Is the Fighter’s Combat Challenge an Opportunity Attack?

[Dracorat]

I should follow up and say that they'd HAVE to attack the fighter (with their bow being OK to use for it) to avoid the immediate interrupt if their movement got interrupted by the OA. -- A point I wasn't clear on before, but if someone is following the thread, would be good to point out.

 

[Dracorat]

Correct. If the enemy just sits there and makes a ranged attack at someone other than the fighter, the fighter gets to swat him twice--once from CC for making an attack not including the fighter, and once for making a ranged attack adjacent to the fighter.

A better strategy would be to shift away from the fighter, eat the CC attack, which does not stop their movement, and make his ranged attack in a spot which does not provoke an OA.

If he 'Moves' away from the fighter, he takes the risk of getting hit with an OA, which would stop his movement while he's still adjacent to the fighter. But this time, if he were to make a ranged attack against a target other than the fighter, the fighter doesn't get to make a second OA against him, only the CC attack.

In any case, sucks to be him.

Indeed - this would be best.

And a ranged striker locked down by a fighter is ouch no matter which way you slice it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I don't understand what you mean here. Distracting Shield gives opponents a -2 to attacks when the fighter hits with his CC attack (and *not* OAs). Potent Challenge just lets the fighter add Con damage on a CC hit (again, *not* OAs) made with a two-handed weapon. Could you clarify?

Distracting Shield, as you say, gives opponents a -2 to attacks when the fighter hits with his CC attack (and *not* OAs). And yet the short description of the feat on p196 says "Target hit by opportunity attack takes -2 to attack rolls".

Potent Challenge, as you say, lets the fighter add Con damage on a CC hit (again, *not* OAs). And yet the short description of the feat on p197 says "Add Con modifier damager to target hit with opportunity attack".

His point is that, apparently, even the people writing the short descriptions of the feats were confused as to whether or not the CC attack is considered an OA.

It's clear from the rules that it is not, but the feat short descriptions getting it wrong don't help matters.

-Hyp.

 

[Nail]

His point is that, apparently, even the people writing the short descriptions of the feats were confused as to whether or not the CC attack is considered an OA..

My guess was that the fighter CC originally grated an OA, but was later changed to a separate action. I wonder why?....

 

[James McMurray]

My guess was that the fighter CC originally grated an OA, but was later changed to a separate action. I wonder why?....

Too powerful. As it is, there's a tactical decision on the DM's part of whether to have one monster eat a CC attack so the rest can attack as they please. If it were an OA, no monsters could do it.

And on the flip side, it's too weak and time consuming. A fighter would have to constantly decide whether to take the OA when the markee attacks his buddy, or save it to try and stop them from walking away.

Or perhaps the original feats did apply to all OAs, not just CC. When that proved too powerful the text was changed but the tables weren't updated.

 

[Kralin Thornberry]

Combat superiority gives a bonus to attack rolls during OA equal to the wis modifier, it doesn't grant additional OAs.

Yep, you're right....sorry, didn't remember it correctly, and since I have yet to play a fighter, it's not something I really bothered to "learn".

 

[Nahat Anoj]

His point is that, apparently, even the people writing the short descriptions of the feats were confused as to whether or not the CC attack is considered an OA.

Ah, I see now. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[TheGogmagog]

Thanks everyone for your help. Looks like playing or having a fighter in the group is going to be a lot more complicated keeping track of whether he's used his CC yet each round, and which attack he's using or if he's using both.

We had been playing it as one and the same (no limit on CC attacks, and he had wisdom bonus/stopping power) but I don't think the dwarven fighter could only mark multiple opponents with passing blow. I am planning on dragonborn plus sweeping blow and come and get it in addition to passing blow and dragons breath. The one CC per round will be more significant to me.

The immediate attack from Combat Challenge will also be a pain when considering exploits and equipment that use immediate actions. Do I want to activate the armor, or reserve the possibility of making a CC attack.

 

[Mirtek]

My guess was that the fighter CC originally grated an OA, but was later changed to a separate action. I wonder why?....

With CS and the heavy blade feats a fighter can get an insane to hit bonus for his OAs, so I guess this is why they changed it at some point during developement. I also think that it started as a OA before they made this change and simply forgot to update all feat descriptions.