportunity Attacks (OAs) in conjunction with a Defender in order to achieve more damage output for the party, and the Pros and Cons of doing so.

A note about Defenders
All Defenders have a marking ability and these marks all have a damaging component associated with them (arguably with an exception to the Aegis of Shielding Swordmage). Instead of gaining that damage through Cursing, Quarries, or Combat Advantage like a Striker does however, Defenders gain extra damage through punishing the enemy for attacking their comrades.

What this means is, the Defender needs to position himself on the battlemap where his marking abilities will be the most effective. Generally (but not always), this means getting in the face of the enemy. Most importantly, the Defender’s teammates need to work in conjunction with the Defender in activating the Defender’s extra damage ability by goading the enemy into attacking.

Assumptions:
Before we get into the nitty gritty of showing how to get your defender in the group to shine, there are a few basic assumptions that apply to all the following scenarios:

1. The Defender has the Monster marked.
2. The Defender is next to the Monster. Although certain Defender classes like the Swordmage and the Paladin don’t necessarily require this, this assumption is here for simplicity’s sake. Maybe a future version can deal with more advanced scenarios involving all the different Defender classes.
3. The Player is in, or can move through, the Monster’s threatening area.
4. The Monster can make an Opportunity Attack.
5. The Defender has not used an immediate reaction this round.

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II. The Tactic
Distilled down to it’s most basic essence, the PC leaves a square that the Monster threatens and draws an Opportunity Attack (see Section IV for Ranged provoking). By goading the Monster into attacking the PC, the Defender’s extra damage ability kicks in.

Of course, there are many variations on where the PC can be in relation to both the Defender and the Monster, as well as to where the PC can move to draw an OA:

 

[inati]

III. Pros and Cons
There are many people who are wary about exposing themselves to being hit by an OA. To these players, I will say, “Stop being such pansies!” But, for the people who need more convincing than the mere questioning of their masculinity, let’s take a look at the Pros and Cons of performing this tactic:

Pros

Deals extra damage
This is the whole point to this tactic. The Defender’s extra damage ability kicks in, thereby damaging the enemy more.

Monster has -2 to hit
Because the monster is marked by the Defender, it has a -2 to hit against the PC, or looking at it in a more ‘glass is half full’ sort of way, the PC is enjoying an effective +2 to their AC defense. For some classes, this will even bump up their effective AC to be on par with, or even more than, the Defender’s AC.

Cause damage AND stay mobile
Mobility and positioning are key for all tactical games, and with 4E’s tactics heavy combat system, this is even more true than ever. Instead of shifting away and then acting, not only does a player cause more damage by triggering the Defender by moving straight away, they also maintain that all important tactical mobility.

Synergizes with other class features
Certain classes were designed for mobility or their class has features that improve their AC when attacked by OAs (this means you, Strikers!) Take advantage of this fact! For example, Artful Dodger Rogues will turn into rockstars by employing this tactic. Even Warlocks can join in on the fun with Shadow walk giving them an AC boost, although they will need to move three squares before they gain their concealment bonus (see Section IV).

Synergizes with feats
There are feats that were placed specifically within the game that plays off of Opportunity Attacks for a reason. For example, Defensive Mobility (which Bow Rangers get for free) help out the player who drew the Opportunity Attack from the monster.

The DM doesn’t need to play the monsters ‘dumb’
Just as most players shy away from giving opportunity attacks to the monsters, most DMs will shy away from giving the players free opportunity attacks or activating Defender damage abilities by having the monsters make what they consider ‘dumb’ mistakes. Leaving aside the argument over the nuances of how monsters should fight tactically, if the players intentionally provoke the monsters into attacking and consequently activate the Defender’s damage ability, the players reduce the need for the monsters to ‘intentionally’ make poor tactical decisions.
By provoking the opportunity attack, the monster (and by extension the DM) no longer has to ponder if they should attack the squishier target or the Defender that marked them, but rather will they hit a vulnerable target or not. If they go for the attack, they get nailed by the Defender. If the monster is wise to the tactic however, and refuses to attack, the PCs still comes out ahead because the monster has just conceded its threatening area, which denies mobility and positioning on the battlemap to the players. Arguably this is even more powerful than the damage itself.

Cons

A possibility of being hit by a basic melee attack.
Always remember that the Opportunity Attack is not a guaranteed hit, merely a chance of being hit. And even then, a melee basic attack from a monster will be their weakest attack.


