Counterattack?

[Stalker0]

Maybe Aoos are being adjusted to include these counterattacks. Instead of AOOs that always go off for an action, your enemies gets a counterattack if you somehow fail your action.

 

[hong]

I don't see the fact that the goblin missed as having anything to do with the counterattack. It could be read just as easily as the ranger firing back after the goblin took his shot, whether or not that shot hit.

 

[pawsplay]

It said he counterattacked, then he fired again, for a total of two arrows. It sounds to me like the goblin drew a "ranged attack of opportunity" somehow.

 

[Njall]

I agree with Patryn, it was probably something similar to "improved quick draw" in saga edition.

Neither chose to warn their oblivious comrades, so a surprise round was my players’ first contact with 4th Edition combat.

 

[Green Knight]

IMO, that Ranger got that shot because of a general rules ability available to all characters, similar to Attacks of Opportunity (It may very well be replacing AoO). We've already seen a similar example in another article.

He charges the dragon and manages to land a solid blow, dropping the dragon down below half its hit points. Oh—that gives the dragon the opportunity use its breath weapon as an immediate action.

Now the rogue moves around to flank with the fighter. Ordinarily, that would let the dragon use its tail slap again as an immediate action, but the dragon has used its immediate action already.

Here we've got two examples of what triggers an Immediate Action. Getting reduced to half your HP, and getting flanked. It's also apparent that you only get one Immediate Action per round and, most tellingly, you get it on your opponents turn. Much like what our friend Heron did to the goblin.

Their second impression came squarely from the three arrows with which Heron skewered the hapless goblin sharpshooter in the loft. That poor goblin fired on Heron, missing but triggering an immediate counterattack from the ranger, who followed up with two more arrows on his turn. The sharpshooter was dead before the third arrow struck home.

I don't think the language that Chris Sims chose is a mistake. What Heron did, firing an arrow at the goblin on the goblins turn, before firing two more arrows on his own turn, was another example of an Immediate Action. Had Tian been adjacent to a goblin when his hp was knocked down to half, then we may've seen him getting an Immediate Action allowing him to attack, much like how the dragon was able to attack as an Immediate Action when it was reduced to less then half hp (Unfortunately for him, he didn't appear to have a ranged weapon readied, and none of the monsters were adjacent when he got hit with that javelin).

 

[hong]

It said he counterattacked, then he fired again, for a total of two arrows. It sounds to me like the goblin drew a "ranged attack of opportunity" somehow.

Yes. However, there seemed to be a question over whether that ranged AoO was because the goblin took a shot, or because it shot and missed.

 

[The Grackle]

Stinks of BS. I can see for melee, but a missed ranged attack triggering a counter attack does not work in my book.

Even if he spent a feat/talent on it?

I hope you are correct, because I am sick of the grind of "You attack", "Monster Attacks", repeat (next round).

But what if instead it's "You attack," "Wait! monster counters," "Monster Attacks," "Wait! you counter," repeat (next round)... The two are functionally equivalent?

Yes. However, there seemed to be a question over whether that ranged AoO was because the goblin took a shot, or because it shot and missed.

Can't tell yet. But I think Heron got the counterattack b/c the goblin fired at him specifically. Imagine if all ranged attacks drew ranged counterattacks. That would make arching pretty unfun.

Player: I fire at the nearest goblin sniper.
DM: You miss. All twenty five goblins immediately counterattack you.

 

[Agamon]

Ah, you can smell a new edition on the horizon, when people flock to debate speculatively over minutia gleaned from a quote that may or may not have been figurative. Coolness!

 

[hero4hire]

I believe all characters are going to get at will, per encounter, and per day abilities so IMHO the Rangers counterattack ability is a per encounter ability, (similiar to Bo9S manuevers) while his firing two arrows on his turn was an at will ability. (maybe from a feat or a class ability)

Obviously they are putting up examples that showcase the new rules in play. Why shoehorn the example into a 3x framework instead of expounding on what we know of 4e already?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Ranged retaliation? Maybe it comes from his race: He's an eladrin, maybe they're related to HoMMV's succubi.