Avoid AoOs - 5' step into target's square?

[jeffman]

Can a tiny or smaller creature avoid AoO if they 5' step into an enemy occupied square?

Here are the relevent SRD quotes:

Very Small Creature
A Fine, Diminutive, or Tiny creature can move into or through an occupied square. The creature provokes attacks of opportunity when doing so.

Take 5-Foot Step
You can move 5 feet in any round when you don’t perform any other kind of movement. Taking this 5-foot step never provokes an attack of opportunity. You can’t take more than one 5-foot step in a round, and you can’t take a 5-foot step in the same round when you move any distance.

Just reading this makes me think that you can. I guess I'm just weirded out a little bit, since I've never thought about it.

 

[Nail]

So long as the enemy occupying the square is three or more sizes larger than the creature making the 5-foot step: Sure.

Your question implies that the only way a tiny or smaller creature can avoid AoOs with a 5-foot step is to step into a creatures space. That - of course - is not true: any 5 foot step avoids movement-provoked AoOs.

 

[Inigo Carmine]

I don't think you can do what you're trying to do.

Ending Your Movement: You can’t end your movement in the same square as another creature unless it is helpless.

If you 5-ft stepped into a creature's square, you would be effectively ending your movement there (and you can't move further if you've taken a 5-ft step this round).

 

[Klaus]

I don't think you can do what you're trying to do.



If you 5-ft stepped into a creature's square, you would be effectively ending your movement there (and you can't move further if you've taken a 5-ft step this round).

Bingo.

An enemy's square isn't a valid target for a 5' step.

 

[Nail]

So, Klaus, tell me how a tiny or smaller creature (reach : 0ft) ever attacks a size Small creature or larger in melee?

 

[ValhallaGH]

Grapples!

 

[jeffman]

Your question implies that the only way a tiny or smaller creature can avoid AoOs with a 5-foot step is to step into a creatures space. That - of course - is not true: any 5 foot step avoids movement-provoked AoOs.

Yes, I know, I'm just asking about this particular application of 5' step. Thanks, though

If you 5-ft stepped into a creature's square, you would be effectively ending your movement there (and you can't move further if you've taken a 5-ft step this round).

I'd like to direct you to p. 29 of the DMG, the "Mixing it up" section. There are rules for creatures of different sizes occupying the same square.

Creatures two size categories apart can occupy the same space without special circumstances

So, Klaus, tell me how a tiny or smaller creature (reach : 0ft) ever attacks a size Small creature or larger in melee?

Fly by attack?

I think the rules are clear that you can, indeed, occupy an opponents square with the sizing rules. The question I'm trying to answer is can you use a 5' step to avoid the AoO for entering the square?

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I read that a 5' step into an opponents square does not draw an AoO *if* the opponent is at least 2 sizes apart *and* the action accompanying the movement does not state it draws an AoO {Bullrush, etc..}

What this does not answer is how a Tiny Creature can attack a Small Creature sans Spring Attack or Fly-by-Attack...

The closest answer I can see to RAW is to move into the targets square {possibly drawing an AoO unless this is a 5' Step}..suffering the 'squeezing' penalty for sharing a space with a creature not 2 sizes apart when you attack..then at the end of the round being 'bumped' back to your original space {drawing an AoO for this involuntary movement while still suffering the AC penalty from squeezing}

This makes it pretty hazardous for a Tiny character as a single attack could potentially draw two...

Or, you could just give all your Pixies reach weapons

 

[Nail]

The question I'm trying to answer is can you use a 5' step to avoid the AoO for entering the square?

And the answer is: Yes.

(Really, regardless of size, taking a 5-foot step does not provoke an AoO. The interesting bit here is that a tiny or smaller creatures have additional directions they can take, i.e. into an enemy's square. And yes, they can stay there.)

 

[Infiniti2000]

The only rules allowing for Tiny creatures to enter another's square is via movement, as quoted in the first post. That movement provokes an AoO. That movement also does not equate to, nor allow, a 5ft-step. If you allow a Tiny creature to 5ft-step into another's square, there's just no rule that allows that, and thus it cannot be done.