Melee attack & AoO

[Oryan77]

AoO rules say you make a single melee attack. Can a Monk who is concidered armed make a grapple against the person he is targeting in the AoO? Is grapple concidered a melee attack? Can a Monk trip or disarm as his AoO?

 

[shilsen]

Yes, to all your questions. See table 8-2 in the PHB (pg.141), under "Action Type Varies".

 

[Oryan77]

Yes, to all your questions. See table 8-2 in the PHB (pg.141), under "Action Type Varies".

Perfect, I couldn't find that info in the PHB. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Just to verify, an unarmed fighter without proper feats still isn't allowed to attempt a grapple in an AoO because he is considered unarmed; so he doesn't get to follow through with an AoO, correct?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Just to verify, an unarmed fighter without proper feats still isn't allowed to attempt a grapple in an AoO because he is considered unarmed; so he doesn't get to follow through with an AoO, correct?

No AoO is provoked. You provoke an AoO by taking certain actions in a threatened area. An unarmed fighter without proper feats does not threaten an area, so there's no threatened area for you to take certain actions in in order to provoke an AoO.

-Hyp.

 

[glass]

Just to verify, an unarmed fighter without proper feats still isn't allowed to attempt a grapple in an AoO because he is considered unarmed; so he doesn't get to follow through with an AoO, correct?

No AoO is provoked. You provoke an AoO by taking certain actions in a threatened area. An unarmed fighter without proper feats does not threaten an area, so there's no threatened area for you to take certain actions in in order to provoke an AoO.

Although arguably, a fighter who threatened because of (say) a dagger could start a grapple with his other hand on an AoO. I dont think it specifies that you have to take your AoO with the weapon that 'won' you it, does it?


glass.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Although arguably, a fighter who threatened because of (say) a dagger could start a grapple with his other hand on an AoO. I dont think it specifies that you have to take your AoO with the weapon that 'won' you it, does it?

No it does not and furthermore, grappling does not require even a hand free. A fighter could grapple while carrying two armfuls of groceries. Now, don't get me wrong, I think that's just as silly as you do, but there's no definition of grab that translates to requiring a hand free. You could grapple with a leg, for instance.

grab
The initial attack required to start a grapple. To grab a target, the character must make a successful melee touch attack.

 

[Oryan77]

What's the reasoning behind a fighter being able to grapple in an AoO simply because he's holding a dagger vs him not being able to grapple in an AoO because he's not holding a weapon? Seems silly. I would think he has a better chance at grappling in an AoO unarmed (I know he can't though).

 

[Infiniti2000]

What's the reasoning behind a fighter being able to grapple in an AoO simply because he's holding a dagger vs him not being able to grapple in an AoO because he's not holding a weapon? Seems silly. I would think he has a better chance at grappling in an AoO unarmed (I know he can't though).

It is silly IMO, too. The idea, though, is that you do not let your guard down (provoke an AoO) against someone who cannot threaten you. The two most common house rules on this would be:

1. You always provoke an AoO (for actions that provoke, of course), whether an opponent has a threatening weapon or not.

2. You can only take an AoO with the weapon(s) you threaten with.

 

[Iron Captain]

Well someone who is unarmed and has no training in unarmed combat is probably not going to attack a guy with a longsword, even if he IS running away.

Though one could argue that if both were unarmed that they should provoke AoOs as normal.