Bluff for CA

[mudlock]

How often have you seen a PC uses bluff to gain combat advantage?

With how easy it's become to gain combat advantage, is it even necessary to keep this skill as the ONLY "per encounter" skill use in the game?

 

[the Jester]

How often have you seen a PC uses bluff to gain combat advantage?

Never once, and I've been running 4e since day 1 or slightly before.

With how easy it's become to gain combat advantage, is it even necessary to keep this skill as the ONLY "per encounter" skill use in the game?

Frankly, probably not.

 

[ourchair]

I've used it several times, but only because I like playing Changeling Rogues.

 

[WalterKovacs]

I've seen it happen, but never 'as is'. I've been playing a Changeling who has it as a minor action racial power, and even then, I ussually use it because it let's me get an extra shroud as well.

As a standard action? I see no reason why it shouldn't be at-will basically. Now, there are of course some feats and paragon paths, etc that modify it. Once it gives you a free basic attack (so it's at least comparable to a standard action) and giving combat advantage to everyone, etc ...it becomes something people might actually use, and not necessarily something that should be at-will.

But really, on the one hand, making it at-will won't break it ... then again, I don't know how often someone would try to use it more than once per encounter. It's not that people aren't using it because they are saving it for later ...

 

[MatthewJHanson]

I have also never seen it. I think the standard action is a killer, especially when there are so many other ways to gain combat advantage.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I haven't seen it used, but OTOH in theory it could be, particularly at low levels. I could imagine a rogue wanting to drop a Daily on a target and desiring CA, use an AP, drop daily. Probably would come up once in a very long time, but there's no reason to take it out of the game really.

Also, isn't there another use for Bluff to become hidden that is also similar? Also not all that useful, though again one could come up with a case where it might be handy.

 

[fba827]

i have been playing 4e since release: played a couple rogues myself, seen fellow players play rogues, and DMed for rogues. i have not seen it used once. As others have said, i tink the fact that it is a standard action is a big reason.

 

[Ryujin]

Only once, as an Eladrin Warlock, against a solo that I couldn't seem to hit. It was the difference between a hit and miss, with a Daily.

Frequently, when playing a Changeling Bard. When it's a minor action and you aren't heavily invested in the action economy, it pretty much gets used every encounter.

 

[ourchair]

I've always been tempted to houserule that Bluff for CA is a minor action, and the Changeling Trick is a free action, but I've never DM'ed a party composition in which it would have mattered.

 

[Incenjucar]

I could see someone using it in a round where they couldn't safely make an attack so that they could make up for it a bit in the next round.