Reach Weapon, AoO and Sidestep

[Ransom]

To set the stage:

We have a fighter with combat reflexes, whats his dex? Doesn't matter just assume he is capable of at least 2 attacks of opportunities per round.

The fighter is wielding a glaive, or any reach weapon. (Forget the stupid spiked chain for a second)

AoO: Focusing on the AoO drawn by leaving a characters threatened space. Also the sentence: "Moving out of more than one square threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn't count as more than one opportunity for that opponent" (PHB P. 138)

Sidestep (Feat: Miniatures handbook) : Once per round, when you make an attack of opportunity, you may take a 5-foot step after you attack. This 5-foot step doesn't count against your limit of one 5-foot step per round or against movement you take on your turn.


While wielding a glaive I threaten the ring of 16 squares surrounding the 8 squares adjacent to me. (DMG P.308)
When an enemy leaves one of those 16 squares to enter one of my 8 adjacent squares I get an attack of opportunity.
Now I take my free 5 ft step (Sidestep) leaving the opponent outside of the 16 square ring and out of my threatened area.

Now continue the opponents action (to move adjacent to me) he once again enters my 16 square ring (no AoO) but then moves into one of the 8 adjacent squares.

Now here is the question: Do I get another attack of opportunity?

Seeing as he has already left a square I threaten and drawn an attack of opportunity from me I don't gain an additional AoO, BUT during his movement he has completely left my threatened area and I think that is slightly outside the rules as written.

I interpret the rules as meaning "if the opponent continues moving through your threatened area he does not draw any additional attacks of opportunity"

By the sidestep he has left my threatened area completely I think another AoO would be allowed.

Thoughts?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Nope. He's still leaving more than one threatened square, which, by the RAW, does not constitute multiple opportunities.

You can run circles around someone as much as your movement allows and still only draw a single AoO.

 

[Squire James]

AFAIK, only one attack of opportunity per round can be directed from one person to a foe each round. Even if the foe provokes an AoO twice, you only get to accept one of them.

I think the best use of Sidestep and Combat Reflexes is for a safe retreat against superior numbers. Essentially, you get 5 feet of free movement per point of Dex bonus if the monsters hold out. Then you can easily Withdraw without AoO's (in most cases) and start again. If you had a spear rather than a glaive, I'd suggest simply moving 20-30 feet (taking the AoO's you might provoke), and Readying an attack on the first foe who charges you.

 

[Taren Nighteyes]

Just making sure I understand....

So, if a creature uses a supernatural ability (which unless it otherwise states, draws an attack of opportunity), and then moves which draws an attack of opportunity - then the person with combat reflexes gets only 1 attack of opportunity, because you only get 1 against an opponent regardless of types/number of the actions which provoke an attack?

Thanks,

Taren Nighteyes

 

[Nail]

AFAIK, only one attack of opportunity per round can be directed from one person to a foe each round.

Nope. You may make more that one AoO at a foe in a given round, as long as each provocation is from a different action. Movement is one action....not one AoO per threatened square the opponent moves through.

 

[Nail]

So, if a creature uses a supernatural ability (which unless it otherwise states, draws an attack of opportunity), ..

Nope.

Supernatural abilities don't provioke AoOs.

 

[Taren Nighteyes]

Is what I am thinking about called extraordinary abilities?

 

[Nail]

So, if a creature ....(snipped)..... and then moves which draws an attack of opportunity - then the person with combat reflexes gets only 1 attack of opportunity.....

Let's try this example:

An insane Bralani (eladrin) attacks you. After 1 round of melee combat with you, he decides to move 10 feet to your other side, then use one of his spell like abilities (charm person, let's say).

He moved within your threatened space, and wasn't doing the withdrawl action, so you get an AoO.

Then he used a spell-like ability in your threatened area. That provokes a second AoO. You can only take that second AoO if you have combat reflexes.

Clear?

 

[Nail]

Is what I am thinking about called extraordinary abilities?

Hey Taren!

We're cross-posting, aren't we?

Here's the SRD text:

A special ability is either extraordinary, spell-like, or supernatural in nature.

Extraordinary Abilities (Ex): Extraordinary abilities are nonmagical. They are, however, not something that just anyone can do or even learn to do without extensive training. Effects or areas that negate or disrupt magic have no effect on extraordinary abilities.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Spell-like abilities, as the name implies, are spells and magical abilities that are very much like spells. Spell-like abilities are subject to spell resistance and dispel magic. They do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (such as an antimagic field).

Supernatural Abilities (Su): Supernatural abilities are magical but not spell-like. Supernatural abilities are not subject to spell resistance and do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (such as an antimagic field). A supernatural ability’s effect cannot be dispelled and is not subject to counterspells. See the table below for a summary of the types of special abilities.

After that is a table, which shows that (Ex) and (Su) powers do not provoke AoOs. (Sp) abilities do provoke AoOs.

 

[Taren Nighteyes]

Thanks Nail. Spell-like ability is what I was looking for!

Taren Nighteyes