Role-playing Games Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for gamemasters and players of tabletop, paper-and-pencil role-playing games. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Page 140 of the Dungeon Master's book states
Once per encounter, a creature can try to gain combat advantage against a target by making a Bluff check
Does this mean that I can bluff my way only once per encounter, or only once per encounter against each creature?
Once per encounter only.
The Rules Compendium has, on page 141 (I've omitted a few paragraphs unnecessary for this discussion)
Bluff
Gain Combat Advantage
Action: Standard action. A creature can take this action only once per encounter.
As the Rules Compendium was printed well after the Dungeon Master's Guide, the RC should take precendence. Interestingly, the DDI is still using the older, confusing version of the Bluff skill (Dated from 2008). I assume that is an oversight on their part and I would continue to use the RC version of Bluff. However, it does leave room for an enterprising player to try to convince their DM otherwise unfortunately!
Reading it as written it seems to be only once per encounter, regardless of the number of different targets you attempt it against.
I think the wording is ambiguous, and could be argued either way. I'd be tempted to say that the wording leans toward "once per encounter, total," but I think it makes more sense to say it's once per encounter per target. That is: you're fighting against Meepo and you feint and confuse him, but he won't fall for it again. He ally, though, isn't yet wise to you, and might.
I like to get my players to tell me specifically what they're doing to get that Bluff roll, so I'd probably decide based on that description.
Actually, you can use Bluff to gain combat advantage twice per encounter: Once as a feint and once through Create a Diversion to Hide, though you'll still need to pass the stealth roll.
Relevant text from Rules Compendium:
Action: Standard action. A creature can take this action only once per encounter.
This line appears in both the feinting and diversion descriptions under bluff.
As a wrinkle, the Hidden status from a Bluff is precarious at best, likened to hiding behind a guy that's looking for you. This isn't the same as using the Stealth skill to hide, even if it involves a Stealth check. Again from the Rules Compendium:
the creature becomes hidden from that target until the end of the current turn or until immediately after the hidden creature makes an attack.
I'm unsure as to whether you'll need to spend an action point to fit in something useful with the CA that turn or if you can wait until the next turn to commence walloping.
