Confused about AoO's on mages

[Number47]

That has changed in 3.5.

Now IF you can make more than one AoO in a round, you can take as many AoO that are being provoked.

Orc runs past you going though 3 of your threatened spaces and you have Combat Reflexes and a Dex of 14 or more, you get three AoO against that same Orc that round (if you want to).

Yes and no. Although you can make more than one attack of opportunity against someone, you only get one per provoking action, and movement can only be one provoking action, no matter how many threatened squares moved through.

 

[Beretta]

Only a Hydra can make all of it's attacks with a single attack of opportunity. It is specifically mentioned in the creature description:

"Feats: A hydra’s Combat Reflexes feat allows it to use all its heads for attacks of opportunity."

At least, that is my interpretation.

The other is that it can make a total number of attacks of opportunity equal to its number of heads (as opposed to just two - one normal, plus one more for a Dexterity of 12).

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yes and no. Although you can make more than one attack of opportunity against someone, you only get one per provoking action, and movement can only be one provoking action, no matter how many threatened squares moved through.

But that's the only exception given.

As far as I can tell, if someone makes a full attack and shoots four arrows at you, he provokes four AoOs.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The other is that it can make a total number of attacks of opportunity equal to its number of heads (as opposed to just two - one normal, plus one more for a Dexterity of 12).

That fits better with Combat Reflexes in general.

-Hyp.

 

[Beretta]

That fits better with Combat Reflexes in general.

-Hyp.

Makes sense to me too, except that a hydra can make all of its bite attacks on a normal attack (not just a full attack).

Which is to say that it could take a move action and still make a bite attack for each of its heads, and this seems to fit in with the interpretation that it can also make every bite attack on an attack of opportunity.

I find it a bit confusing actually.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Which is to say that it could take a move action and still make a bite attack for each of its heads, and this seems to fit in with the interpretation that it can also make every bite attack on an attack of opportunity.

So how many times a round do you allow it to use all its heads on an AoO?

If someone stands up from prone (AoO) and runs away (AoO), do they get bitten eight times... twice?

-Hyp.

 

[MarauderX]

So how many times a round do you allow it to use all its heads on an AoO?

If someone stands up from prone (AoO) and runs away (AoO), do they get bitten eight times... twice?

-Hyp.

I can already hear a player's robust argument building if this were to happen at a game.

I read it as each head gets to make ONE AoO. I treat the critter as one beast instead of each head getting it's own feats, and thus as many Combat Reflexes AoOs as it's Dex will allow.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I read it as each head gets to make ONE AoO. I treat the critter as one beast instead of each head getting it's own feats, and thus as many Combat Reflexes AoOs as it's Dex will allow.

Hmm... so if it has 8 heads and a Dex of 12, and three AoOs are provoked... how many do you allow?

My reading is that Dex doesn't come into it at all for a hydra. His "Combat Reflexes" feat doesn't work like the standard feat at all.

By my reading, he has eight AoOs, but can only use one per opportunity.

A single action provoking 8 AoOs is simply too nasty.

-Hyp.

 

[Camarath]

My, my, isn't this an ambiguous little rule. I wonder what exactly "for attacks of opportunity" means. Does it mean "for determining the number of AoO the hydra can make in a round" or does it mean "for making attacks in response to an action that provokes an AoO"? I can't find this phase used any where else in the rules so I am not quite sure how to read it. IMO the 3.0 entry was a bit clearer about hydras getting one AoO per head per round. I don't understand why they changed it.

From 3.0 MM
Feats: A hydra’s Combat Reflexes feat allows it to use all its heads for attacks of opportunity each round.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Especially since the only way to kill hydras seems to be to sever the heads--which provokes an AoO unless the attacker has the sunder feat.

Hmm... so if it has 8 heads and a Dex of 12, and three AoOs are provoked... how many do you allow?

My reading is that Dex doesn't come into it at all for a hydra. His "Combat Reflexes" feat doesn't work like the standard feat at all.

By my reading, he has eight AoOs, but can only use one per opportunity.

A single action provoking 8 AoOs is simply too nasty.

-Hyp.