Binder: Dance of Death - Paimon granted ability

[drowjoe]

I got a question and want to know a ruling on an ability granted to a Binder. The Binder is from the Tome of Magic and the spirit being summoned is Paimon. One of the abilities granted is "Dance of Death". According to this ability it says:
When you use this ability, you can move up to your speed and make a single attack against any creature you move past, provoking attack of opportunity normally. <Rest omitted>

Now normally if you move threw a threatened square and attack you must stop your move. This ability is allowing the character to make this attack and continue on with his move which I'm okay with.

The question I have is the character was trying to perform a tumble by this character and attack and continue on through to the next bad guy to fight him.
In a sense he was trying to avoid the attack of opportunity. I (since I'm the DM) stated you can't attack while tumbling. The player stated this only says you move up to your speed and in this case only 15 ft since he was tumbling and you can make a single attack. And it didn't state he couldn't tumble.

So how would you rule on this scenario and why?

Joe

 

[blargney the second]

From the bit of text you've included, I'd certainly let him make attacks on everybody he tumbles by. Here's why:
1) It says "provoking attacks of opportunity normally", which indicates to me that you can avoid those AoOs normally as well.
2) He moves 1/2 speed when tumbling, so will be able to attack fewer opponents.
3) For each opponent you tumble by, you must make an additional check with an increased DC.

-blarg

 

[Nifft]

From the bit of text you've included, I'd certainly let him make attacks on everybody he tumbles by.

Agree.

3) For each opponent you tumble by, you must make an additional check with an increased DC.

SRD agrees. Is that a recent change?

Cheers, -- N

 

[moritheil]

From the bit of text you've included, I'd certainly let him make attacks on everybody he tumbles by. Here's why:
1) It says "provoking attacks of opportunity normally", which indicates to me that you can avoid those AoOs normally as well.

I'm not sure I agree with that, though it could just be the way I'm reading the text. In order to make the move/attack/move possible at all, he has to be doing this dance of death - not tumbling. If he's tumbling he's not performing the dance anymore.

 

[blargney the second]

SRD agrees. Is that a recent change?

I've been playing it wrong for years and only recently noticed it. It was pointed out in a thread in this Rules forum.

 

[drowjoe]

I'm not sure I agree with that, though it could just be the way I'm reading the text. In order to make the move/attack/move possible at all, he has to be doing this dance of death - not tumbling. If he's tumbling he's not performing the dance anymore.

After reading this it makes more sense. The granted ability is Dance of Death and it allows the PC to move fluentently during battle "Dancing". This allows this PC to while moving strike another foe and continue moving and to still incur the AoO in doing so.

 

[moritheil]

Glad to be of help!

 

[calighis]

There are plenty of dances that can be done on the ground. Ever seen a decent break dancer go at it? If he is not on the ground tumbling around it's not a good performance.
That being said it seems to me that this is being really exploited. While technically legal I would certainly impose my DM Authority to squash it.
By way of maybe comparable parallel can you tumble while you charge? If not I would say you cant do it while you death dance either.

 

[Stalker0]

Agree.

SRD agrees. Is that a recent change?

Cheers, -- N

that was the tumble change made in 3.5