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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gizmo33" data-source="post: 3838992" data-attributes="member: 30001">Speed is roughly distance/time.  So if I'm moving 30 ft in 3 seconds or 60 ft in 6 seconds, I'm still moving the same speed.  In the case of Withdraw AFAIK you are allowed a double move, that's 60 ft (all of this in the case of standard unencumbered movement).  If protecting vs. an AoO was simply about moving slower, then you would think rather than withdraw 30 ft and attack, I could withdraw 15 ft and attack.  I've essentially halved my withdraw movement rate, and yet even withdrawing 15 (or even 10) feet and attacking *still* provokes the AoO.  So what's going on?  I think the basic thing is that thinking of it in terms of "I withdraw, and *then* I attack" is somewhat misleading.  It's probably something more like that you're readying your sword for an attack as you're leaving your first opponent in order to engage the second.  Because you plan on attacking the second opponent in the later phase of the round, you've already started making preparations (studying his movements, raising your sword) in anticipation of completing the second attack, and that lack of focus on your first opponent, rather than the rate that you are moving, is what causes the problem.  This is reinforced by the fact that the AoO is granted to your first opponent, so the conditions for the AoO are apparently in place the instant you decide on this action, not enough time for you to actually have a "speed" at that moment because you haven't even left the first square yet.Apparently a 5ft step means that both foes were essentially within your range of consciousness, and preparing an attack against the second did not preclude you from defending yourself against the first.</blockquote>

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