Alternate 5' Step Rule

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

What do you think of allowing characters to make one five-foot step per round per five points of BAB (in addition to the single 5' step that all characters get)?

So, a 5th level fighter could take two 5' steps or one 10' step (provoking no AoO's).

So, a 10th level fighter could take three 5' steps or any combination of steps up to 15' (provoking no AoO's).

So, a 15th level fighter could take four 5' steps or any combination of steps up to 20' (provoking no AoO's).

So, a 20th level fighter could take five 5' steps or any combination of steps up to 25' (provoking no AoO's).

Thoughts/Comments???

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

BAB is a poor way to do it. I don't know why it aids in movement forstarters. Also, assuming NPCs can do this, too, it becomes really ridiculous for monsters with giant BAB solely due to HD.

If the goal of this is to lessen the tendency of two people to just stand there and full attack ad nauseum, at least require that people doing this can't make a full attack. Maybe the expanded 5 ft step replaces a move action. Of course, this would make the Withdraw action look like absolute turd by comparison...

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

Thanks for the reply, StreamOfTheSky!

BAB is a poor way to do it. I don't know why it aids in movement forstarters.

It was just a thought I had while reading some house-rules about 5' steps between Whirlwind Attacks and Cleaves. To me, BAB is also a measure of combat competence. So, I thought that if an unexperienced combatant (low BAB) can only make one 5' step per round, then why not allow someone that is more competant to make extra 5' steps?

Also, assuming NPCs can do this, too, it becomes really ridiculous for monsters with giant BAB solely due to HD.

That's probably true.

If the goal of this is to lessen the tendency of two people to just stand there and full attack ad nauseum, at least require that people doing this can't make a full attack.

That's an idea.

Maybe the expanded 5 ft step replaces a move action.

An alternative I was actually thinking of was allowing characters to trade extra attacks derived from high BAB for extra 5' steps.

Of course, this would make the Withdraw action look like absolute turd by comparison...

Probably so. But, the idea of the Withdraw might be able to be expanded upon to allow more than one withdraw during a round, too. Perhaps, through feats? Improved Withdraw? Extra Withdraw? I don't know. Still thinking out loud.

Thoughts/Comments?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Extra 5 ft steps using iterative attacks? It's interesting.... As long is it's strictly iteratives (and from your BAB alone), so you can't get an obscene amount with the TWF feat tree or tons of natural weapons (which generally never get iteratives), it might be balanced.

My big worry is that it "equates" full attack actions, which can lead to some patently unfair situations. Say two high level characters are fighting toe-to-toe. One is a greatsword fighter. Sure, he likes to full attack, but he can do lots of damage in one attack, and thanks to PA, get diminishing returns on later attacks any ways. He's fighting a flurrying monk. Or a TWF ranger. Or even a Rogue who's used a wand of Persistent Blade or Phantom Threat to count as flanking on every attack he makes (and thus can SA). Now, the Fighter would like to full attack, but it is so blatantly better to instead use those iterative attacks to move away from the other guy and turn it into a one attack, move, one attack, move slugfest that he mechanically can't lose.

Granted, Spring Attack, tumble ranks, and other things already allow this to occur, but now anyone with enough levels can completely neuter enemies that depend on full attacks.

That said, I don't think it's a good idea to let a person use extra attacks from a second weapon for more 5 ft steps. That would eventually mean an extra 3 (or 4, if he goes into a PrC that gives Supreme TWF) steps, or 2/3 if you don't count the first off hand attack as "iterative." The way I set it up, a flurrying monk COULD get some extra 5 ft steps, but I don't really mind that so much.

*Also thinking out loud, no real conclusive points to make*

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Hmm... or you could, for the purposes of this rule, define "iterative attacks" to be any attacks not made with full BAB (not including ones simply made with penalties). This would do several things:

-Monsters with only natural weapons can never benefit. They get primary attacks (full BAB) and secondary attacks (full BAB with penalty). Good so far.

-Extra attacks from effects like haste would not add to the extra 5 ft steps available. Also good.

-Monks would get no benefit from flurry, nor from the Snap Kick feat. Both add extra attacks, but made at full BAB and giving all attacks penalties. Not sure if that's good...

-Two Weapon Fighting (or, dear gods, Multiweapon Fighting) WOULD grant extra 5 ft steps, starting with ITWF/IMWF, and also for Greater and Supreme versions, if available. I don't think I like allowing this, though. Actually...maybe not. I could never understand the RAW on off hand attacks. Technically it mimics full / full -5 / full -10... like normal BAB, but the wording is kind of hazy in the SRD.