Can you always take a 5 ft step?
Grazzt
Demon Lord
Olive said:
Right. You can't take a 5-foot step AND move. One reference to this (more or less) is in the PHB, on page 121, right column, under Move-Equivalent Action. The paragraph starts "If you move..."
The relevant passage:
"If you move no actual distance in a round (commonly because you have swapped your move for one or more move-equivalent actions), you can take one 5-foot step...."
Also- page 127, under RUN. "You can run as a full-round action. (You do not get a 5-foot step.)"
Last edited:
Kae'Yoss
First Post
You cannot take the 5-ft-step if you have used your move action (or made a double-move) to cover any distance moving.
So you can't move your speed, attack once, and take a 5-ft-step back.
But if you use your move action to make a move-equivalent action that doesn't let you actually cover any distance - or even make a double-move with two such actions - you can make the 5-ft-step.
So you can stand up from a prone postion (move-equivalent), move 5 feet, and attack then. You could even stand up form the prone postition (mea 1), draw your weapon (mea 2) - so you made a double move), and still make your 5-ft-step.
So you can't move your speed, attack once, and take a 5-ft-step back.
But if you use your move action to make a move-equivalent action that doesn't let you actually cover any distance - or even make a double-move with two such actions - you can make the 5-ft-step.
So you can stand up from a prone postion (move-equivalent), move 5 feet, and attack then. You could even stand up form the prone postition (mea 1), draw your weapon (mea 2) - so you made a double move), and still make your 5-ft-step.
Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
Is it clarified anywhere whether you can make a 5' "step" while prone? We've always allowed people to do it (equivalent to the dramatic roll-and-stand of a movie), but I wonder if the rules speak on this action.
IOW, can you move 5', stand up, and attack?
Daniel
IOW, can you move 5', stand up, and attack?
Daniel
Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
Grazzt said:
Actually, I'm wondering whether Tordek could have done it in reverse order: could he have moved 5 feet (his 5-foot step), stood up (a move-equivalent action) and attacked?
Daniel
)
Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
Grazzt said:
That's what I thought. Clearly, people can move while prone; just as clearly, humans move faster when not prone. A rule on movement while prone would be nice.
I know there have been a couple of times in our game when it'd be nice to move while prone. I can't think of specifics, but off the top of my head, I can imagine a scenario:
Enemies are laying down a field of fire (essentially, readying an action to shoot at the first person they see). Fortunately, you're behind a 2' high coffin in the warehouse, enough to provide you 100% cover if you're prone, or 25% cover if you're upright. Five feet away from you is an open door: if you can wriggle the 5' on your belly, you can stand up in the doorway, getting 100% cover, at which point you can do all kinds of fun things (drink a potion, cast invisiblity on yourself, pop a fireball into the room, etc.)
I know that's not the scenario we had in our game, but it is one in which moving 5' while prone and then standing is much more advantageous than standing then moving 5'.
Daniel
