so the question is besides the cavalier gaining a buff, and the target getting a de-buff does the ability actually modify the targets ability to perform actions.
the wording that my group is looking at is specifically that of
Cavalier description wrote:
Demanding Challenge (Ex): At 12th level, whenever a cavalier declares a challenge, his target must pay attention to the threat he poses. As long as the target is within the threatened area of the cavalier, it takes a –2 penalty to its AC from attacks made by anyone other than the cavalier.
especially when it says the word "must" where this does not make absolute sense as
- if this is to be taken as a compulsion then most every other compulsion effect in the game has some kind of save, or terminator.
- does this effect count against sub intelligence creatures/characters
- does this mean that the target is even not allowed to make say attacks or to a greater extent attacks of opportunity if they would normally be granted them except against the character issuing the challenge (enemy moving through threatened squares)
- would this prevent a cleave based character from "attacking" an adjacent target
- is the target able to ignore the character using the challenge all together, and go after a different target
the major reason that I bring this up is
- if there is an "equal" one on one fight between a cavalier, and another the cavalier should have a somewhat advantage.
- if there is a somewhat group with a cavalier, and a somewhat equal group that does not both groups should have the same chance of winning,
- but in the case of a somewhat group with a cavalier, and a single target even if the single target would normally have the advantage (higher level, or better gear) the group with a cavalier would still actually have an advantage
then we have to talk about character choice, and strategy. say a fighter is able to pinpoint the major damage caster, and is specialized in disruptive, and want to get up in the face of the caster. a cavalier now stops them from using their abilities, or attempting to focus on them. while a rouge who normally tries to avoid "fair" fights will now not be able to do so except when enjoying a flanking bonus.
if we read it as a compulsion effect which that's how it is worded then it should probably have a save, or the word must is out of place, and in the long run just a deduction to AC is not really that extreme of a reason to have a reasonable player say "so this ability is making it 10% more likely to be hit the caster of that ability must now die"
