AoOs against invisible foes?

[Plane Sailing]

Although the SRD says you can't, I'd have no difficulty in allowing it under certain circumstances.

e.g. invisible wizard is standing in front of fighter and starts casting spell. Fighter makes a listen check and pinpoints the square the wizard occupies and so takes an AoO against him (with 50% miss chance).

e.g. invisible wizard runs past a whole line of rogues. Rogues make listen check and hear the wizard running past so they get to attempt an AoO on him with 50% miss chance).

Just makes sense to me.

 

[darthkilmor]

Although the SRD says you can't, I'd have no difficulty in allowing it under certain circumstances.

e.g. invisible wizard is standing in front of fighter and starts casting spell. Fighter makes a listen check and pinpoints the square the wizard occupies and so takes an AoO against him (with 50% miss chance).

e.g. invisible wizard runs past a whole line of rogues. Rogues make listen check and hear the wizard running past so they get to attempt an AoO on him with 50% miss chance).

Just makes sense to me.

I'd disagree. isnt the principle of the Aoo that the opponent let their guard down or is doing something that lets their guard down? ie, cast spell, walk off, disarm attempt, trip, grapple, etc? the wizard could be invisilbe and making faces/rude gestures at the fighter and the fighter wouldnt be any wiser. The wizard doesn't have to have his guard up, the fighter doesnt know he's there. I would say the fighter could make a listen check and determine the square and Then make a normal attack on the fighters turn.

Otherwise your fighter could say "i hear seomthing!" and Aoo the air constantly , hoping to get a free attack on an invisible opponent that wandered too close.

 

[Psimancer]

...since if it lets you perceive them enough to be able to take an AoO, it should let one percieve them enough to know where they are.

Nope... two very different things...

Scenario: A character knows there is an invisible opponent about, casts TS. The invisible opponent does something to provoke AoO, the character gets a flash in his mind as the TS kicks in – ATTACK NOW… prior to the power kicking in, there is no perception of where invisi-boy is, inc if he is adjacent…

No can, no worms...

It's not overpowered or anything, it's just I have a hard explaining that in-character....

Just like any tacky movie (or Angel) where you have a character with a psychic power - they get a black & white image flash in their mind... or whatever!

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'd disagree. isnt the principle of the Aoo that the opponent let their guard down or is doing something that lets their guard down? ie, cast spell, walk off, disarm attempt, trip, grapple, etc?

Well yes, exactly my point. The wizard casting his spell is not defending himself properly whether visible or invisible and thus is open to incurring AoO. By my argument a wizard who cast a silent spell while invisible wouldn't incur an AoO since there is nothing to tip the fighter off that "something is happening just over there". If the invisible wizard was casting defensively then he doesn't incur AoO, true - but as far as the fighter knows he is an eligible target just next door to him and he could attempt to swing anyway (but can't hit him).

However, it doesn't do to think too deeply about the whole AoO thing, otherwise you start wondering why a paralysed person doesn't provoke AoO

Cheers