Minor Action Debuff Feature?

[chronoplasm]

Okay, so let's say you have a controller class with a feature that lets it put some sort of debuff on a nearby enemy as a minor action. This debuff does not require an attack roll. You simply point at an enemy and give it a penalty until your next turn.
You can use it any number of times per encounter, but only once per round.

What sort of effect would be appropriate for such a feature?

 

[Nifft]

In many ways, a Mark is a "debuff".

I'd use that as a baseline.

Cheers, -- N

 

[FireLance]

Some ideas:

• -2 to ranged and area attack rolls or melee and close attack rolls (pick one)
• -2 to speed
• -2 to all attack rolls if the creature moves
• penalize ranged and melee damage rolls by [ability modifier] and area and close damage rolls by half [ability modifier]
• -2 to attack rolls if the creature uses the same attack it used in the previous round (can be flavored as a ward against a specific attack)
• must make an Athletics or Acrobatics check to shift
• must make an Endurance check to use immediate actions or more than two actions on its turn (normally, this means that the affected creature must check to use a minor action after using a standard action and a move action)

 

[chronoplasm]

In many ways, a Mark is a "debuff".

I'd use that as a baseline.

Cheers, -- N

True...

Perhaps some kind of 'reverse' mark? Something that says...
"You, monster! You stay away from me, capiche? Go attack somebody else."

It needs to be distinct from a striker feature though. The point here isn't to increase damage dealt to a target but to simply disable it in some way.

 

[ravenheart]

How about...

Ward
At-will - (insert appropriate power source)
Minor Action Close burst 5
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: You place a magical ward to protect yourself from the attacks of a creature. If the creature makes an attack that includes you as a target before the start of your next turn, it takes a penalty equal to your (insert appropriate ability score modifier) to all defenses until the end of your next turn. The penalty increases to your (insert appropriate ability score modifier) + 2 at 11th level and your (insert appropriate ability score modifier) + 4 at 21st level.
Special: You can only use this power once per round.

Perhaps one could increase or decrease the size of the burst, or make it last until the end of your next turn instead of at the start. Not sure how it would be balanced. Thoughts?

EDIT: Thought I'd create a more static mechanism, a kin to marks.

Ward
At-will
Minor Action Close burst 5
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: You place a magical ward to protect yourself from the attacks of a creature. If the creature makes an attack that includes you as a target before the start of your next turn, it takes a -2 penalty to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
Special: You can only use this power once per round.

This could then be attached to all the controllers with an additional immediate reaction dependant on the class; slide (or push?) for wizard, prone (or slowed?) for druid and perhaps a free action target transfer of the ward for invokers?

 

[ravenheart]

Sorry for the doublepost, but I didn't want to cause more confusion with my rampant editing. Here's my latest rework on the concept:

Druid's Ward
You chant the secret names of the primal spirits, daring your foe to attack you and face nature's wrath.
At-will ✦ Primal
Minor Action Close burst 5
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: The creature is warded from you until the start of your next turn. If a creature warded from you makes an attack that includes you as a target, it takes a -2 penalty to one defense of your choice and is slowed until the end of it's next turn (after the triggering attack is resolved). A creature can only be subject to a single ward at a time. A new ward supersedes a ward that was already in place.
Special: You can only use this power once per round.

Invoker's Ward
You channel the power of the gods and fortify yourself, with a promise of swift retribution to those who oppose you.
At-will ✦ Divine
Minor Action Close burst 5
Target: One or two creatures in burst
Effect: The creature is warded from you until the start of your next turn. If a creature warded from you makes an attack that includes you as a target, it takes a -2 penalty to one defense of your choice until the end of it's next turn (after the triggering attack is resolved). A creature can only be subject to a single ward at a time. A new ward supersedes a ward that was already in place.
Special: You can only use this power once per round.

Wizard's Ward
You whisper a simple word of power, ready to trigger should your enemy wish to hurt you.
At-will ✦ Arcane
Minor Action Close burst 5
Target: One creature in burst
Effect: The creature is warded from you until the start of your next turn. If a creature warded from you makes an attack that includes you as a target, it is pushed 1 square and takes a -2 penalty to one defense of your choice until the end of it's next turn (after the triggering attack is resolved). A creature can only be subject to a single ward at a time. A new ward supersedes a ward that was already in place.
Special: You can only use this power once per round.

