Knights Bullwark of defense:Under different circumstances.

[Agent Oracle]

Sorry to bother you, but my DM is using special circumstances. Facing, and measuring tape In place of using a grid-map with universal awareness, we're measuring inches, like a war game. For a meelee attack, you've gotta be within 1 inch of an opponent. So... it's just "subtract 1" from enemy movement rates around me"

Here's the problem: My Bulwark of defense states that my threatened area is difficult terrain for enemies who start the combat round in it...

So, how does this work?

Now, all difficult terrain means is that it takes 2x as much effort to move through those spaces as it does to move through normal spaces..

So, if someone disengages from melee with me by "taking a 5 foot step" they are really moving 10 feet, and I get an attack of opportunity? How does my bulwark affect enemies who are incoming? That are standing and fighting?

 

[Seeten]

I dont allow 5 foot steps through difficult terrain, because there is no such thing as a "10 foot step" well, not unless the creature is huge, or whatnot, anyway, and a huge creature would be trying a 20 foot step in this case.

Basically, the point of the ability is to prevent the enemy from moving past you to the spellcasters/rogues.

I'd say your DM is attempting to skirt the issue, and I'd say its not in the flavor of the knight.

 

[shilsen]

So, if someone disengages from melee with me by "taking a 5 foot step" they are really moving 10 feet, and I get an attack of opportunity?

Correct. Check the PHB glossary on "half speed". You can't take a 5 ft step when reduced to half speed, as enemies are in the areas around you. An enemy using the withdraw action can disengage without AoOs, however.

How does my bulwark affect enemies who are incoming? That are standing and fighting?

No problem at all for those standing and fighting. For those incoming, they use 10 ft of movement but don't draw AoOs unless they actually leave one of your threatened squares.

I'd say your DM is attempting to skirt the issue, and I'd say its not in the flavor of the knight.

That's a really bad pun, considering the subject

 

[Agent Oracle]

Thanks! Now, for a followup question:

My Knight in addition to having Bullwark Defenses, has a lunging strike feat (from PHB2) which stats that "as a full round action" I may attack an opponent as if my weapon had an extra 5' reach.

1. Does this extend my "threat" area? I know you can apply feats to AoO, but generally all i've applied are on-the-fly type feats like power attack and Improved trip. Would I be able to declare that the next fool to pass within 10' of me is getting "lunging strike"-ed?

2. Suppose i'm using a 10' reach weapon (like a longspear or a reaching polearm) would that increase my threat area to 15'?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Correct. Check the PHB glossary on "half speed". You can't take a 5 ft step when reduced to half speed, as enemies are in the areas around you. An enemy using the withdraw action can disengage without AoOs, however.

But difficult terrain hampers movement for each square of difficult terrain you move into, doesn't it?

If you're disengaging from the area around a knight, the square you're moving into is not difficult terrain, so your movement is not hampered, so a 5' step is just fine.

-Hyp.

 

[shilsen]

Thanks! Now, for a followup question:

My Knight in addition to having Bullwark Defenses, has a lunging strike feat (from PHB2) which stats that "as a full round action" I may attack an opponent as if my weapon had an extra 5' reach.

1. Does this extend my "threat" area? I know you can apply feats to AoO, but generally all i've applied are on-the-fly type feats like power attack and Improved trip. Would I be able to declare that the next fool to pass within 10' of me is getting "lunging strike"-ed?

No. The feat says "As a full-round action, you can make a single attack...". So you'd only get the benefit on the one attack and since it's a full-round action, you couldn't ready it.

2. Suppose i'm using a 10' reach weapon (like a longspear or a reaching polearm) would that increase my threat area to 15'?

See above.

But difficult terrain hampers movement for each square of difficult terrain you move into, doesn't it?

If you're disengaging from the area around a knight, the square you're moving into is not difficult terrain, so your movement is not hampered, so a 5' step is just fine.

Good point. I stand corrected.

 

[Krafen]

Thanks! Now, for a followup question:

My Knight in addition to having Bullwark Defenses, has a lunging strike feat (from PHB2) which stats that "as a full round action" I may attack an opponent as if my weapon had an extra 5' reach.

1. Does this extend my "threat" area? I know you can apply feats to AoO, but generally all i've applied are on-the-fly type feats like power attack and Improved trip. Would I be able to declare that the next fool to pass within 10' of me is getting "lunging strike"-ed?

2. Suppose i'm using a 10' reach weapon (like a longspear or a reaching polearm) would that increase my threat area to 15'?

Power Attack is not an "on-the-fly" feat. The penalty and bonus last until your next turn.

 

[satori01]

But difficult terrain hampers movement for each square of difficult terrain you move into, doesn't it?

If you're disengaging from the area around a knight, the square you're moving into is not difficult terrain, so your movement is not hampered, so a 5' step is just fine.

-Hyp.

When I read Bulwark of Defense, it is one of those circumstances where I wondered if what the author wrote is what they intended.
Bulwark of Defense as written encourages a Knight to take the Spike Chain, or any reach weapon that can be used in close combat,(wether by feat, or say Reach Weapon and Armor Spikes).

Is this Class Abillity intended to just slow people down, or was it written with counter attcks in mind?

Didnt Mike Mearls write the class? I wonder if he would clarify the issue, as either option would fit the class.

 

[MarkB]

When I read Bulwark of Defense, it is one of those circumstances where I wondered if what the author wrote is what they intended.
Bulwark of Defense as written encourages a Knight to take the Spike Chain, or any reach weapon that can be used in close combat,(wether by feat, or say Reach Weapon and Armor Spikes).

Is this Class Abillity intended to just slow people down, or was it written with counter attcks in mind?

Didnt Mike Mearls write the class? I wonder if he would clarify the issue, as either option would fit the class.

The way I read it is as a simple means of discouraging opponents from making those little 5-foot-step adjustments that allow them to move into flanking positions whilst still making full attacks. I.e. if two opponents are flanking you, and you 5-foot-step on your turn so as to leave both within your threatened area, there's no way for either of them to step and maintain the flank - they can either make non-flanking full attacks from their current position, or move 5 feet as a move action and make a single attack, provoking an AoO in the process. Since the knight's job is to stand in melee and take punishment so others don't have to, this is a useful ability, especially versus rogues.

Given its wording, I don't think it's intended to make moving into or out of your threatened area any more difficult, only within it. And whilst a spiked chain will certainly make the most of this ability, taking any two-handed weapon means you lose out on the Shield Block class feature.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Given its wording, I don't think it's intended to make moving into or out of your threatened area any more difficult, only within it.

Although it makes it very hard to Charge the Knight effectively. You can Charge as far as the point where he gets his double damage with his set longspear, but you have to stop Charging just before you get close enough to hit him with your greataxe.

-Hyp.