nittanytbone
First Post
One more quick question --
Can you 5' step through Difficult Terrain, as from a Knight's Bulwark of Defense?
Thanks!
Can you 5' step through Difficult Terrain, as from a Knight's Bulwark of Defense?
Thanks!
5' Step in Difficult Terrain
- Thread starter nittanytbone
- Start date
darthkilmor
First Post
SRD says:
SRD said:
Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
Note that for the iconic Knight-with-a-longsword, this doesn't restrict a whole lot of movement.
If you aren't adjacent to him at the start of your turn, Bulwark of Defense does not affect you, so no squares are considered difficult. You can 5' step into an adjacent square just fine.
If you are adjacent to him at the start of your turn, all the squares adjacent to the Knight are considered difficult, but none of the squares further away from that are. So the archer adjacent to the Knight could 5' step back and make a full attack - the square he's moving into is not considered difficult terrain, so his 5' step is not restricted.
The Rogue adjacent to the Knight, however, could not 5' step around the Knight to a flanking position - he is attempting to move into difficult terrain, and his 5' step is denied.
Bulwark of Defense gets more interesting if the Knight is Large, or has a Spiked Chain, or through some other means threatens multiple concentric 'zones'.
-Hyp.
If you aren't adjacent to him at the start of your turn, Bulwark of Defense does not affect you, so no squares are considered difficult. You can 5' step into an adjacent square just fine.
If you are adjacent to him at the start of your turn, all the squares adjacent to the Knight are considered difficult, but none of the squares further away from that are. So the archer adjacent to the Knight could 5' step back and make a full attack - the square he's moving into is not considered difficult terrain, so his 5' step is not restricted.
The Rogue adjacent to the Knight, however, could not 5' step around the Knight to a flanking position - he is attempting to move into difficult terrain, and his 5' step is denied.
Bulwark of Defense gets more interesting if the Knight is Large, or has a Spiked Chain, or through some other means threatens multiple concentric 'zones'.
-Hyp.
Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
Whimsical said:
Sure.
As a move action.
-Hyp.
the Jester
Legend
One of the great things about Bulwark of Defense is that it prevents an enemy fighter from taking a 5' step in to full attack you. 
Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
the Jester said:One of the great things about Bulwark of Defense is that it prevents an enemy fighter from taking a 5' step in to full attack you.
Only if you threaten 5' and 10'.
If you're a knight with a longsword, you only threaten adjacent squares. If the enemy fighter is 10 feet away, he can 5' step in and full attack just fine, since your threatened squares are only considered difficult if the opponent is threatened at the start of his turn...
-Hyp.
nittanytbone
First Post
Ok, so let me walk through an example or two. Let's postulate a medium size knight with long sword and shield standing in an open field with clear terrain all around.
SCENARIO A: Drive By Attacker
A goblin rides by on his worg and attacks the knight. None of the squares are considered difficult terrain because the goblin doesn't start the turn in the threatened area, and thus movement is normal.
SCENARIO B: Just Passing Through
An evil monk starts from 20' away, tumbles past the knight, and presses on to attack the wizard in the back row. Movement is normal -- taking into account the tumble and Vigilant Defender abilities.
SCENARIO C: 5' Step Dance
An archer begins the turn standing next to the knight. He can 5' step back away from the knight -- going from difficult terrain into clear terrain and then full attack with his bow.
SCENARIO D: Moving to Flank
A rogue begins the turn standing next to the knight. He cannot 5' step around the knight to flank the warrior as the terrain is difficult. If he attempts to tumble past the knight with a move action, the DC increases by 2 and each square of movement costs triple (x2 for tumbling, x2 for difficult terrain).
Tactically, this seems to imply that the Knight Bulwark of Defense excels (A) when using a reach weapon or (B) after foes have been engaged in close combat.
SCENARIO A: Drive By Attacker
A goblin rides by on his worg and attacks the knight. None of the squares are considered difficult terrain because the goblin doesn't start the turn in the threatened area, and thus movement is normal.
SCENARIO B: Just Passing Through
An evil monk starts from 20' away, tumbles past the knight, and presses on to attack the wizard in the back row. Movement is normal -- taking into account the tumble and Vigilant Defender abilities.
SCENARIO C: 5' Step Dance
An archer begins the turn standing next to the knight. He can 5' step back away from the knight -- going from difficult terrain into clear terrain and then full attack with his bow.
SCENARIO D: Moving to Flank
A rogue begins the turn standing next to the knight. He cannot 5' step around the knight to flank the warrior as the terrain is difficult. If he attempts to tumble past the knight with a move action, the DC increases by 2 and each square of movement costs triple (x2 for tumbling, x2 for difficult terrain).
Tactically, this seems to imply that the Knight Bulwark of Defense excels (A) when using a reach weapon or (B) after foes have been engaged in close combat.
Jhulae
First Post
ironically, the best weapons for a Knight to use seem to be the Spiked Chain and the Dwom, as both thrteaten both 5' and 10' away. I'm not sure of any other weapons that do, but obviously, any of them would be good as well. Of course, all of those kinds of weapons are Exotic, requiring the EWP.
There might also be a feat that lets one use a reach weapon in adjacent squares as well. Again, it requires burning a feat to make the ability actually, you know, useful.
There might also be a feat that lets one use a reach weapon in adjacent squares as well. Again, it requires burning a feat to make the ability actually, you know, useful.
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