Mark action variant: stickier melee

[Bohemond D'Arlac]

I would like to propose this variant rule to my gaming group as I have always thought that in D&D melee combatants should be a bit better at protecting nearby allies, and that it should not be so easy for enemies to go around them (especially since in 5e you only provoke opportunity attacks if you leave somebody's reach, as the 3.5e notion of threatened squares is lost). The variant proposed in the DMG doesn't really cut it in my opinion.

Mark

You may elect to mark a creature that is hostile to you after making a weapon or spell melee attack against it.

The mark ends immediately as soon as one of these conditions is met:

• you are incapacitated,
• the marked creature is outside your reach,
• you have not made any melee attack against the marked creature during your turn

When you mark a creature it has disadvantage on attack rolls against opponents other than you. The creature may choose to provoke an opportunity attack from you to cancel the disadvantage. Creatures you marked also provoke an opportunity attack from you if they make any movement while they are in your reach, unless they take the Disengage action.

You and your allies may mark the same creature, imposing disadvantage on its attack rolls unless it chooses to provoke an opportunity attack from all but the target of its attack. You can mark as many creatures as you make melee attacks against.

I would like to hear your opinion. Is this likely to cause too much bookkeeping? Is there any troublesome interaction (with the infamous Sentinel+Polearm Master combo for example) I am missing? Thanks.

 

[GMMichael]

Was marking one of the things that made 4th ed combat notoriously slow? Some thoughts:

- Marked creatures should be able to move 5 feet without an OpAttack, or else your combat starts to look more like a game of chess.
- It should be limited to only one marked creature because 1) bookkeeping, 2) it simulates engagement, and most people can't engage more than one opponent at a time. (Special rules for high level, and hydras?)
- Why is the disadvantage applied to marked attacks? What if the marker gains advantage on attacks when his mark turns away? What if there is no advantage, just additional chances for OpAttacks?

The protecting allies problem was actually solved two editions ago with the Readied Action, but who wants to protect allies when he could be swinging a sword?

 

[Bohemond D'Arlac]

Was marking one of the things that made 4th ed combat notoriously slow? Some thoughts:

- Marked creatures should be able to move 5 feet without an OpAttack, or else your combat starts to look more like a game of chess.

It makes sense, as long as they don't leave the marking creature's reach (otherwise they would provoke as per standard rules). I will incorporate this suggestion!

- It should be limited to only one marked creature because 1) bookkeeping, 2) it simulates engagement, and most people can't engage more than one opponent at a time. (Special rules for high level, and hydras?)

Agreed, let's keep it as simple as possible.

- Why is the disadvantage applied to marked attacks? What if the marker gains advantage on attacks when his mark turns away? What if there is no advantage, just additional chances for OpAttacks?

Well the disadvantage is the main feature of marking as I see it, as long as I am marking you you cannot effectively engage my allies. And the additional chances for OpAttacks are already there, since as a marked creature I could provoke an OpAttack from whoever is marking me to ignore that disadvantage...this prevents opponents that are not a credible threat (e.g. somebody armed with steel weapons marking a lycanthrope) from imposing free disadvantage.

The protecting allies problem was actually solved two editions ago with the Readied Action, but who wants to protect allies when he could be swinging a sword?

Especially since you burn actions to do so.

 

[jodyjohnson]

I think it invalidates the primary utility of the Protection fighting style:

Protection
When a creature you can see attacks a target other
than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your
reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You
must be wielding a shield.

Protection style plus DMG Marking covers much of this. Perhaps add a 3.x/PF style 5-foot step or Shift general rule.

 

[Bohemond D'Arlac]

Protection Style would be still useful to protect nearby allies against ranged attacks, and the disadvantage it imposes cannot be canceled...but yes, it is indeed less attractive.