As shown above, the advantages and the payout for incorporating this fighting tactic into a group can more than outweigh the disadvantage of drawing an Opportunity Attack. As with all things, however, there are some caveats. Naturally, the usage of this tactical fighting style is ultimately a judgment call by the PCs. If the monster has a particularly nasty basic melee attack, or if the PC is low on hitpoints or in a situation which calls for discretion on the PC’s part, the PC might be better off with shifting and running away than risk becoming a red smear all over the dungeon walls.
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[inati]

IV. Advanced Concepts

There are a wide variety of ways of changing the basic technique to fit a situation. Below are just a few of the many modifications possible:

Maintaining Flank (aka Move without Moving)
If the monster is being flanked for combat advantage by the Defender and the PC, the PC can move one square, draw the attack, activate the Defender’s damage, and simply move back one square into flanking position again.

So, in the above example, a Rogue (acting as the PC) could move away, activate the Defender’s damage ability, move back in to restore flank, and then nail the monster with sneak attack. If the Rogue happened to apply a Riposte Strike (you know, that ability most Players say never gets activated) beforehand on the monster, it’s all the more sweeter. Now we’re cooking with gas!

Opportunity Attacks by Ranged attacks ( aka Provoke without Moving)
Of course, movement isn’t the only way to draw an Opportunity Attack. A PC has the choice to maintain position and simply use a Ranged attack instead, as Ranged attacks provoke OAs. This can be very useful for when you are unable to move, or don’t want to move from your location. In a multiple Monster encounter, it can even be possible to shoot at another target across the battlefield, draw an OA from an adjacent marked monster, activate the Defender’s damage ability and enjoy the fact that two Monsters have been damaged for the price of a single standard action. Efficiency at work!

Using the Defender as a meatshield
Sometimes a PC is caught between a rock and a hard place. Here’s one way a retreating PC can still move through the threat zone, draw the attack, and move safely away behind the Defender. By placing the Defender between the PC and the Monster, it makes it that much harder for the Monster to get at the PC.

If the PC can’t afford to take a hit, they might be better off shifting and then moving away. In desperate times, though, drawing an OA so that the PC can move as far away as possible from a sticky situation might be preferable.

Two Defenders / Mark swapping
When two defenders work in conjunction with each other, they can pingpong the monster between them to great effect by swapping marks with each other and drawing an OA. Also, by mark swapping, the Defenders are able to spread out the damage the monster does to two characters as opposed to just one.

Although it is not necessary for the two Defenders to be flanking the Monster to perform this maneuver, it is probably ideal.

No need to be Adjacent
Nothing says you must start out adjacent to the Monster in order to draw an OA. By passing through (but not stopping in) the monster’s threat zone, a PC can still activate the Defender’s extra damage. PCs with powers that allow them to move before or after an attack can be especially effective performing this technique.

In the above example, if the PC were a Warlock, their Shadow Walk ability would have activated when they entered the threatening area, thus gaining Concealment and a +2 boost to their AC. Again, it is not necessary to move into the flanking position, but if the PC can still end up where they want to go while drawing the OA from the flank, it would be ideal.

 

[inati]

V. Conclusion:
By incorporating the tactics laid out in this article, a party of adventurers will be able to maximize the potential damage they do to the enemy, and transform the Defender into the fulcrum point of the battlemap. It is up to the Defender’s teammates to pull off this tactic, so remember that a high level of teamplay, trust, and understanding of each others’ abilities is required. If used correctly and wisely, it can be a powerful addition to the fighting repertoire of any group.
Fair warning: What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander! This is by no means a tactic which is exclusive to the players; DMs can potentially use this too if the monsters have damaging marking capabilities!

VI. Possible Future installments
More advanced concepts
Class specific tactics

 

[JasonZZ]

Nicely done.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

This is a great article. Thanks, and let's hear more!

 

[inati]

Thanks! This article was about 1800 words, so a lot of editing and rewrites were involved, ugh. For future tactical articles, I have Fighter, Swordmage, and Reach weapons in the works.

If people have suggestions, or would like to contribute, you are more than welcome to do so!

 

[WhatGravitas]

The funny thing is: The warlock in my campaign did that all the time - throwing eldritch blasts while standing next to the fighter. Sometimes, the monster didn't even try a OA because of that setup (esp. minions), meaning a good defender really allows ranged combatants to work even in close quarters. This is one of the neat little things 4E does and you don't realise it immediately. But once you do, you're impressed.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Victim]

Why is this in house rules?

 

[inati]

Why is this in house rules?

I wasn't sure if this would fall under a Fan Creation, or under the Rules Discussion Forum. If the mods feel it should be in the other forum, please move it. Thanks!