Known AoO Triggers in 4th Edition

[Lord Zardoz]

From the Elite Bulette thread:

I'm a little surprised that there hasn't been much talk yet about all the "opportunity attacks" that are getting thrown around in this article. Did I miss something, or are they backpedalling from their claims that AoOs aren't as easy to provoke? In this example round of combat, it comes up three times. First, the wizard is afraid that casting a spell will provoke one, then the bulette provokes by fleeing, then the other moves in such a way as to avoid provoking one.

What's the story there?

My best guess for AoO's would be fewer triggers, but those triggers are happening more frequently.

So why not go through the various combat examples that have shown up and work out what actions provoke AoO in 4th Edition?

from Elite Bulette:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drdd/20071211&authentic=true
- Casting a spell while threatened
- Retreating mentioned twice

Anyone recall any others?

END COMMUNICATION

 

[jaer]

Ah, but it might not have been "casting a spell while threatened" (I had thought this was done away with in 4e due to everyone making the cast on defense automatically at high levels).

It could have been "casting while prone" that provoked the AoO. Any action while prone might offer an AoO, cosidering how significantly disadvantaged a player is while on his back and flailing about. Could be that that just standing from prone is not the only trigger, but any action.

I'd be all for it, really. Casters on the ground can still blast opponents, are harder to hit with ranged attacks, and are only mildly easier to hit with meele attacks (which are typically already very easy on wizards, so who cares?). I've had plently of players decide to not stand because it requires a move action (thus keeping them from all their iterative attacks), provoked AoOs, and being prone didn't offer that much of a disadvantage (and they would be likely to be tripped again next round anyway by whatever got them last round!)

 

[Frostmarrow]

Maybe feats can be triggered by an opponent's or ally's actions. We know the Warlord's Hammer and Anvil-ability grants an extra attack to an ally. This may very well be an AoO as we used to know it. We also know the stickiness of the fighter has been improved. Thus it stands to reason that moving in threatened squares is not necessarily dangerous (remember they are trying to make movement more common) unless you try to bypass a fighter; in which case he will smack you about with AoOs.

When you flank people in 3E you get a +2 bonus and you are allowed to sneak attack. Maybe flanking in 4E just gives you combat advantage. Combat advantage on the other hand might mean different things to different characters. A fighter with combat advantage might hit you for free, a rogue might sneak attack you, and a wizard might evade you by taking an extra 5' step as a result of the combat advantage. Some abilities might require combat advantage as well as the expenditure of one swift or immediate action.

To sum up: AoO (as we know them) are triggered if you have an ability and the opponent does something risky. Casting a spell in close combat might be easy most of the time until you run into a paragon inquisitor who will unleash a free vorpal strike or what ever. Maybe Attack of Opportunity is a fighter ability not a rule? And the list of things that allows you a free attack is a short list of three items: moving in threatened squares, exchanging stuff held in hands, and making unarmed attacks.

This makes the game come together as the players keep on top of the stuff they can do leaving the DM with more time to do some DMing - rather than reading the rules.

 

[Scribble]

In Iron Heroes there are two rules to remember that trigger AOOs:

1. Do something in someone's area they threaten that is not an attack action.

2. Move in someone's area they threaten at more then 1/4 your speed.

That's pretty much it.

My guess is it's the same in 4e. The Bulette, however, had a special ability that lets him move so fast, that even though he moved more then 1/4 his speed, it doesn't trigger an AOO.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Interestingly the cleric gets an attack of opportunity after he scares the bulette with a power. Maybe the AoO is built in the power the cleric uses. Then the bulette dives into the earth using its earth dive-move which allows it to avoid AoOs from the rest of the party.

 

[Scribble]

Interestingly the cleric gets an attack of opportunity after he scares the bulette with a power. Maybe the AoO is built in the power the cleric uses. Then the bulette dives into the earth using its earth dive-move which allows it to avoid AoOs from the rest of the party.

Thats my guess.

The base mechanic for AOO will be very simply. IE like the Iron Heroes idea. There will be various attacks and actions that can modify the mechanic, however.

It'll be easier to use because you only really have to know the base mechanic. Everything else happens when you look at the effects of your powers.

 

[Oldtimer]

Ah, but it might not have been "casting a spell while threatened" (I had thought this was done away with in 4e due to everyone making the cast on defense automatically at high levels).

From Races&Classes we learn: "More so than in 3rd Edition D&D, the wizard will find it hazardous to cast spells when next to enemies, ..."
So it seems AoOs for "casting a spell while threatened" might still be there... and made worse!?

 

[Frostmarrow]

From Races&Classes we learn: "More so than in 3rd Edition D&D, the wizard will find it hazardous to cast spells when next to enemies, ..."
So it seems AoOs for "casting a spell while threatened" might still be there... and made worse!?

Concentration is probably gone. They've said concentration is a 1 skill point tax on wizards. If you max it out you are in the clear, otherwise you suffer.

Indeed it looks like AoOs are still in the game.

 

[jaer]

From Races&Classes we learn: "More so than in 3rd Edition D&D, the wizard will find it hazardous to cast spells when next to enemies, ..."
So it seems AoOs for "casting a spell while threatened" might still be there... and made worse!?

Was pretty sure I heard somewhere they were taking away casting on the defense because it became so obsolete half-way through a caster's career...I thought they were saying wizards would no longer provoke AoOs from caster, when perhaps they meant that they were removing defensive casting as a way around the AoO. Perhaps they always wanted wizards casting in meele to be very dangerous and the developers decided the current Defensive Casting mechanic made it too easy!

 

[Aust Diamondew]

One solution could be only spells of the X highest spell levels a character can cast provoke attacks of oppurtunity.

On the other hand 'defensive spellcasting' could be made into talent(s) or feat(s).

Or alternatively casting in a threatened area provoks an AoO no matter what.