Can You Move When Using the Total Defense option?

[Vanye]

One of my players asked me this today. I don't have my PH handy, and none of the SRD sources I can find lists the TD action (that I can find....can't find any good searchable SRD's at the moment...). So, in your opinions, can you use the Total Defense action and move? If so, would it provoke an attack of opportunity?

 

[GimbleRaulnor]

You can defend yourself as a standard action. You get a +4 dodge bonus to your AC for 1 round. Your AC improves at the start of this action. You can’t combine total defense with fighting defensively or with the benefit of the Combat Expertise feat (since both of those require you to declare an attack or full attack). You can’t make attacks of opportunity while using total defense.

So yeah, still got a move action to spend.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The movement would, of course, draw AoOs as normal. Note that the Dodge AC bonus from Total Defense would apply against these AoOs.

 

[GimbleRaulnor]

Note that the Dodge AC bonus from Total Defense would apply against these AoOs.

Depends if you take the movement before or after starting the TD, if it's before you wouldn't get the AC bonus... but then, any sane person would start the TD before moving

 

[Bastoche]

Total Defense

You can defend yourself as a standard action.

You can make a move. It provokes an AoO if you move in or out of a threatened area.

 

[William_2]

You can make a move. It provokes an AoO if you move in or out of a threatened area.

AoO only if you move out of a threatened square, I think. Can move, though, I agree.

 

[Vanye]

Thanks, everyone. I guess I was just blind to finding it in the SRD.

 

[Bastoche]

AoO only if you move out of a threatened square, I think. Can move, though, I agree.

I don't remember exactly all the intricacies of AoO, but total defense is not a move only action. Apply AoO accrodingly

 

[Liquidsabre]

I don't remember exactly all the intricacies of AoO, but total defense is not a move only action. Apply AoO accrodingly

Yea moving into a threatened space doesn't provoke an AoO. Moving out of a threatened space and performing something besides only movement (total defense in this case) does provoke an AoO.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Moving out of a threatened space and performing something besides only movement (total defense in this case) does provoke an AoO.

That's a 3E rule.

In 3.5, it's 'the Withdraw action' that causes your first square not to be threatened, rather than "moving but not doing anything else in the round".

-Hyp.