Interrupts

[AuraSeer]

I seem to recall reading that when an interrupt does damage, the opponent's triggering action is prevented. Now I can't find a page that says so, and I wonder whether I'm misremembering.

Obviously it's possible for the triggering action to be halted because the interrupt changes the circumstances. For instance the opponent could be killed, or stunned, or pushed out of range for his power. But what if the interrupting power just does damage, without any of those special effects?

 

[igotsmeakabob!!]

I know that in the Fighter's combat challenge ability, the text specifies that if you damage the provoking creature its action is interrupted.

 

[Zetesofos]

Not necessarily. Interrupts take place before the triggering action, this is true. The paragraph then states that if this attack brings an enemy to 0 hit points, the action is negated, because the enemy is dead.

Otherwise, the fighter has a specific class feature for interupting actions, Combat Superiority. This is an opportunity attack though, and not an immediate interrupt. For example, a fighter who makes an Opportunity attack on an enemy moving away, and hits, ends that movement actions (because it provoked the OA). However, the enemy may still take other actions.

 

[Mort_Q]

If your immeditate interrupt just does damage, then that's all it does.

Being hit and taking damage doesn't change their action other than that you got to hit them before they finish the triggering action.

This is an opportunity attack though, and not an immediate interrupt.

OAs are immediate interrupts. PH 268

 

[AuraSeer]

Aha, Combat Challenge is the rule I was thinking of. Thanks much!

 

[underfoot]

OAs are immediate interrupts. PH 268

No, OAs interrupt the action that triggered it. It is not an immediate interrupt. You can have 1 OA per turn and 1 Immediate Action (interupt (combat challenge) or reaction (readied action)) per round.

 

[DracoSuave]

OAs are immediate interrupts. PH 268

No, they are opportunity interrupts.

Opportunity is a seperate action type than immediate.

Opportunity actions can be used as many times per round as you like, only once per enemy's turn.
You can only use one immediate action per round, no matter the number of triggers.

Interrupts may negate the effect that triggers them, but it is not automatic.

This rule is so that Staff of Defense, for example, works. It is triggered by the damage roll the dm makes after he hits you. You interrupt that, it raises your AC, and is applied -before- the triggering event (which is the hit itself). This can negate the hit, turning it into a miss.

The interrupt-negation thing is useful for Fighters' combat superiority, but it's -really- there for defensive powers like the Ranger ones that move you in places where the attack no longer reaches you, or Paladin ones that change the target of powers -after- they've successfully rolled to hit.

 

[Mort_Q]

I stand corrected.