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Make yourself look like a serious threat while also appearing to be the easiest one to hit…
Stand in doorways so they have to hit you to get to your allies…
Glamered armour, so you look like a soft target?
Chant as though you're casting a spell; with a decent Bluff roll you might make it look convincing enough, especially with a few ranks of Spellcraft thrown in. It depends on the opponent, of course (such as if they have Spellcraft too). You'd need some other M/V/F/DF components to make it look really good, and that would imply an action.
More broadly, Bluff should let you look vulnerable, but there's nothing RAW for that. IMHO there should be a way for Bluff to draw an AoO which you can defend against, but again there's nothing in RAW.
There is no real way to force a creature to attack you without exerting some effort (using some action). Even the examples you gave require you to use an action. Broken Wing Gambit and Jealous Combatant both require you to attack and hit your opponent. The best you are going to be able to do is to be or at least appear to be helpless or at least poorly defended. Even that is probably only going to work the first time.
Trying to fool someone into thinking you are a spell caster is using bluff which requires 1 round or longer. The book does not specify if you can use this aspect of bluff in combat or what type of action it would take. Personally, I would rule it takes at least a standard action to use bluff in any combat situation. Improved Feint would be the only exception the feat explicitly reduces the time it takes to feint.
Compel Hostility can force an opponent to attack you but requires a standard action. You can cast this spell before combat and use an immediate action to attempt to force someone attacking someone else to attack you instead. The spell lasts 1 round per level, but since you can only take 1 immediate action per turn it only works on 1 attack per turn. This is about as close as you are going to get to what you want.
Come and Get Me is a free action. Risky Striker is a non-action, but must be declared. Both lower your AC which, depending on how AC works or is explained in your games, should influence intelligent enemies to attack you rather those around you. I don't know how you conceptualize Armor Class at your tables, though.
Having intelligent opponents being able to have at least a general idea of an opponent’s AC is not unreasonable. If the opponents are also combat trained, they should have an even better chance. How person caries themselves can be a good indication of how hard to hit they can be. No one would consider it metagaming when you recognize the barbarian has a lot higher STR than the rouge, so why is it metagaming to recognize the rogue has more DEX than the paladin.
Having intelligent opponents being able to have at least a general idea of an opponent’s AC is not unreasonable. If the opponents are also combat trained, they should have an even better chance. How person caries themselves can be a good indication of how hard to hit they can be. No one would consider it metagaming when you recognize the barbarian has a lot higher STR than the rouge, so why is it metagaming to recognize the rogue has more DEX than the paladin.
Exactly this… a high Dex character may stand in such a way as to make themselves a smaller target or poised to evade at a moments notice… they way they carry themselves is indicative of being highly dexterous. Meanwhile a fully armored paladin or fighter may stand very stalwart and confident in their armors defense. A wizard on the otherhand may be trying to hide behind others. Identifying who is or isn’t easy to hit can be done visually by even unintelligent creatures. Though the degree of success may vary with intelligence… a wolf might go after the monk and wizard due to their obvious lack of armoring and actively avoid those in metal armor. A zombie or ghoul may zero in on the heavy armored combatants since they are likey to be the slowest should they try to run. Intelligent humanoids may try to target the wizard knowing how dangerous spellcasters are, and may infer the heavy armored paladin to be easier to hit than the unarmored monk who keeps swaying about.
Sometimes it’s as simple as being the biggest guy in the room. If you are large size or bigger you are literally a bigger target. Even low intelligence creatures instinctively know that bigger targets are easier to hit.
a wolf might go after the monk and wizard due to their obvious lack of armoring and actively avoid those in metal armor.
Unless he has fought adventurers in the past, a wolf shouldn't have a concept of what armor is. I'd expect something like a wolf to go after the smallest creature in the group, unless that creature was so small as to not be worth eating.
a wolf might go after the monk and wizard due to their obvious lack of armoring and actively avoid those in metal armor.Unless he has fought adventurers in the past, a wolf shouldn't have a concept of what armor is. I'd expect something like a wolf to go after the smallest creature in the group, unless that creature was so small as to not be worth eating.
