Overwriting Marks

[Nahat Anoj]

When a fighter marks a creature that under the effects of the paladin's Divine Challenge, the fighter's mark overwrites the paladin's mark and ends Divine Challenge.

Say a paladin uses Divine Challenge on a target, then uses Piercing Smite (which marks the target and a number of other adjacent enemies) on the same target. Does the mark from Piercing Strike overwrite the mark from Divine Challenge, thus ending the Divine Challenge?

I guess I'm inclined to say that the paladin can choose not to mark someone with his powers, so he can choose not to apply Piercing Strike's mark on a creature he's already used Divine Challenge on. But I'm interested in other opinions.

 

[Mort_Q]

The Paladin's own marks aren't different marks. She just has different ways of marking. You can't overwrite your own mark; you just extend it.

 

[1of3]

Actually, with the Paladin, it's different kinds of marks. There is the Divine Challenge mark with additional damage, and other marks that are only marks.

I'd say that, similar to the rules on forced movement, the Paladin in this case should be able not to mark the target.

He could though (and RAW he would), thus ending the Challenge.

 

[DracoSuave]

Paladins with Piercing Smite use their Smite first, and then DC to overwrite the weaker mark.

In most cases, you want to execute DC -after- your attack. The exceptions are few and obvious (the power gets better with a mark, or you want the DC to stick after you shift away)