Combat Advantage

[MindForge]

Combat Advantage is a new term that I really like. It basically gives you +2 to an attack roll if you have combat advantage over them. For example, flanking is one form of combat advantage.

Basically, any situation where you have the upper hand in a fight, you have combat advantage. If your enemy is blind, you have combat advantage. If your enemy is helpless, you have combat advantage. If your enemy is balancing or distracted, you have combat advantage. If you are hiding with a bow, you have combat advantage. Some powers give you combat advantage after a successful attack. A lot of rogue powers require or grant combat advantage.

Also, once per encounter anyone can attempt to get combat advantage with a bluff check.

[brekkers]

A +2 bonus isn't much of a bonus against one who is helpless...

- Brek

[MindForge]

Usually when you are helpless you will be unconscious which gives a penalty of -5. But, because you can be helpless and not unconscious from an attack power they have altered it a little, some opponents can basically be hit so hard that they are helpless for a round, but they still have their Fort and Will saves in place, so they are not truly helpless because they can still mentally resist. Helpless opponents can be the victim of a coup de grace. If they are unconscious, they have -5 AC to the attack or to their fortitude defense.

[olstar18]

It sounds like they merely gave a new name to a rule from 3.5.

[MindForge]

Yeah. But it is tweaked a bit because it opened a new avenue for powers by utilizing a combat advantage instead of a flank.

[Barrok]

Also, once per encounter anyone can attempt to get combat advantage with a bluff check.

I'm sure there was a feat or character special power in 3.5 which allowed such a thing to happen, which personally I am glad not to have to waste such a slot on it or take a character level in something I would not usually use as anyone can do it now.

So Combat Advantage really has made the idea of Flanking (excuse the old terminology here) more clear and concise? I guess a lot of Ambush moves/powers etc must be Combat Advantage dependant?

[RafeIxeian]

Some are dependant, some give you CA, other give it to your opponents if you screw up, others give your allies combat advantage against an opponent. It's far more well-defined compared to 3.5, and there's a lot of new ways to gain that bonus. Before, the only way to get it consistently was the flank, which made it the only 'special maneuver' that really granted a special advantage. Now, with so many ways, there's a lot more going on, a lot more to watch for and exploit.

[Barrok]

Thanks for letting me know that, before it was just really up to the DM to adjudicate on such matters which differed from game to game. Its good to see some rules have a better definition.