Combat Superiority Question

[Jarjaxle]

I have a question about the Combat Superiority ability of Fighters.

The Rules state:
"You gain a bonus to opportunity attacks equal to your Wisdom modifier."

Is this a bonus to Attack or a bonus to Damage or a bonus to both Attack and Damage.

A clear answer is always best.

 

[Kordeth]

I have a question about the Combat Superiority ability of Fighters.

The Rules state:
"You gain a bonus to opportunity attacks equal to your Wisdom modifier."

Is this a bonus to Attack or a bonus to Damage or a bonus to both Attack and Damage.

A clear answer is always best.

The attack. If it were damage, it would say "add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you inflict with an opportunity attack" or the like.

 

[Mort_Q]

Attack only.

 

[Jarjaxle]

I agree and assumed that as well - but the fighter in my group is not quite that sure. His argument is that it does not clearly state if the bonus is to Attacks or Attack and Damage.

To his credit it does say just below that on another rule:
"...you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls..."
This is clear and to the point, no ambiguity about what the bonus applies to...

However, in Combat Superiority it just does not clearly say...

Anyone else with an opinion?
Edit/Delete Message

 

[Stormtower]

I agree that the Wisdom bonus is to attacks only. The rules would call out "attack and damage rolls" specifically (remember, only specific beats general) if they intended for the Wisdom modifier to apply to both.

As an aside about Combat Superiority, I believe based on the text on fighter abilities on pg. 76, if interpreted literally, the +Wis modifier would not seem to apply to attacks made as an immediate interrupt triggered by a marked foe shifting or targeting foes not including the fighter with an attack.

I am not sure of the rules' intent here. Combat Challenge (PHB76) defines the attack against a triggering marked enemy as a "melee basic attack... as an immediate interrupt," which would seem to indicate that a fighter may only take advantage of his ability once per round (immediate actions, limit 1/rnd, PHB 268).

In addition, I personally find it odd that the Combat Challenge triggered attack is not defined as an attack of opportunity... and therefore, read literally the rules seem to imply that the Combat Superiority +Wis bonus would not apply for attacks triggered by Combat Challenge. This seems to go against the inherent "stickiness" of the fighter class as intended by design.

 

[Stalker0]

I am not sure of the rules' intent here. Combat Challenge (PHB76) defines the attack against a triggering marked enemy as a "melee basic attack... as an immediate interrupt," which would seem to indicate that a fighter may only take advantage of his ability once per round (immediate actions, limit 1/rnd, PHB 268).

In addition, I personally find it odd that the Combat Challenge triggered attack is not defined as an attack of opportunity... and therefore, read literally the rules seem to imply that the Combat Superiority +Wis bonus would not apply for attacks triggered by Combat Challenge. This seems to go against the inherent "stickiness" of the fighter class as intended by design.

This is actually a very common question, so don't feel you are alone!

Here's teh thing, combat challenge and combat superiority are TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS!!

Combat Superiority gives fighters superior oppurtunity attacks. They get their wisdom bonus added to those attacks, and there OA's stop movement.

Combat Challenge is NOT an oppurtunity attack, it is an immediate interrupt that is triggered when a marked creature shifts or attacks someone else. As such, you don't get your wisdom mod added, you don't stop the shift if you hit, and you don't get any feat or paragon path bonuses for OA's on that attack.

To put it another way, combat superiority makes the fighter the king of OA's, combat challenge gives them an ability no one else gets.

 

[Stormtower]

This is actually a very common question, so don't feel you are alone!

Here's teh thing, combat challenge and combat superiority are TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS!!

Combat Superiority gives fighters superior oppurtunity attacks. They get their wisdom bonus added to those attacks, and there OA's stop movement.

Combat Challenge is NOT an oppurtunity attack, it is an immediate interrupt that is triggered when a marked creature shifts or attacks someone else. As such, you don't get your wisdom mod added, you don't stop the shift if you hit, and you don't get any feat or paragon path bonuses for OA's on that attack.

To put it another way, combat superiority makes the fighter the king of OA's, combat challenge gives them an ability no one else gets.

Thank you. It seems you are agreeing with my interpretation of the rules, but it's going to make our fighters unhappy until they realize that OAs are not the same thing as the Combat Challenge interrupt. However, this takes a close reading of the rules and may not be obvious/apparent to all new players, so I will take extra time to point it out when I DM at organized/convention tables.

 

[Teki]

This is actually a very common question, so don't feel you are alone!

Here's teh thing, combat challenge and combat superiority are TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS!!

Combat Superiority gives fighters superior oppurtunity attacks. They get their wisdom bonus added to those attacks, and there OA's stop movement.

Combat Challenge is NOT an oppurtunity attack, it is an immediate interrupt that is triggered when a marked creature shifts or attacks someone else. As such, you don't get your wisdom mod added, you don't stop the shift if you hit, and you don't get any feat or paragon path bonuses for OA's on that attack.

To put it another way, combat superiority makes the fighter the king of OA's, combat challenge gives them an ability no one else gets.

I just asked this last night at my local game shop, and it lead to a 20+ minute debate. But I have to agree with this interpretation.

 

[Aulirophile]

If he misses the damage from the incorrect interpretation, he can take Focused Superiority as a feat. Adds +wis to OA damage rolls.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Thank you. It seems you are agreeing with my interpretation of the rules, but it's going to make our fighters unhappy until they realize that OAs are not the same thing as the Combat Challenge interrupt. However, this takes a close reading of the rules and may not be obvious/apparent to all new players, so I will take extra time to point it out when I DM at organized/convention tables.

It's a critical difference because you get only one Combat Challenge per round and even then, not on your turn.