If you want to use an ability on a Marked target, how do you count the range? Do you need to take blocked and occupied spaces into account for abilities with a range? For example: I want to use the Contender attack on a target that is marked. Defender has a range of 1-8. Because the target is marked, I do not need to have LOS. But I do need to be within range 1-8. My question is: do I need to be within range 1-8, or range 1-8? Can I count 8 spaces to the target through Blocked spaces and spaces with characters, or no? Another example: is attacker is target (who has the Marked state) are unoccupied spaces are blocked spaces The attack has range 1-3. Can attack ? ... ... (edit: changed "is marked" to "has the Marked state" for clarity)
Of course, you take your position as starting point and count hexagons to your target, taking the shortest route, it doesn't matter if the spaces in between are empty, blocked, or occupied, this isn't going to determine LoS, this is to determine if a target is within range of an ability. Once you know a target is within range, then you take into account if the ability is or to check if you also need LoS to the target, or if the target is marked, you assume it doesn't. Edit: My bad, rules in hand, you actually check if the ability need LoS first, and then you check range. Although you still need both (LoS and range) in case of so I don't think it actually matters.
@treiral that’s wrong. From the range rule: Range measurements must avoid both Occupied and Blocked spaces. I suggest that range to a Marked target should be measured for instead.
True, but it doesn't make sense when you take into account the effects of Marked, nobody plays it like that, and it's very clear that wasn't the intent of how range works, so I purposely ignore it. Otherwise, the example of @Stompburger above wouldn't be in range, since it would need to go all around the blocked spaces according to the first point: It would mean that in the example for range, the target is at range 6 (since you have to avoid blocked spaces), even if there is no need for LoS check and it's just at 3. In turn, this would nerf the Marked status to pretty much useless.
Right, which is why: But this: Is simply wrong, and will give incorrect range measurements for abilities with Ranges.
Sorry it could a while to answer, I was trying but in the end I just couldn't think of any case in which the range measure, in cases where one would still have LoS, would give an incorrect range when looking for the shortest path. I'd appreciate an example of this. To further prove my point that it was never the intent, I found this in the how to play booklet: Keep in mind that, even if obstacles don't count toward determining LoS, they still count as occupied spaces and there's no exception about range in the reference guide, so in order for Wild Bill to attack from behind 8-Ball, that range measure would need to go all around the barriers. And that would place the target out of range. I honestly think that the idea behind the "must avoid both Occupied and Blocked spaces" is just to make it clear the need of LoS, but it backfired in the examples I'm giving above. Suggesting to measure marked as is bending the rules as much as what I suggested. In the end, the rules reference needs an update either on their Range entry, or their obstacles and marked status.