AoO when disengaging from grapple

[mostholy2]

If your opponent succeeds in escaping your grapple, but the space you are grappling in is threatened by an ally, does the ally get an AoO on the opponent as he escapes the grapple since he is moving from a threatened space to a different space?

 

[Thanee]

No, I don't think so.

OTOH, moving into the target's space does provoke, so this might do as well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[kjenks]

The grapple rules are silent on the matter, but the movement/AoO rules say, "Moving out of a threatened square usually provokes an attack of opportunity from the threatening opponent. There are two common methods of avoiding such an attack—the 5-foot-step and the withdraw action (see below)."

This movement out of a grapple is neither a 5-foot-step nor a withdraw action. Depending on your DM, it might be considered "part of normal movement" for the purposes of using Tumble to avoid that AoO.

If I were the DM, I'd give the guy an AoO unless the escapee could Tumble to avoid it. But I'm pretty generous with what I consider "part of normal movement." I figure as long as it doesn't involve Metamucil, Beecham's Pills, or Blackmores Colon Care, it's pretty normal.

 

[Infiniti2000]

It's normal movement, so it provokes an AoO and you can use Tumble. Fwiw, I've houseruled that you don't automatically take the movement, though you have to move first thing. What this means is that I allow a 5ft-step out of the grapple square(s) OR normal movement, whichever the combatant prefers.

 

[mostholy2]

Interesting interpretation. So if you allow 5'-stepping after escaping a grapple, what is to prevent someone from always taking this option instead of doing normal movement, which would incur the AoO? If you've disengaged from grappling (standard or full-round action, depending on how many attempts you've tried). Either way you should still be able to take a 5'-step following the action.

Also in the combat actions AoO table in the PHB, there is an entry for escaping grapple which says that it doesn't incur an AoO. So I'm assuming that you've ruled that the movement following escaping the grapple is a completely different action from the grapple escape which does incur an AoO.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Nothing's to prevent it, nor is anything to prevent someone from always moving either. An alternative to the 5ft-step would be a tumble and move. Note that technically, you would provoke an AoO from the person(s) you were just grappling, which they could use to re-grapple you. It does not specifically say that you do not provoke an AoO from the person you were grappling so the movement provokes as normal. I prefer my houserule to that.

You cannot take a 5ft-step in a round where you otherwise move, so if you escape a grapple and move out of the square, you cannot also take a 5ft-step.

"So I'm assuming that you've ruled that the movement following escaping the grapple is a completely different action from the grapple escape which does incur an AoO."

That's the way I read it.

 

[VorpalStare]

The movement you get when you escape a grapple is considered part of the "Escape from Grapple" action.

From the PHB p. 156:

If you escape, you finish the action by moving into any space adjacent to your opponent(s).

Since this action does not provoke an AOO per table 8-2 (PHB p. 141), no AOO's should occur. Note also that this is not the same as a 5' step, since you may have to move more than 5' to escape the grapple of a very large creature.

 

[Infiniti2000]

You never have to move more than five feet to escape a Large or larger creature's grapple. You share the space and can exit into any adjacent square, just like if you were dismounting.

The escape itself doesn't provoke an AoO, but the movement does. Unless you mean to argue that you are not moving, it provokes an AoO.

 

[Thanee]

Well, it's a special case.

Anyways, the table entry doesn't really say much. The charge action also does not provoke, but the movement during a charge still does, since movement is a special case when provoking AoO (actions and movement both provoke).

Bye
Thanee

 

[VorpalStare]

You never have to move more than five feet to escape a Large or larger creature's grapple. You share the space and can exit into any adjacent square, just like if you were dismounting.

The escape itself doesn't provoke an AoO, but the movement does. Unless you mean to argue that you are not moving, it provokes an AoO.

Is there any Errata on this?

The PHB says you move into any square adjacent to your opponent (rather than adjacent to yourself), so this could include squares more than 5' away from you if your opponent is sufficiently large.

Also, the movement does not appear to be optional -- you have to take it when you escape. If this movement provokes an AOO, then the table is wrong.