Can an AoO prompt an AoO?

[melkoriii]

PH p.122:

'An AoO is a single melee attack'

PH p.136:

'You can use a melee attack... to strike a weapon'

Why are people saying that you can't sunder as an AoO?

I was just thinking the same thing.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Why are people saying that you can't sunder as an AoO?

Read table 8-4 on PHB p128.

Disarm, grapple, and trip are listed as "Action type varies", and have a footnote that they can be used as an AoO.

Strike a Weapon is listed as "Standard action", and does not have that footnote.

-Hyp.

 

[melkoriii]

Here are some scenarios for why AoO shouldn’t provoke AoO.

1) Fighter Attacks Barbarian to Sunder his Axe (Provoking AoO). SO the Barbarian swings up to Sunder the Sword of the Fighter.
How can the Fighter stop his down swing and attack the Barbarian which will not stop the Barbarian from sundering his sword?

2) Orc Runs by Fighter to attach the Wizard behind him (Provoking AoO). Fighter attempts to Trip the Orc as he runs by.
How can the Orc who is heading to attach the Wizard and letting his guard down to the Fighter, going to attack the Fighter?

3) Fighter in melee with a Barbarian needs to take a Healing Potion and can not take a 5’ step out of the Barbarian’s reach (Provoking AoO). Barbarian does not want Fighter to drink the potion and attacks the potion to knock it out of the Fighters hand.
How can the Fighter, who is trying to drink a potion, going to attack the Barbarian?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Just because you can't cover a hole in your own guard in time, doesn't mean you can't take advantage of a hole in your opponent's.

I've had that happen to me or seen it happen plenty of times in sparring matches.

-Hyp.

 

[melkoriii]

Read table 8-4 on PHB p128.

Disarm, grapple, and trip are listed as "Action type varies", and have a footnote that they can be used as an AoO.

Strike a Weapon is listed as "Standard action", and does not have that footnote.

-Hyp.

So is a Standard Attack and you can use that as a AoO.

From SRD

Attack (melee) [Standard][AoO: No]

 

[Grayhawk]

So basically it doesn't say anywhere that you cannot strike a weapon as an AoO?

That the Strike a Weapon action isn't on the 'Action Type Varies' table is no prove, IMHO.

Any official errata on this?

 

[kreynolds]

Any official errata on this?

Not that I'm aware of. I'd ask the Sage, but he's been sending me some really strange responses as of late.

 

[Grayhawk]

Here's the reply I got from WotC to the exact same question that I opened this thread with:

'An attack of opportunity is caused by a situation where one of the combatants puts themselves into a position of vulnerability. Since this is a free attack and there would be no penalty for doing nothing, making a sunder attack as an attack of opportunity does not provoke an attack of opportunity.'

I'm not really sure if this follows the letter of the core rules, but it does make it simpler to deal with this kind of situations.

Plus it indicates that you indeed can sunder as an AoO.

 

[Hypersmurf]

That the Strike a Weapon action isn't on the 'Action Type Varies' table is no prove, IMHO.

That it isn't in the Action Type Varies section is of smaller significance, IMO, than the fact that it distinctly lacks the footnote symbol that the others carry.

-Hyp.

 

[Grayhawk]

I see what you mean.

I guess the real issue is whether an action that's classified as a Standard Action can be used as an AoO (or as one of your attacks when Full Attacking).