Battle Chaplain PP - Uses for Battle Chant?

[Colmarr]

The cleric PP Battle Chaplain (which I plan to take) has the following class feature:

Battle Chant (11th level): Whenever an ally hits an enemy that is adjacent to you, you can mark that enemy. The mark lasts until the end of your next turn. If the enemy marked by you makes an attack that does not include you as a target, you can shift 1 square as a free action.

The utility of the first half is clear.

But I'm having trouble visualising how the second half (the shift) is meant to be useful.

Any ideas?

As a secondary question, I assume the free action occurs after the enemy's attack?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

you and your ally are flanking an enemy
Ally hit --> enemy marked by you
ally shifts back
enemy shifts and attacks your ally --> you shift into flanking position

yes it is not so great. Only to give your ally cover agains a ranged attack on your ally because you shift in the projectiles way...

 

[Colmarr]

Only to give your ally cover agains a ranged attack on your ally because you shift in the projectiles way...

That was my first thought too, but it doesn't work if the shift comes after the attack.

I also thought that it was intended to force enemies to provoke OAs when shifting away, but then I realised that it didn't trigger on a shift, only on an attack.

Now I'm just confused...

 

[Storminator]

I find shifts in general to be useful, as there's so much movement and position control in 4e. So even if it doesn't have a specific and directly obvious use it still has utility.

Frex, I have Cure Serious Wounds, a melee touch heal. If I get a free shift I can move adjacent to the guy I'm going to heal next turn and save myself an action next round.

PS

 

[kaomera]

As a secondary question, I assume the free action occurs after the enemy's attack?

I believe "makes an attack" (as here) is triggered by the declaration of the attack (target), whereas "hits or misses with an attack" would be triggered by the attack roll.

 

[mneme]

More specifically, triggered free actions occur at immediate interrupt speed; they happen when they happen and can modify their trigger, just like interrupts--they're just not limited to one per turn.

 

[Colmarr]

More specifically, triggered free actions [are] just like interrupts--they're just not limited to one per turn.

Interesting. Do you have a page number for that? I might need to argue that call at some point.

 

[1of3]

More specifically, triggered free actions occur at immediate interrupt speed; they happen when they happen and can modify their trigger, just like interrupts--they're just not limited to one per turn.

I would have thought, it's the other way round: Only immediate interrupts and opportunity actions are interrupts.

 

[DracoSuave]

I would have thought, it's the other way round: Only immediate interrupts and opportunity actions are interrupts.

Free actions happen immediately. So if the enemy is going 'I roll my attack' the free action can occur at -any time- the player wants during that.

Battle Chaplain'd be great with a Fighter or Warden, you shift 1, then use your punishment.

Oooooh.

 

[Samir]

Free actions happen immediately. So if the enemy is going 'I roll my attack' the free action can occur at -any time- the player wants during that.

Battle Chaplain'd be great with a Fighter or Warden, you shift 1, then use your punishment.

Oooooh.

Assuming the marked enemy is 2 squares away from you, the Fighter's combat challenge wouldn't trigger at all, because it only triggers when an enemy adjacent to you makes an attack against you. Not that it matters, because the Fighter probably took the CC when the enemy shifted away in the first place.

Warden's Fury, however, has no such restriction, so this would be very useful for a Warden, making him almost as sticky as a Fighter.