Marking

[Major Moab]

This may be an over thought question, but, in my never ending quest for clarity, I thought I would ask for answers here.

When reading up on the sword mage, I noticed several powers that mark the target, but, under certain conditions will mark the target with a particular aegis. This struck me as a bit confusing, as the basic mark of a swordmage IS his Aegis. So the question is:

What would the mark's effect be if it weren't part of a SM aegis?
Examples include Falcon's Mark (level 1 encounter), and Watchful Strike (level 7 encounter).

Thank you for any responses, even those that aren't the one I want.

 

[Mentat55]

If the mark is not part of the Aegis, then it simply applies the standard mark effect: a -2 penalty to attack rolls on attacks that do not include you as a target. A generic mark does not allow you to use your Aegis against the marked target.

As you noted, there are powers which specifically place your Aegis on the target.

 

[fba827]

what mentat55 said is accurate.

mark is a general condition.

the swordmage has some powers that do a "aegis" (which, for the swordmage, is a mark plus additional effects). So if a swordmage power is just doing a mark then it is doing the general condition rather than the swordmage specific mark+additional.

 

[DracoSuave]

Agreed.

The Aegis is not a 'basic mark.' Ain't nothing basic about a mark that also includes teleportation or forcefields.

 

[the Jester]

Pretty much gonna echo everyone else here.

Similarly, a paladin has "divine challenge" as its class marking ability; "divine sanction" as a duplicate of divine challenge that also packs the normal extras of it; and a few attacks that just mark without applying sanction or challenge.

Some defenders (fighters, battleminds, wardens) have abilities that trigger when someone they've marked does X; others (swordmage and paladin) have the extra abilities built in to their marking mechanism.

EDIT: And for clarity, the "Marked" condition itself (which aegis, combat challenge, etc. work with or add to) means that you take a -2 penalty to attacks that don't include the creature that has you marked you as a target. Note that there are a few creatures and powers that leave you marked by someone other than the attacker (c.f. misplaced mark, speaking of bards).

 

[Major Moab]

See, the only place I have encountered the phrase "mark" is as part of a defender's class, so I considered it a special power. I didn't realize that it was also considered a condition, outside of the defender's mark. Thanks to everyone who helped to clarify. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.

 

[DracoSuave]

now i know, and knowing is half the battle. :d

g i joooooeeeeeee!!!!

 

[the Jester]

See, the only place I have encountered the phrase "mark" is as part of a defender's class, so I considered it a special power.

You probably just haven't noticed, since you rarely end up in melee; those armored trolls were marking PHUQ-69 and Sabine left and right.

 

[Major Moab]

I assumed their marks came with some sort of troll melee viciousness that I didn't catch because of bio/pool/food, or possibly the mark never activated due to the highly focused strategy of "attack nearest target." Who was usually the one that marked them.

 

[Colmarr]

I assumed their marks came with some sort of troll melee viciousness that I didn't catch because of bio/pool/food

1. You have pool at your gaming hangout? Regardless of whether that's the green felt variety or the liquid variety, I'm jealous, so long as:

2. 'bio' and 'pool' are two separate activities in that sentence