Test of Mettle

[MikelaC1]

I have a question about this power, and am looking for some other DMs to weigh in. Say you have a situation where the party with a knight encounters another party, and there is some distance between them. The knight has initiative and issues his test of mettle challenge. Can the members of the opposing party still buff themselves before engaging him in battle? The ability specifically says it does not throw the victim into a mindless rage, but would you say it does override the instinct to cast personal buffs?

[OldTrees1]

Test of Mettle (Ex): -snip-

-snip- Creatures that fail this save are forced to attack you with their ranged or melee attacks in preference over other available targets. If a foe attacks by casting a spell or using a supernatural ability, he must target you with the attack or include you in the effect's area.

An opponent compelled to act in this manner is not thrown into a mindless rage and does not have to move to attack you in melee if doing so would provoke attacks of opportunity against him. In such a case, he can use ranged attacks against you or attack any opponents he threatens as normal. If anyone other than you attacks the target, the effect of the test of mettle ends for that specific target.

They are not in a mindless rage and thus can opt to use non attack actions. However their attack actions must include you (unless including you provokes AoOs).

[PaucaTerrorem]

But would it cause someone to drop their melee weapon and draw their ranged if it would provoke an AOO?

[Troacctid]

No. Test of Mettle does not in any way force them to attack you. They can choose to draw their ranged weapon if they want to, but they are under no compulsion to do so.

[OldTrees1]

But would it cause someone to drop their melee weapon and draw their ranged if it would provoke an AOO?

No for 2 reasons:
1) They are not required to attack
2) The requirement for all their attacks to include you has an exception for the cases where moving to attack you in melee would provoke an AoO. If moving to attack you would provoke an AoO then they can attack whoever they wish with either melee or ranged attacks (or continue to refrain from attacking as seen in #1)

[Necroticplague]

No, they're still allowed to buff themselves. Test of Mettle is basically an "If they attack, the attack must include me". Since they aren't attacking if they buff themselves, that limit doesn't apply (the truth value of an if-than statement with a false if statement is always true).