A few Rule Questions

[Nilbog]

Hi Guys

Starting a new 4e campaign, and a few queries regarding rules cropped up, there are probably obvious answers but I can't seem to find them, so I hoped some of the folk on here maybe able to help.

i)Ethereal Chill (artificer power) - does the effect apply to multiple attacks against the target or just the first attack against the pc? we were fighting a monster that had a twin strike ability, that hit the target with Ethereal Chill active, so would the Ethereal Chill effect apply twice or just once on the initial hit?

ii)Concealment - Do creatures with concealment provoke opportunity attacks?

iii)A creature had a pc grabbed with a tentacle, this creature was marked by our fighter (not the grabbed PC) the tentacle made a squeeze attack against the pc it had grabbed, would this trigger the fighters mark?

thanks

 

[Will Doyle]

Ethereal chill affects all successful attacks made against the target until the end of your next turn, so yes, a creature that uses a "twin strike" power would trigger it on each hit. An attack action consisting of multiple attacks treats each individual attack as a separate attack.

Concealment offers no protection from opportunity attacks. "Hidden" is a different condition - which is an important distinction. A creature with concealment may attempt a Stealth check to become Hidden.

If the tentacle squeeze is truly an attack, then yes, combat challenge should kick in. Typically if they had to roll to hit, then combat challenge kicks in. Remember that the challenge is an immediate action though, so the fighter can only do it once per round.

 

[mudlock]

Concealment offers no protection from opportunity attacks. "Hidden" is a different condition - which is an important distinction. A creature with concealment may attempt a Stealth check to become Hidden.

Concealment no, but total concealment does avoid OAs, even if you aren't hidden.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Concealment no, but total concealment does avoid OAs, even if you aren't hidden.

Going to have to say I don't agree with this one. Concealment or cover of any kind doesn't stop enemies from seeing you. The OA will suffer a -2 attack penalty for attacking a concealed target, and total concealment would be a -5 attack penalty. Total concealment WOULD let you make a Stealth check to hide, and once hidden you are 'unseen' and thus not subject to OAs. That may be what you meant.

 

[Will Doyle]

Actually, I think Mudlock's right.

From the Compendium:

Total Concealment (-5 Penalty to Attack Rolls): You can’t see the target. The target is invisible, in a totally obscured square, or in a heavily obscured square and not adjacent to you.

And under Opportunity Attack:

Able to Attack: You can’t make an opportunity attack unless you are able to make a melee basic attack and you can see your enemy.

 

[Infiniti2000]

i)Ethereal Chill (artificer power) - does the effect apply to multiple attacks against the target or just the first attack against the pc? we were fighting a monster that had a twin strike ability, that hit the target with Ethereal Chill active, so would the Ethereal Chill effect apply twice or just once on the initial hit?

Sometimes the words can make a difference and make it easier to understand. I'm not sure if the book agrees with the on-line compendium, but the compendium uses the word "hit" and not attack:

Hit: 1d8 + Intelligence modifier cold damage. Until the end of your next turn, any enemy that hits the ally takes cold damage equal to your Wisdom modifier.
​

Thus, on every hit of that ally, the enemy takes the damage. Note that this is ANY enemy and not just the original victim of the attack.

iii)A creature had a pc grabbed with a tentacle, this creature was marked by our fighter (not the grabbed PC) the tentacle made a squeeze attack against the pc it had grabbed, would this trigger the fighters mark?

Yes, because the squeeze attack is an attack. Depend on the wording of the monster or trap writeup this could be debated. For instance, if the monster power was written something along the lines of "Effect: Any creature grabbed by a tentacle takes X damage at the start of their turn." then I would say that this wouldn't trigger Combat Challenge.

 

[Mengu]

iii)A creature had a pc grabbed with a tentacle, this creature was marked by our fighter (not the grabbed PC) the tentacle made a squeeze attack against the pc it had grabbed, would this trigger the fighters mark?

Depends on the "attack". I've seen this ruled either way with good reason. But there are 3 possibilities:

If there is an actual sword melee symbol next to the power, and there is an actual attack roll, then yes, the fighter's combat challenge will most certainly be triggered. (e.g. Grell Strangler)

If there is a sword symbol next to the power, but no attack roll, simply an effect line, that allows the creature to sustain the grab and deal X damage, it's a grey area, and the DM could rule either way. (e.g. Kraken Tentacle)

If there is no sword symbol next to the power, and it's just an effect line to sustain and deal damage, or if it's part of the original attack that grabbed the creature, to sustain the grab and deal damage, then combat challenge is not triggered. (e.g. Bloodthorn Vine).

and a nit pick...

A creature with concealment may attempt a Stealth check to become Hidden.

A creature with *total* concealment (or superior cover) may attempt a stealth check. Partial concealment is not sufficient (sans tools like Sneak's Trick).