Cyan Wisp
Explorer
Hi, folks. I have just started playing in a new group. The other night, the DM ruled something odd - but the others seemed to agree with him.
Scene: Lich, flanked by me and other PC. Lich "casts defensively" but fails his Concentration check. Spell fizzles. Lich then moves away from us, leaving a threatened square...
Me: "He's moving? Too bad for him, er.. it! I'll just roll for my AoO [pick up d20]...
"
DM:" No AoO...he took the risk by casting defensively so you don't get an AoO."
Me: "Huh? Wha?
... but he cast defensively. That means he didn't provoke an AoO, so I still have my one AoO for the round! I'll use it for his moving out of a threatened square [shake d20]..."
DM: "That's what he made the check for. He cast defensively. He took the risk of messing up his spell. That is his penalty. He won't also have to deal with an AoO."
PC: [A wizard. Figures.] "...yeah, that's how we've been playing it. Makes sense."
Me: "...but, er, um...[mumble, mumble]. All right, I won't argue. Let's get on with it [drop d20].
"
Later, when another spellcaster was in checkmate by the party, I wryly commented: "why don't you just fail a concentration check for casting defensively. Then you can just dance around us with impunity."
DM: "Yeah. I am sure that's how it works. I remember reading it somewhere in the faq or something."
Ok, so who is crazy here? I have searched the faq and the "All About..." articles. I have mined the PHB and even looked in D&D for Dummies! To make it worse, I forgot my character had Combat Reflexes, but hat shouldn't matter for the dilemma at hand.
My questions are these:
1. If a character avoids AoO (by tumbling or casting defensively, etc) does that mean that an opponent then loses their AoO for the round against that character? [I pick "No. Not provoked, so not expended. Still have their AoO to use for another opportunity that may arise. Otherwise you would only need one tumble check/opponent - for the first square you leave."]
2. Is there a RAW answer to this? With reference page, please!
Thank you if decide to help me (or just empathise).
Scene: Lich, flanked by me and other PC. Lich "casts defensively" but fails his Concentration check. Spell fizzles. Lich then moves away from us, leaving a threatened square...
Me: "He's moving? Too bad for him, er.. it! I'll just roll for my AoO [pick up d20]...
![Devious :] :]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png)
DM:" No AoO...he took the risk by casting defensively so you don't get an AoO."
Me: "Huh? Wha?

DM: "That's what he made the check for. He cast defensively. He took the risk of messing up his spell. That is his penalty. He won't also have to deal with an AoO."
PC: [A wizard. Figures.] "...yeah, that's how we've been playing it. Makes sense."
Me: "...but, er, um...[mumble, mumble]. All right, I won't argue. Let's get on with it [drop d20].

Later, when another spellcaster was in checkmate by the party, I wryly commented: "why don't you just fail a concentration check for casting defensively. Then you can just dance around us with impunity."
DM: "Yeah. I am sure that's how it works. I remember reading it somewhere in the faq or something."
Ok, so who is crazy here? I have searched the faq and the "All About..." articles. I have mined the PHB and even looked in D&D for Dummies! To make it worse, I forgot my character had Combat Reflexes, but hat shouldn't matter for the dilemma at hand.
My questions are these:
1. If a character avoids AoO (by tumbling or casting defensively, etc) does that mean that an opponent then loses their AoO for the round against that character? [I pick "No. Not provoked, so not expended. Still have their AoO to use for another opportunity that may arise. Otherwise you would only need one tumble check/opponent - for the first square you leave."]
2. Is there a RAW answer to this? With reference page, please!
Thank you if decide to help me (or just empathise).