Level Up (A5E) Marshal's Miraculous Protector: how does it work?

[Strider1973]

Hi, I'm skimming through the classes of the (excellent) Adventurer's Guide, and I've stumbled upon the Marshal's Miraculous Protector Class Feature; I'm wondering how does it work, if the Marshal isn't adiacent to the character he/she wants to take the damage of. Does the Marshal "miraculously" get adiacent to the character he wants to protect? Does the damage appear miraculously on the Marshal's Body instead of the original target's one?
Many thanks!

 

[xiphumor]

When an ally within range of your Commanding Presence takes a critical hit, you can use your reaction to become the target of the attack instead. Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

I went to go answer this question and now I’m stuck too. As a third alternative, does the attack become an automatic miss?

 

[Morrus]

I envisage it as you rushing over there and shoving them.

 

[xiphumor]

I envisage it as you rushing over there and shoving them.

What if they’re flying and you can’t? What if they’re on the other side of a wall?

 

[Faolyn]

What if they’re flying and you can’t? What if they’re on the other side of a wall?

Then I'd say no. Physical actions shouldn't be allowed if there's no logical way to perform them.

 

[xiphumor]

Then I'd say no. Physical actions shouldn't be allowed if there's no logical way to perform them.

But the rules themselves don’t specify how it’s done. If anything, the title “Miraculous Protector” makes it sound like it should just work.

 

[Morrus]

One for @Mike Myler — the marshal archetypes were his.

 

[Faolyn]

But the rules themselves don’t specify how it’s done. If anything, the title “Miraculous Protector” makes it sound like it should just work.

Well, it kinda does, since it says that you shove them. Unless you have a way to shove them at a distance or with magic, then you actually need to be able to physically get to them. You can't do that if there's a wall in the way or they're 10 feet above you.

That being said, if there's a logical way you "shove" them without actually being able to touch them--maybe you can shout "get down!"--then that should also work.

 

[Mike Myler]

It is a miraculous thing—you just take the damage, nobody gets moved about ("shove them out of the way” was removed from the Adventurer's Guide during the bug reports process). That does deserve some clarification though

Neither you or your ally move, but you take the damage from the attack and suffer any other applicable effects from it. For example, a tentacle attack that also grapples the target would not grapple you if you are outside of the attacking creature’s reach, but you still take damage from the tentacle attack.

 

[xiphumor]

It is a miraculous thing—you just take the damage, nobody gets moved about ("shove them out of the way” was removed from the Adventurer's Guide during the bug reports process). That does deserve some clarification though

Neither you or your ally move, but you take the damage from the attack and suffer any other applicable effects from it. For example, a tentacle attack that also grapples the target would not grapple you if you are outside of the attacking creature’s reach, but you still take damage from the tentacle attack.

Any suggestions on how to flavor that when you’re nowhere near the attack?

 

[Steampunkette]

Any suggestions on how to flavor that when you’re nowhere near the attack?

Targeting Change.

The baddie is forced to make the Marshal their target mechanically speaking, but narratively it's of their "Own Volition".

 

[xiphumor]

Targeting Change.

The baddie is forced to make the Marshal their target mechanically speaking, but narratively it's of their "Own Volition".

That works if they can physically target you, but it might not work if they’re making a melee attack 30 ft. away from you or if there’s a wall in the way.

 

[Mike Myler]

Any suggestions on how to flavor that when you’re nowhere near the attack?

Despite the tentacle's swiftness and brutality Orla is unphased as Varskyle calls out to her, "hold the line!", pouring every bit of willpower into his plea and shuddering as the pain of the strike resonates through their connection to stagger the dragonborn marshal on the other side of the pit.

something like that

 

[Micah Sweet]

Despite the tentacle's swiftness and brutality Orla is unphased as Varskyle calls out to her, "hold the line!", pouring every bit of willpower into his plea and shuddering as the pain of the strike resonates through their connection to stagger the dragonborn marshal on the other side of the pit.

something like that

Seems magical to me, but that's cool if you're ok with it.

 

[lichmaster]

I'm wondering how this feature would interact with the Warding Bond spell.
If a cleric casts Warding Bond on the Marshall and an ally gets critted, the marshall could take the hit instead, but the damage could be split between him and the cleric, aiding in the overall survivability of the party (noone gets a lot of damage in one go). This would be cool and I'd probably allow it, but I'm wondering if it's intended to work this way.
Also I'm wondering: suppose the initial character is getting critted because has no shield to sacrifice. Would this feature allow the Marshall to sacrifice his own shield, thus receiving a normal damage instead? By the wording of the feature, since the marshall becomes the new target of the attack, it should be so: in a sense then this feature works like Sanctuary.

 

[xiphumor]

I'm wondering how this feature would interact with the Warding Bond spell.
If a cleric casts Warding Bond on the Marshall and an ally gets critted, the marshall could take the hit instead, but the damage could be split between him and the cleric, aiding in the overall survivability of the party (noone gets a lot of damage in one go). This would be cool and I'd probably allow it, but I'm wondering if it's intended to work this way.
Also I'm wondering: suppose the initial character is getting critted because has no shield to sacrifice. Would this feature allow the Marshall to sacrifice his own shield, thus receiving a normal damage instead? By the wording of the feature, since the marshall becomes the new target of the attack, it should be so: in a sense then this feature works like Sanctuary.

I personally would allow warding bond, but not sacrifice shield unless the narrative permitted a change in target.