No, but they can tell the difference between soft flesh and a hard material. Instinctually they will go for the soft flesh first.
No, but they can tell the difference between soft flesh and a hard material. Instinctually they will go for the soft flesh first.a wolf might go after the monk and wizard due to their obvious lack of armoring and actively avoid those in metal armor.Unless he has fought adventurers in the past, a wolf shouldn't have a concept of what armor is. I'd expect something like a wolf to go after the smallest creature in the group, unless that creature was so small as to not be worth eating.
Source? I don't think there is an instinct for armor, because armor doesn't exist in nature. Knowing to avoid armor would come from experience.
Source? I don't think there is an instinct for armor, because armor doesn't exist in nature. Knowing to avoid armor would come from experience.No, but they can tell the difference between soft flesh and a hard material. Instinctually they will go for the soft flesh first.a wolf might go after the monk and wizard due to their obvious lack of armoring and actively avoid those in metal armor.Unless he has fought adventurers in the past, a wolf shouldn't have a concept of what armor is. I'd expect something like a wolf to go after the smallest creature in the group, unless that creature was so small as to not be worth eating.
Reread what I said again very carefully. The instinct is to attack the soft target they can easily sink their teeth and claws into over the hard shelled target. Watch some nature documentaries, time and time again it has been proven in nature that most carnivores will ignore creatures with hard shells in favor of pursuing a softer target. Its not an instinct to avoid armor, its an instinct to hunt the meal that will take less effort to eat.
Trash talk them. It is a free action to tell 'Yo mama' jokes.
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Trash talk them. It is a free action to tell 'Yo mama' jokes.
"Yo momma loves 4e!"
*crowd gasps*
Armor does exist in nature there are a lot of animals with shells. Most of the animals with shells or carapace are usually not the preferred prey of wolves, but they do exist. The shell of a turtle or crab is armor. The game may consider a separate category, but it serves the same purpose.
The idea of armor probably originated from humans trying to emulate some of the toughness of animals. The first armors were the hides and fur of animals. It was not until latter that the idea of using metal armor occurred. Even then it was probably inspired by animals.
The trash talking is brilliant.
I think the best way to force enemies to attack you is to simply present them with only a single target that they can attack and this can be achieved with good positioning. The best way to do this via choke points and using terrain to your advantage.
But there will be plenty of times where you find yourself in a open battlefield without a lot of advantageous terrain, so that's when Enlarge Person, Reach Weapon &/or Combat Patrol + Combat Reflexes + Stand Still, and/or having your party wizard use Pit/Wall spells to create your own barriers/chokepoints, etc, can determine whether the party ends the fight with minor bruises and scratches or being out of spells/abilities and needing a visit to Ye Olde General Hospital.
Antagonize can be helpful, but it takes a Standard Action and only affects a single target. Frankly, there's probably better uses for your Standard Actions.
Honestly it comes down to a combination of your party working together to make the battlefield smaller and you being the combatant that can't be ignored.
Paladins have access to the spell challenge evil. While it does not actually force the target to attack you, it does make cause the target to become sickened if they do not make at least one attack on you.
Compel Hostility can actually force a creature to attack you instead of some other target. The spell lasts 1 round per level so can be used multiple times. It only works on creatures that threaten you, and they get a will save.
A widened Archon’s Aura spell can also be somewhat effective… it doesn’t actually compel enemies to attack you, but it does make you a more enticing target as your allies are harder to hit.
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I’ve got it! Have a bard cast Unnatural Lust on the enemies and declare you the subject of their desire… they will now swarm you… granted they might be attacking your gear more than you at first…
I’ve got it! Have a bard cast Unnatural Lust on the enemies and declare you the subject of their desire… they will now swarm you… granted they might be attacking your gear more than you at first…
lends new meaning to the "Paw Patrol"
Have a really good disguise roll and disguise yourself as someone who failed to disguise themselves. For example, be a fighter pretending to be a wizard who is disguising himself as a fighter. The “wizard” failed to look like a fighter, so the target thinks he is a wizard.