And a couple of heroic tier feats to flesh things out:

FEATS (HEROIC)

Improved Wizard's Ward
Prerequisite: Wizard, wizard's ward
Benefit: When wizard's ward is triggered, the target takes an additional -2 penalty to the defense of your choice against attacks made by you until the end of it's next turn. This penalty stacks with wizard's ward.

Improved Invoker's Ward
Prerequisite: Invoker, invoker's ward
Benefit: When invoker's ward is triggered, you can transfer the ward to another creature within the burst.
Special: This is an exception to the rule that you can only use invoker's ward once per round.

Improved Druid's Ward
Prerequisites: Druid, druid's ward
Benefit: When druid's ward is triggered, you can choose to forego slowing the target. You can instead cause it to become immobilized until the end of it's next turn (only flying creatures) or fall prone (only non-flying creatures).

What do you make of this? Does it even come close to being balanced?

 

[chronoplasm]

I think -2 to all defenses might be a little too strong. -2 to any one defense of your choice perhaps?

 

[ravenheart]

I think -2 to all defenses might be a little too strong. -2 to any one defense of your choice perhaps?

Yes, maybe you're right. Edited my previous post to consolidate the changes.

Here's an idea for a paragon feat:

Paragon Ward
Prerequisites: 11th level, controller role
Benefit: Whenever your ward triggers, the target takes a -2 penalty to an different defense of your choice until the end of it's next turn.

 

[chronoplasm]

Cool feat!

OK, so people are probably going to groan and roll their eyes... but here's some martial controller ideas.

Crazy Eye
Once per round as a minor action, you can give a target you can see within 10 squares of you the Eye until the end of the encounter.
Whenever a creature that you have your Eye on makes an attack that includes you as a target, it takes a -2 penalty to the defense of your choice until the end of its next turn.

Crazy Weapon Talent

Whenever an enemy that you have your Eye on makes an attack that includes you as a target, you can make one of the following attacks against it as an opportunity action.

Wild Chain
At-Will. Martial, Weapon
Requirement: Must wield a flail.
Opportunity-Action
Melee Weapon
Trigger: An enemy that you have your Eye on makes an attack that includes you as a target.
Target: The triggering enemy.
Effect: You may slide the target up to 2 squares.

Clothes-Line
At-Will. Martial, Weapon
Requirement: Must wield a pole-arm.
Opportunity-Action
Melee Weapon
Trigger: An enemy that you have your Eye on makes an attack that includes you as a target.
Target: The triggering enemy
Effect: The target falls prone.

You Feeling Lucky? Punk?
At-Will. Martial, Weapon
Requirement: Must wield a ranged weapon.
Opportunity-Action
Ranged Weapon
Trigger: An enemy that you have your Eye on makes an attack that includes you as a target.
Target: The triggering enemy.
Effect: You make a basic ranged attack as a free action against each creature adjacent to the target.

What do you think?

*edit*
I didn't even notice until ravenheart pointed it out. Post 500! woot!

 

[ravenheart]

Nice. I was actually secretly thinking how this could work for a martial controller myself.

Crazy Eye
Once per round as a minor action, you can give a target you can see within 10 squares of you the Eye until the end of the encounter.
Whenever a creature that you have your Eye on makes an attack that includes you as a target, it takes a -2 penalty to the defense of your choice until the end of its next turn.

I prefer your wording of the ward/eye to mine, although I think we could go for a compromise, i.e. giving it a power format. I'm dubious to having it last the entire encounter, but that could be a niche for the martial controller. Or maybe you intended it to only be able to affect one creature at a time?

I also think we could distinguish the naming of the feature for each class, for example eye, ward, geas, snare etc. I just stuck with ward as I thought it could work as an anti-mark, and as such, work as a true condition.

You Feeling Lucky? Punk?
At-Will. Martial, Weapon
Requirement: Must wield a ranged weapon.
Opportunity-Action
Ranged Weapon
Trigger: An enemy that you have your Eye on makes an attack that includes you as a target.
Target: The triggering enemy.
Effect: You make a basic ranged attack as a free action against each creature adjacent to the target.

I like your proposed powers, but I can't really get this around my head - how you'd fluff this up? Why wouldn't you be able to attack the target? Maybe it's time for an area basic attack?

EDIT: And congrat's on post 500! Someday I'll get there too...