Anyone loveAoOs/OAs?

[enrious]

I'm a current Pathfinder DM.


Who's tossed Attacks of Opportunity and I think my game is better for it - more cinematic, less fiddly, and it means that battlemats are a thing of the past for us.

I think it's been a breath of fresh air. No more taking Improved Unarmed Strike just so you can screw with people in a bar-brawl because they don't have it (we have upped the damage from IUS tho), combat is more dynamic, etc.

And yet, I plan on using AoOs for my Rokugan game, which will be more gritty than the current Ptolus game.

My understanding from reading the 4e PH when released was that AoOs were renamed to Opportunity Attacks, but the triggering situations reduced.

So in a nutshell, anyone love AoOs or OAs and if so, why?

 

[mach1.9pants]

I do not love AOs, so shouldn't really be posting. In my 4E game too much time was spent weighing the pros and cons of movement to avoid them. I am soon to run the PF Beginner Box for my kids... no AOO! And that is the MAIN reason we are running the BB rather than Gamma World 4E.
There needs to be a mechanism to allow meatshields to stop monsters just charging past them to the squishies, but OAs are not it IMO. Fantasy Craft makes all movement cease when you move adjacent to an enemy... a good start.

 

[the Jester]

Yes, for adding realism, but no, they slow stuff down a lot.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yep- love 'em without reservation.

They make it dangerous to ignore foes when you perform certain acts. They reward sneakiness and a good Dex. They make polearms more realistic in play.

 

[IronWolf]

I have no issues with AoO's and like to have them in my game. Our group even plays gridless for many combats and AoOs are still not an issue.

 

[BryonD]

I love them.

IMO removing the risk in doing something doesn't make it more cinematic. The risk is the very thing that make it cinematic. Remove AoOs and things will happen more, but they become pedestrian and hollow. Give me a threat and a risk any day.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I like them - it makes critters with long reach more believable to me.

It makes charging the guy with a pike a dangerous proposition.

With some maps it gives an opportunity for tactical thought beyond 'I charge him!'.

The Auld Grump

 

[IronWolf]

I like them - it makes critters with long reach more believable to me.

Good point. Creatures with reach seem to be more fun with AoO mechanics.

 

[enrious]

I quite agree, critters with reach are a "fun" aspect of AoOs.

For those of you that like/love them, let me ask you this.

Do you love them all equally? For example, would you be ok with seeing some of the movement ones go away but keep say, digging in a pouch for a potion or firing a missile weapon provoking?

 

[Fanaelialae]

I don't really like them much. They slow down play and discourage movement too much in my opinion.

I'd have no problem with retaining OAs as a class feature for fighters (and similar classes), but I think they should be the exception rather than the rule. Perhaps, as a replacement, threatened squares count as difficult terrain?