5 Foot Step Variants

[2o-Eyed Foe]

I was just wondering if anyone had any 5' step variants in their campaigns, that they wouldn't mind sharing. I play with a good group of people who generally do not take advantage of some of the loopholes in the rules. (Well at least what I consider potential loopholes)

For example, according to the rules, unless I am mistaken, a caster who is in melee range with an opponent could take a five foot step to avoid the AoO and then cast a spell without taking the risk of losing it due to casting defensively. Now, using this tactic occasionally I do not have a problem with. I have, however, played with people in the past who grossly take advantage of the 5' step to consistently avoid the AoO's for taking certain actions in threatened squares. This irritates me when the move serves no other purpose but to negate the targets ability to take an AoO.

I know that there are ways around this: opponents could carry longer weapons so that 5' away the player is still threatened, a monster could delay his action to follow the caster as soon as he began to move ..etc.. But I consider these contrived, at best. Plus, I don't want to a have a bunch of hobgoblins running around with polearms and halberds all the time.

So, does anyone have any 5' step variant ideas that they have come up with to keep these types of situations from occuring?

2o-Eyed Foe

 

[drunkmoogle]

The five foot step was created expressly for the purposes of avoiding AoOs and allowing a small degree of movement when your characters perform full-round actions. Taking that away would severly limit many viable combat strategies, such as causing a reach weapon to be near useless against someone within 5'. I highly suggest you talk it over with your group before you adopt any changes.

To combat the 5' step, simply pin them directly against the wall or against an allied flanker. This would allow you (or your ally) to still threaten him wherever he goes.

Embrace the rule. Remember, what goes for them also goes for you.

Just voicing my concern.

 

[Ferret]

So moving away from people is wrong?

 

[2o-Eyed Foe]

Remember, what goes for them also goes for you.

Absolutely. Anything that I ever set down in regards to what the PC's can and cannot do also goes for all of my monsters, villains, and so forth.

 

[2o-Eyed Foe]

So moving away from people is wrong?

Nope, not at all. And I don't have an issue with the rule, its interpretation, implementation and so forth.

The issue was actually initally created with another DM in a campaign in which we were playing in where the 5' step was being abused to the point that it became silly. I don't really feel like getting into all of the details of the actual situation here because not only is it a long and boring tale, but it serves no purpose to my original question. Suffice to say that it involved taking a 5' step as your move equivalent action while drawing a weapon as a free action (during a move) and then attacking. It got worse. Point is it was being abused and became silly.

All I really want to know is if anyone out there has 5' step variants which they have tried and found succesful in their campaigns. I don't see where in my original post I ever made mention that moving away from something that was potentially going to attack you was wrong.

I know what the point to the 5' step is. I am not trying to take away the ability to use a 5' step to avoid an AoO from my players. I simply am just curious if there are any 5' variants out there. And if so would anybody who has one mind sharing?

 

[the Jester]

Well, I tried one out for a while- a creature's 5-foot step was actually equal in size to its reach (so an ogre could take a 10' 'adjustment')- but in the end decided the standard rules were better.

 

[Enkhidu]

Suffice to say that it involved taking a 5' step as your move equivalent action while drawing a weapon as a free action (during a move) and then attacking. It got worse. Point is it was being abused and became silly.

Was this the crux of your problem with it? If so, it might simply be a "DM interpretation of the rules" kind of problem. As far as I can tell (and I'm sure some of more more knowledgable Rules forum people could tell you for sure), a 5' move doesn't count as a "move action" for things like drawing weapons and the like.

Would simply using a more strict interpretation (that a 5' move does not count as movement) help?

 

[StAlda]

I have removed the 5 foot step completely. If you want to move, take a move action. From what I can tell, it has not overly altered the game.

 

[mmadsen]

I suggest you read the old RPGnet 5 Foot Step thread.

Genre- and reality-emulation aside, removing the Protection from AoO surrounding the 5'-step simplifies tactical play and aligns abstract combat without a grid more closely with fully detailed combat on a map. If you're engaged, you take an AoO for disengaging. Simple.

 

[Relic]

I allow the 5-foot to be taken at any portion during the round as long as you are not flat-footed or surprised. Thus, you can continue to "press" an offensive on an opponent. When you are attacking an opponent you do not just sit there and watch him take a step away to launch a lightning bolt in your face... you actually continue to keep the pressure on the opponent.

This has eliminated the archer/spell-caster step back and shoot/cast issue... and it still keeps the 5-foot step as being useful for manuevering and such. My players prefer it this way and I find I do not have to find loopholes just to keep things balanced and/or challenging...