Would Love An Explanation on Marking...

[realpantherman]

I just can't find much of an explanation in the book.

It does say a marked character takes a -2, to attacks that are not at the marker.

1. Can any class of character mark?

2. When do you mark, end of turn?

3. Does it cost a standard or minor to mark?

4. Is someone who's marked able to mark someone else themselves?

5. How long does that mark last, end of encounter, end of markers next turn?

Thanks for the help, just trying to learn as much as possible to really get rolling with this great role playing game.

 

[Aulirophile]

1. You need a feature, power, or ability that allows you to Mark. By default only Defenders have this out of the box.

2. You mark whenever the power, feature, or ability you have that allows you to Mark says you Mark.

3. See 2.

4. If they can, see 1.

5. However long it says it does, Marks vary in duration. A lot.

 

[realpantherman]

1. You need a feature, power, or ability that allows you to Mark. By default only Defenders have this out of the box.

2. You mark whenever the power, feature, or ability you have that allows you to Mark says you Mark.

3. See 2.

4. If they can, see 1.

5. However long it says it does, Marks vary in duration. A lot.

Huh, well here's an example. I'm a level 1 dragonborn fighter.

I have Combat challenge as an at-will power. It does not give any incite into when you can mark, just that "whenever an enemy marked by you is adjacent to you and shifts or makes an attack that does not include you, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy."

That doesn't really answer my question of when you can mark or how long the mark lasts at all.

I'm probably missing something, but just not sure what to do here.

 

[Mapache]

I'm probably missing something, but just not sure what to do here.

The key is your Combat Challenge class feature:

COMBAT CHALLENGE
In combat, it’s dangerous to ignore a fighter. Every time you attack an enemy, whether the attack hits or misses, you can choose to mark that target. The mark lasts until the end of your next turn. While a target is marked, it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls if its attack doesn’t include you as a target. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place.
In addition, you gain the Combat Challenge power.

Fighters can automatically mark anything they attack. Other defender classes have explicit powers that they use to mark targets.

 

[realpantherman]

Ah, i see.

So if I attack that marked target my next turn can I mark the target again or would i not get a chance to because the original mark ends the last step of my turn?

Basically, can you just keep attacking and remarking the target over and over again without it getting a chance to get out?

 

[Mithreinmaethor]

Not trying to be snarky here but do you own the book, in this case Players Handbook 1, where the rules for your creating your character are located?

Assuming that you do I would recommend reading thru at least the section on your class from start to finish.

 

[realpantherman]

I don't see an answer for my last question anywhere. I mean, it seems like experienced D&D players still debate over rules and wording in here, so I don't think I'm asking too much with this specific question.

"So if I attack that marked target my next turn can I mark the target again or would i not get a chance to because the original mark ends the last step of my turn?

Basically, can you just keep attacking and remarking the target over and over again without it getting a chance to get out?"

 

[Aulirophile]

I don't see an answer for my last question anywhere. I mean, it seems like experienced D&D players still debate over rules and wording in here, so I don't think I'm asking too much with this specific question.

"So if I attack that marked target my next turn can I mark the target again or would i not get a chance to because the original mark ends the last step of my turn?

Basically, can you just keep attacking and remarking the target over and over again without it getting a chance to get out?"

You would overwrite your own Mark, and it would be Marked again till EoNT.

 

[realpantherman]

You would overwrite your own Mark, and it would be Marked again till EoNT.

Thanks, so technically you could just keep overriding marks keeping an enemy continually marked throughout an encounter?

 

[pedr]

I don't see an answer for my last question anywhere. I mean, it seems like experienced D&D players still debate over rules and wording in here, so I don't think I'm asking too much with this specific question.

"So if I attack that marked target my next turn can I mark the target again or would i not get a chance to because the original mark ends the last step of my turn?

Basically, can you just keep attacking and remarking the target over and over again without it getting a chance to get out?"

The key to understanding D&D rules is to read the precise words and try not to assume that things aren't mentioned are a problem.

The Combat Challenge rule says precisely this: 'every time you attack an enemy ... you can choose to mark the target'. Whether or not it is already marked is irrelevant to whether you can mark it or not. If you attack, you can mark.

Edit: Yes. Defenders' jobs are to make themselves troublesome to enemies, and draw their attention. That's what the mark does. You want to be attacked by the biggest thing every round, so it's not attacking your allies - don't get too attached to the things which happen if your marked target shifts or attacks someone else because quite often most GMs will follow the mark and attack you. Make sure you stay on your Cleric or other leader's good side!

Edit2: Looks like they changed the rule a bit, or I misremembered it.