Paladins mark "fix" a plazebo?

[Kraydak]

I wasn't being unduly focused on. It's just that in a limited space like a dungeon, there's less space to maneuver around in. If you're near a wall for example, and a bruiser moves adjacent to you, there's no where you can go to get clear to shoot unless you spend your entire action trying to set up for the following round. The situation would've been the same with a Rogue or Ranger, but those classes have abilities that allow them to better maneuver.

Better, certainly, but you can still corner them, especially in dungeons. If you couldn't, defenders would be out of a job

The only problem is that you don't want the opponents to attack you unless you are acting as a defender. If you're trying to emulate a striker, then you need that Divine Challenge to do damage, otherwise you are doing a lot less than a regular striker. So, yeah, you can take the hits. But if you cannot maneuver (i.e. in most dungeons), then the party lacks one Striker and gains one Defender.

If the party gets pincered/enveloped, there isn't much maneuvering that will go on at the best of times, and then exchanging a striker for a defender is an extremely good idea.

I guess I have a hard time seeing situations where a rear-line paladin-striker would be forced into melee where a striker wouldn't be getting wailed on. At that point, you might as well turtle up, it beats ranger-puree and even if the ranger can run, the wizard probably can't.

 

[tomBitonti]

On your turn, you must engage the target you challenged or challenge a different target. To engage the target, you must either attack it or end your turn adjacent to it. If none of these events occur by the end of your turn, the marked condition ends and you can't use Divine Challenge on your next turn.

So the paladin could mark, attack, shift back a square, then have an ally step between the pally and the mark? (If so: BLEH!)

 

[Kraydak]

So the paladin could mark, attack, shift back a square, then have an ally step between the pally and the mark? (If so: BLEH!)

Yes. Mind, if you and your foe start non-diagonal, it will take more than 1 medium sized person to stop him from shifting back to your face. If you start diagonal, he will (generally) need to take a move action to get back to you, probably drawing an AoO. If you can withdraw back behind the front lines, it all works.

 

[tomBitonti]

Yes. Mind, if you and your foe start non-diagonal, it will take more than 1 medium sized person to stop him from shifting back to your face. If you start diagonal, he will (generally) need to take a move action to get back to you, probably drawing an AoO. If you can withdraw back behind the front lines, it all works.

Standing in a doorway would be sufficient to create the circumstance.

I'm thinking any voluntary movement away from the mark should break the mark.

 

[FireLance]

Standing in a doorway would be sufficient to create the circumstance.

I'm thinking any voluntary movement away from the mark should break the mark.

I kind of like the idea of a mark and draw away tactic, though, and I'm quite happy that the stated rules allow for it. Since paladins don't have to be Lawful Good in 4e (and may not even need to be honorable), it might not even be inappropriate for many paladins.