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Had a moment in my last session where the Striker provoked an Opportunity Attack from a Monster that was marked by the Defender. After the attack was resolved, our Defender wanted to respond with his mark - Swordmage's Aegis of Ensnarement.

Our GM said that since this was an OA the mark wouldn't trigger. He reasoned that since forced movement doesn't provoke an OA; an OA doesn't trigger a mark effect since it is a forced attack.

Our Defender disagreed about the OA being forced and thought it was more of an option.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Your defender was correct. \$\endgroup\$
    – GMNoob
    Jun 26, 2011 at 19:12
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    \$\begingroup\$ Your GM appears to not differentiate de-jure obligations from de-facto obligations. There are few circumstances where you wouldn't take the free attack, so in that sense it's a social obligation to take the free attack; it's so common that you would need a good reason not to take it for people to not be like "Dude, free attack!". There's no law that you help the old woman who fell on the sidewalk in front of you, but most people do it. \$\endgroup\$
    – corsiKa
    Jun 26, 2011 at 20:28
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    \$\begingroup\$ The enemy in question would be aware of being marked and of the full consequences of attacking someone other than the swordmage (PH1 57-58), so it could conceivably decide not to take an opportunity attack. \$\endgroup\$
    – okeefe
    Jun 26, 2011 at 22:46

2 Answers 2

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  1. An opportunity attack is not a forced attack. It is an option.

  2. If the Defender can use an immediate action (i.e., it is not his turn, hasn't already used an immediate action this round), he can use Aegis of Ensnarement.

  3. Regardless of whether an attack is forced or not, an attack by a marked target provokes defender punishment. An attack is an attack is an attack.

Arcane Power, page 50

If a target marked by this power is within 10 squares of you when it hits with an attack that does not include you as a target, you can use an immediate reaction after the target's entire attack is resolved to teleport the target to any space adjacent to you.

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I do believe a defender can only use "marking" abilities on the target during the marked creatures turn. As it is the striker's turn, I do not believe a free attack or marking effect is warranted. On the positive side, the defender is still forcing a ten percent miss penalty on any attacks that does not include him or her no matter who's turn it is.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Defender basic punishment abilities are not limited to responding only on the marked creature's turn. They are limited by the action type (usually Immediate), and generally may occur on any turn other than the defender's own. \$\endgroup\$ Sep 21, 2013 at 20:13
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    \$\begingroup\$ Tank isn't a term used in 4e despite its maligned and misnamed (by haters) "MMO-RPG" design, your answer is only misleading and churlish for "I do believe a tank (sorry, defender)" \$\endgroup\$ Sep 23, 2013 at 12:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ @JoshuaAslanSmith I fixed that. The answer is still wrong, but at least it's not both rude and wrong now. \$\endgroup\$
    – wax eagle
    Sep 24, 2013 at 11:43

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