Polearm and shifting help

[M0stlyHarmless]

Hi guys first post, just can't find the answer to this anywhere on the net.

I am a level 2 fighter using a polearm for my at-will I am using 'Weapon master's strike' which when used with a Polearm lets me,
"Spear or Polearm: Until the end of your next turn, the target provokes opportunity attacks from you when it shifts."

My question is if my enemy is 2 squares away within my weapons reach and I have marked the target using 'Weapon master's strike' do I only hit him if he shifts or if he moves. What if he walks away instead of shifting away do I still get my OA.

Legend: P is me. E is Enemy. 123 are movement locations.

000003
002000
00E000
010000
00P000
000000

So if I mark him with WMS if he shift to location 1 or 2 I get an OA
But if he walks or runs to location 3 do I still get OA?
So if it is triggered by shift is it triggered by all movement?

Hope you guys can help thanks!

[GPuzzle]

You do not get any opportunity attacks.

[M0stlyHarmless]

Do you mean I dont get an OA for 3 or all of them. Also why? Thanks

[GPuzzle]

You don't get an OA for any of them - you need to be adjacent to an enemy to make an OA.

[M0stlyHarmless]

I don't think that is right, otherwise what is the point of weapon masters strike, the fighter gets OA on shifts anyway with Combat Challenge. Also specific beats general, in general you only get OA's if the enemy is adjacent but the WMS says any enemy that shifts takes an OA, it doesn't say it has to be adjacent. Not to mention that when you get Polearm Master you get to make OA to any enemy within the reach of your weapon with 'Longarm master'. So if the enemy was shifting anywhere within my range and had been marked using WMS I would definitely get an OA the questions is what if the DM declares that the enemy walks and not shifts. I would assume as a shift means a 1 square moment any walk or run would count as a shift, but that is where I am not sure.

Legend: P is me.

3333333
3222223
3211123
321P123
3211123
3222223
3333333

So any marked enemy using WMS or CC would get an OA when shifting within 1 or from 1 to 2 and just an OA with WMS if shifting from 2 to 1 but an enemy marked with WMS shifting from 2 to 3 would also get and OA, but he wouldn't need to use the shift movement he could just walk, but does that walk count as a shift.

[GPuzzle]

You make an OA, and OAs only happen when an enemy adjacent to you moves willingly. There is an specific case which will beat it: Threatening Reach, which is what the stance in Polearm Master does.

And Polearm Master allows you to make an MBA as an Interrupt whenever a marked enemy within 2 squares of you attacks an ally.

[M0stlyHarmless]

So then what would be the point of weapon masters strike?

[Laserlight]

So then what would be the point of weapon masters strike?

To let you get an OA when he shifts. Shifting normally does not provoke OA.

[M0stlyHarmless]

But fighter do get OA's on shifts because of Combat Challenge which marks the enemy with any attack

"In addition, whenever a marked enemy that is
adjacent to you shifts or makes an attack that does not
include you, you can make a melee basic attack against
that enemy as an immediate interrupt."

So in my mind, the mark with WMS would make it if he shifts within your range.
Otherwise WMS just let's you do what Combat Challenge already does.

[M0stlyHarmless]

Unless it allows you toy get 2 separate OA's from CC and WMS.

[Nod_Hero]

It's not an OA if they shift away, it's a basic attack, thus you don't stop their movement.
WMS allows you to make an OA instead of a basic, thus stopping their movement. It also lets you use the 1/turn Opportunity Action instead of the 1/rd Immediate Action.

[M0stlyHarmless]

That makes sense thank you, so does the shifting only counts if they are adjacent to me then or if they are within my range?

As it says when they shift not when they are adjacent to you and they shift.

[Nod_Hero]

It also says provokes opportunity attacks, thus as I read it you still have to follow all the normal rules for OA.
I'm not a 4e veteran so someone may come along and discredit that.

[M0stlyHarmless]

Thanks for the help I guess it is not as good as I thought for Polearms, might just take cleave then, I will have to wait until level 16 and I have:

Longarm Grasp (16th level): If you’re wielding a reach weapon, whenever an enemy within 2 squares of you and marked by you shifts or makes an attack that doesn’t include you as a target, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as an immediate interrupt.

To be able to cover that amount of area.