Level Up (A5E) Press the Attack/Fall Back update

[MarkB]

My question here is with the "defender" getting also advantage to attack back. Not falling back means the attacker gets +1d4-1d6 and then everyone including the defender gets advantage (better odds to crit!) not only in melee, but also ranged and spells. Falling back also means you lost your reaction and are more open to crits yourself as a defender.

Is not getting attacked first with ~+3 worth 5 feet, advantage to all your attacks and your reaction? Even on one-on-one scenarios I can only see this happening if the next hit is gonna take you down.

All attacks against the person using Press the Attack will have advantage, including those made by the target of Press the Attack, and the new version of Fall Back imposes no disadvantage or other penalties to the user's attacks. All they give up is 5 feet of ground and their reaction (and if their next turn is coming up soon, they might not even get another opportunity to use that reaction).

Unless staying in place is absolutely crucial, or they expect to need to have their reaction available for other uses before their next turn, there is little incentive for a creature to not Fall Back if they are in a position to do so.

 

[Morrus]

Unless staying in place is absolutely crucial, or they expect to need to have their reaction available for other uses before their next turn, there is little incentive for a creature to not Fall Back if they are in a position to do so.

That's the goal. It's about the forced movement. But if there's a cliff behind you, suddenly you have an incentive not to be maneuvered towards it!

 

[Anvel_Tianhold]

"there is little incentive for a creature to not Fall Back if they are in a position to do so"

Probably won't know for sure until we see it in play, but unless there's a cliff or lava pit like Morrus says or a very strong reason, I think it's the absolute opposite. Both breaking the shield or taking fatigue to "counter" a critical is a reaction, critical hits that with double everything can very easily trigger massive damage. Using your reaction for something is way more risky now, specially with melee characters/enemies near you.

With that in mind, if I'm "in a positionto FallBack", my incentive is in the opposite direction. Sure, burn your bonus action to get 1d4-1d6 to your attack. I'm gonna keep my reaction to stay alive and smack you back advantage, my friends too btw.

If falling back is less threatening than the chance of a critical hit (lava pits aside), there's no reason to do it.

 

[tetrasodium]

An ally's web with giant wolf spiders in it is probably easier to have 5 feet away from an enemy than a cliff
I could see a group using pta to encourage opponents to enjoy battlefield control spells more or die faster if they want to leave

 

[VenerableBede]

I like it! I am a little sad that the Berserker no longer has any consistent options (that I'm aware of) for getting Advantage regularly and crit fishing for those glorious Furious Criticals, but, as an option intended to be available for every character, this seems very good.

 

[Anvel_Tianhold]

I'm thinking about it and I believe the reaction should be to NOT fall back.

As the Attacker, I declare I use my bonus action to press the attack. The defender now has to options.

• Fall back, give the terrain for free.
• Use his reaction to stay. He now holds his ground at the expense of losing other reaction options, being attacked with +1d4 and being open to crits.

Just making it the opposite way, now you have little incentive to hold your ground unless it actually matters.

 

[Morrus]

I'm thinking about it and I believe the reaction should be to NOT fall back.

As the Attacker, I declare I use my bonus action to press the attack. The defender now has to options.

• Fall back, give the terrain for free.
• Use his reaction to stay. He now holds his ground at the expense of losing other reaction options, being attacked with +1d4 and being open to crits.

Just making it the opposite way, now you have little incentive to hold your ground unless it actually matters.

That makes it very easy to permanently deny a monster its reaction.

 

[Anvel_Tianhold]

Well, he can fall back to keep it and if multiple Press the Attack don't stack, he only gives up 5 feet a turn.

Edit: "Pusher" now also get attacked with advantage. Maybe I should have included everything else. My intention was that "Falling back" becomes the default, and using the reaction becomes holding your ground. Everything else staying the same way.

 

[tetrasodium]

That makes it very easy to permanently deny a monster its reaction.

Not really, there is that perfectly functional cliff/web/bonfire/etc the monster (or player) can back into & keep their reaction if they expect to need their reaction.

 

[ReshiIRE]

Now this is pretty sick, especially in duels. Do you risk the extra chance to hit to potential gurantee a finishing hit and other effects - knowing that if you don't get the kill, you're probably in for a world of hurt?