No 5 foot step

[painandgreed]

It also struck me as an add-on rule because of AoO, so that the wizard wouldn't just run way when an enemy fighter just stepped next to him, but just stepping 5 feet away seems so wrong

Casters and archers will lose out. If threatened, they'll have to cast and suffer AoO, move away and suffer AoO then cast, or withdraw and lose any other action. I suspect that withdraw will be the chosen action as they all run behind the fighters. If they can't move behind other characters, they will simply be chased and chopped down if the enemy has numerical superiority as everybody will be engaged and unable to help without also suffering AoO.

For other classes, manuevering during combat becomes more difficult. Rogues will have a harder time getting into postion to flank as will healers to heal.

Battles will become more static or bloody. Numerical advantage will equate to a larger tactical advantage. Tumble will be a highly desired skill that about any rogue will take. More characters will take a level in rogue just to max out tumble. AoO feats will show up on more fighter's feat lists.

Personally, it doesn't seem like an add on rule as it doesn't seem like moving an amount equal to the area you already take up should be a move action. Characters are moving in their little area they take up in the normal course of actions. If, when on the edge of their space, they decide to move one way into a new space rather than back towards the center of their space, it shouldn't take that much more effort.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I would make a different change: You may only take a special 5' step as the very first thing you do on your turn. If you do not take it then, you do not get one -- do a Move + Action, Action + Move, etc. instead.

I am tired of explaining and re-explaining what combinations of moves do and do not provoke AoOs. This change would cut out 90% of the confusion with a very minimal change to the feel of combat.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Ranged-weapon combatants will go the way of the dodo as they can no longer use a 5-foot step back to avoid an attack of opportunity when firing their ranged weapon.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Crothian]

Ranged-weapon combatants will go the way of the dodo as they can no longer use a 5-foot step back to avoid an attack of opportunity when firing their ranged weapon.

They won't go compaletely away. They just need to take greater care of staying at range.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

It also struck me as an add-on rule because of AoO, so that the wizard wouldn't just run way when an enemy fighter just stepped next to him, but just stepping 5 feet away seems so wrong

If you just run up to the spellcaster, he will probably step back 5' then rake the entire party with a Lightning Bolt.

Move behind the spellcaster. I will often do that even if it means taking a double move and foregoing making an attack this round, or if I have to suck up an AoO. The result is that (1) the spellcaster is in the unenviable position of 5' stepping towards the party where he is going to get the bejesus beaten out of him next round, and (2) having to decide whether to hit the most immediate threat with a spell (me) or the rest of the party.

Or you grapple.

 

[smootrk]

Make 5' step a feat that combatants can take. This would become a must take feat for archers and even fighters (possibly using Ridley's Cohort's idea for when the step can be taken). Wizards would probably want the feat, but they have other feats that they might want more, and should be smart enough to stay away from a toe-to fight.

 

[Vrecknidj]

Take the 5-foot step out, and replace it with this feat:

5-foot Step [General]
Benefit: You now have the same old 5-foot step as before.
Normal: Nobody gets a 5-foot step anymore.

Dave

 

[smootrk]

Take the 5-foot step out, and replace it with this feat:

5-foot Step [General]
Benefit: You now have the same old 5-foot step as before.
Normal: Nobody gets a 5-foot step anymore.

Dave

beat ya

 

[comrade raoul]

Here's a version that makes it a bit tougher to use five-foot steps to avoid attacks of opportunity (it still helps spellcasters a bit).

Five-Foot Step
A five-foot step is a special type of combat action. As a move action, you can move one square (or five feet); unlike other movement, a five-foot step does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

You can also take a five-foot step as part of a full attack action with a melee weapon; doing so is not an action apart from the full attack action. If you take this option, you can take your step at any point in your sequence of attacks.

 

[Kormydigar]

Is it the 5 foot step itself that is causing problems or all the AOO stuff that is connected with it? I think that AOO's are more problematic than a 5 foot step. Here is a situation with AOO that is irritating:
A heavily armored 1st level fighter with DEX 16 and Combat Reflexes moves 60 feet (a triple move) toward his foes. At the end of his move he is 5 feet from 3 opponents. Having performed a double move, our fighter has exhausted his actions for the round. The fighters 3 opponents start casting spells. All of a sudden, our fighter can attack 3 TIMES. A haste spell only provides one additional attack and thats IF you move no more than 5 feet. Now I know by the RAW his opponents would only have to take a 5 foot step back to avoid the attacks but thats not the point. The point is that the majority of the combat/movement rules seem to take a conservative bent with regards to the amount of offense available to those move more than 5 feet. The AOO rules seem to just throw all that out the window. The AOO is so free to the attacker that it is overused. The AOO is basically a reactive offensive capability. Counterspells are kind of like that too, but how often does counterspelling get used in actual play. In our games, almost never. Reason: counterspelling requires the ready action to use. If spellcasters got to take thier turns as usual and still have a chance to counterspell if the opportunity arose then it would probably see more use.

.....Sorry about the rambling, while writing this I did have an idea for a unified mechanic to handle AAO's and counterspells. I will post a rough draft in the houserules section when I'm finished.