How does presence pool:challenge work in PvP?

I'm just getting into PvP a bit in the arena and I'd like to try RV sometime too, but before I solidify my build with my last respec, I need to know how taunt works against players.

Specifically, I'm an MM and I don't want my opponents attacking my henchmen. Does challenge force my opponent to attack me?

There's no taunt protection, as it were. If you get taunted, the only options for breaking it are to wait for it to wear off, or to break line of sight. Some powers (such as Assault) provide resistance to taunt (i.e. make it last less time) and as of the I13 changes, Break Frees provide taunt/placate resist. In short, one application of a taunt will force someone to target you - or more accurately, taunt will make you the only valid enemy target for its duration. Taunt/Confront does do -range in PvE and PvP but that only applies to Tanker/Brute/Scrapper versions, not the pool versions or the Widow version.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I've got a weird question since we're on the subject. What would happen if a Stalker used Taunt and then immediately followed it up with Placate?

Yea MMs can easily get perma taunt. It's the cheapest thing i've ever seen because it's about impossible to kill an MM by attacking them head on, unless ur dark and use soul drain or use a bunch of AoEs, but in PvP, single targets are better. I hate fighting MMs because my PvE toons would dominate them and lose to everything else and my pvp toons would be fine against everything else but lose or tie with the MM.

I know of 3 thug/pains MMs with taunt, because i can't kill the pets or even touch them, i just sit there until death since the MM can heal faster then i can damage. Or if i use Geas and Hasten together and use a DPS chain, they started kiting around.

Cheapest thing i've ever seen.

Have Challenge on my Merc/Pain... Use it if I teamed with a Dom or Crrpt to get the heat off of them and on to me so I don't have to go out of BG to attack.

Alot of times it is a Blaster/Troller dive bombing to get the Dom Or Crrpt.... when he starts unloading on him, challenge will redirect his last shot to me ....Mercs return fire in BG Blaster dies or runs/hibernoob/phase. This is were challenge is good for a MM IMO. Other then that I don't use it much.

Lasts only under 5 sec unslotted (can only 2 slot for acc. with my build)....so melee sets with higher HP's can outlive that and still tool on your teammate. It is also harder to hit them with it.

Using taunt and then placating summons the almighty class breaking bug known as the "Placate Bug" where placate really doesn't do anything whatsoever.

In short, get the taunt on a stalker, then get wrecked.

If I taunt, then phase out, does the opponent stay taunted to me?

They'll be taunted for however long the duration is slotted up for, then once it wore off you'd have to unphase to retaunt them. Unless they phased to chase you.