Spring Attack and AoOs?

[KrazyHades]

One of my players is playing a monk that has taken the spring attack feat. We are having a disagreement over how Spring Attack provokes AoOs against the person being attacked. The feat text specifically says "moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack." He takes that to mean that, if he is going to attack somebody with spring attack, that person cannot AoO him during any part of that movement or attack. I argue that the "moving in this way" covers only going up to somebody, attacking, and then leaving their threatened space (which normally provokes AoOs). However, if you were to, say, run around the person, hit him, run around him again, and then run away, I would say that you DO provoke AoOs because you are moving around within his threatened space. This interpretation would mean that Spring Attack only protects you from the AoO that would result from leaving a threatened square.

What's the real ruling? (spring attack full text below)

Spring Attack [General]
Prerequisites

Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit

When using the attack action with a melee weapon, you can move both before and after the attack, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate. You can’t use this feat if you are wearing heavy armor.

You must move at least 5 feet both before and after you make your attack in order to utilize the benefits of Spring Attack.
Special

A fighter may select Spring Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The feat text specifically says "moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack." He takes that to mean that, if he is going to attack somebody with spring attack, that person cannot AoO him during any part of that movement or attack. I argue that the "moving in this way" covers only going up to somebody, attacking, and then leaving their threatened space (which normally provokes AoOs). However, if you were to, say, run around the person, hit him, run around him again, and then run away, I would say that you DO provoke AoOs because you are moving around within his threatened space.

I'd say you're both wrong

"Moving in this way" refers to moving before and after the attack.

Running around the person, hitting him, running around him again, and running away is "moving in this way", and the movement provokes no AoO. So I disagree with you.

On the other hand, moving up, attempting to disarm, and moving away provokes no AoO for movement - since the movement is "moving in this way"; however, the disarm attempt is not covered by the Spring Attack feat, and provokes as normal. So I disagree with him.

This interpretation would mean that Spring Attack only protects you from the AoO that would result from leaving a threatened square.

Exactly; the AoO you are trying to claim for running around the opponent results from leaving a threatened square, and thus the feat prevents it.

There is no "moving within a threatened space" AoO; there is only a "leaving a threatened square" AoO, which is what provokes the AoO when you do move within a threatened space... since that by necessity includes leaving a threatened square.

But that's almost irrelevant, since Spring Attack doesn't say "leaving a threatened square does not provoke"; it says "moving in this way", where "moving in this way" means "moving before and after the attack". Which in no way excludes moving within a threatened space.

Indeed, if your interpretation were correct, it would negate one of the primary uses of the feat - namely, attacking a creature with reach (for example, an ogre) without incurring an AoO for passing through the threatened area on your way to an adjacent square you can attack from.

-Hyp.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Basically, Spring Attack (And Ride by Attack) do not allow the target any AoO's on the attacker due to movement through threatened squares. But the attacker can still incur other AoO's from the target (such as trying to Disarm without improved Disarm), and still incurs AoO's from other opponents near his target for moving through threatened squares.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[RigaMortus2]

I argue that the "moving in this way" covers only going up to somebody, attacking, and then leaving their threatened space (which normally provokes AoOs).

Actually, you can't do that without Spring Attack at all, so it doesn't normally provoke an AoO, because it can't be done.

You can move up to someone, and make a single attack (does not provoke AoO).
OR
You can attack someone, then move away (which does provoke an AoO).

But what you describe above is not possible w/o the Spring Attack feat to begin with.

To answer the main question at hand, yes, so long as the Spring Attacker moves before AND after his attack, he can dance a jig around the target and not provoke an AoO. Moving in this way is moving in this way. It doesn't require you to move in a straight line, take the most direct path, or anything. The only requirment is move/attack/move.

 

[KrazyHades]

RigaMortus2, sorry about my lack of clarity. I was trying to say that moving away after attacking provokes AoOs, not the whole process.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I was trying to say that moving away after attacking provokes AoOs, not the whole process.

Moving out of any threatened square after attacking provokes an AoO, whether you're moving directly away from the opponent, or sideways, or around him.

Unless you have Spring Attack, in which case moving out of any threatened square after attacking doesn't provoke an AoO, whether you're moving directly away from the opponent, or sideways, or around him.

-Hyp.