Can You Move When Using the Total Defense option?

[Liquidsabre]

Thanks Hyp, is that really an important distinction to make with the change in 3.5e though? The result is the same. Creating the Withdraw action as a full-round action made things a little clearer I suppose, rather than having to take 2 move actions or suffer an AoO, but it wasn't exactly the band-aid other 3.5e rules additions turned out to be.

 

[Saeviomagy]

It does make things easier to explain.
"I move away, then do X"
"I get an AoO"
"You do? But I don't do X until AFTER I move away. How can you possibly know that I'm going to do it"
"I don't need to - you automatically provoke an AoO because you didn't use the withdraw action to move away"
"Ok, I withdraw and then do X"
"Withdraw is a full-round action"
"Oh. Guess I do that and do X next round then..."

 

[Hypersmurf]

Thanks Hyp, is that really an important distinction to make with the change in 3.5e though? The result is the same.

Generally, but not always.

3E: I'm hasted. I take a double move away from where you threaten me, then use my Haste Partial to load a crossbow. My movement provoked an AoO, since I did something other than move.

3.5: I take the Withdraw action to move away from where you threaten me, then activate Hustle and use the extra move action to load a crossbow. My movement did not provoke an AoO, since I used the Withdraw action to move away from you.

-Hyp.