Divine Challenge's Ongoing Damage

[nutball]

Can somebody with the PHB confirm that divine challenge inflicts automatic radiant damage to the challenged monster only if the monster attacks a target other than the paladin before the paladin's next turn?

If true, this would contradict to how most people currently understand the power, but IMO would put it more in line with the fighter's marking ability (except paladin mark lasts longer if conditions are met).

 

[Grazzt]

Can somebody with the PHB confirm that divine challenge inflicts automatic radiant damage to the challenged monster only if the monster attacks a target other than the paladin before the paladin's next turn?

Marked creature takes damage the first time it attacks and doesnt include you as a target before the start of your next turn.

 

[nutball]

Alright. So how I understand it:

Round One:
* paladin uses divine challenge on monster
* monster suffers -2 and takes damage if attacking somebody other than the paladin

Round Two:
* paladin maintains mark by attacking or being base to base with challenged monster (assuming no second use of divine challenge)
* monster suffers -2 but takes no damage for attacking somebody other than the paladin

Summary, the paladin would have to issue the divine challenge each round in order to have the possibility of inflicting automatic damage to the challenged creature and thus encourages the paladin player to remain close to the challenged monster.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Round One:
* paladin uses divine challenge on monster
* monster suffers -2 and takes damage if attacking somebody other than the paladin

Clarification: "if making an attack that doesn't include the paladin." This is very important! He can still attack other people as long as the attack is also an attack against the paladin. For example, a red dragon's breath weapon won't set off the challenge. If the dragon got multiple attacks, and one of those attacks didn't include the paladin (say a claw attack on the wizard), the challenge would come into play.

Round Two:
* paladin maintains mark by attacking or being base to base with challenged monster (assuming no second use of divine challenge)
* monster suffers -2 but takes no damage for attacking somebody other than the paladin

It's per round. So, the same rules for the first round apply again, including damage. What it means is that if the monster has 4 attacks, and attacks the rogue, ranger, fighter, and wizard, he does not take damage 4 times, only once. This resets next round.

Hope that clears things up for you.

 

[Grazzt]

Clarification:
It's per round. So, the same rules for the first round apply again, including damage. What it means is that if the monster has 4 attacks, and attacks the rogue, ranger, fighter, and wizard, he does not take damage 4 times, only once. This resets next round.

Hope that clears things up for you.

Ya sure its per round? Nothing in there says that. Simply says "first time it attacks and doesnt include you as a target before the start of your next turn"

 

[Storm-Bringer]

Ya sure its per round? Nothing in there says that. Simply says "first time it attacks and doesnt include you as a target before the start of your next turn"

So, that would include an opportunity attack? Or, it it has multiple attacks, its turn is immediately after the paladin, so it swipes at the paladin with its weakest attack, then blasts the rest of the party.

Also, the paladin mark has a divine element to it, but how would a regular fighter mark something like a dragon? I mean, would the dragon really be that concerned about taking its eyes off the fighter? It might be somewhat reasonable if the dragon was a equal level. Certainly if the dragon was a number of levels lower. But a higher level dragon than the fighter?

 

[Destil]

So, that would include an opportunity attack? Or, it it has multiple attacks, its turn is immediately after the paladin, so it swipes at the paladin with its weakest attack, then blasts the rest of the party.

Also, the paladin mark has a divine element to it, but how would a regular fighter mark something like a dragon? I mean, would the dragon really be that concerned about taking its eyes off the fighter? It might be somewhat reasonable if the dragon was a equal level. Certainly if the dragon was a number of levels lower. But a higher level dragon than the fighter?

This is already a factor, if the dragon's that high than the -2 shouldn't matter. Attacks bonuses scale in a rather linearly with level for the most part.

This is a much simpler solution than trying to mess with fiddly rule bits for corner cases like that, and I approve 100%