Overrunning a Prone Target

[Artoomis]

Okay, so here's how I see it, with quotes form the SRD:

Step 1
Attack of Opportunity. Since you begin the overrun by moving into the defender’s space, you provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender.

Well, still provoking an AoO seems reasonable.

Step 2
Opponent Avoids? The defender has the option to simply avoid you. If he avoids you, he doesn’t suffer any ill effect and you may keep moving (You can always move through a square occupied by someone who lets you by.) The overrun attempt doesn’t count against your actions this round (except for any movement required to enter the opponent’s square). If your opponent doesn’t avoid you, move to Step 3.

I guess no opponent would ever avoid you, as they are already prone and have nothing to lose. Anyway, an opponenet could choose to let you through, if circumstances warranted it.

Step 3
Opponent Blocks? If your opponent blocks you, make a Strength check opposed by the defender’s Dexterity or Strength check (whichever ability score has the higher modifier). A combatant gets a +4 bonus on the check for every size category he is larger than Medium or a -4 penalty for every size category he is smaller than Medium. The defender gets a +4 bonus on his check if he has more than two legs or is otherwise more stable than a normal humanoid. If you win, you knock the defender prone. If you lose, the defender may immediately react and make a Strength check opposed by your Dexterity or Strength check (including the size modifiers noted above, but no other modifiers) to try to knock you prone.

Here I'd apply a two-size penalty to the prone character (based on the logic that a meduim character is pretty darn small, effectively, when prone). Also, no bonus for four legs since the opponent is already prone. This effectively is a -8 for the prone character: not an auto-success, but pretty close in most cases.

Step 4
Consequences. If you succeed in knocking your opponent prone, you can continue your movement as normal. If you fail and are knocked prone in turn, you have to move 5 feet back the way you came and fall prone, ending your movement there. If you fail but are not knocked prone, you have to move 5 feet back the way you came, ending your movement there. If that square is occupied, you fall prone in that square.

Obviously the opponent stay prone even if you fail the opposed check, but you cannot get by.

 

[Nail]

What about this side question: Does the "Over-runner" provoke an AoO when leaving the succussfully "re-knocked prone" defender's square?

I.e.: 2 AoOs? One in, one out?

 

[Artoomis]

What about this side question: Does the "Over-runner" provoke an AoO when leaving the succussfully "re-knocked prone" defender's square?

I.e.: 2 AoOs? One in, one out?

Hmm.... I'd say one. The one for "in" is not really for "in" is it? It's for "out" of the threatened square you leave to go "in" to the occupied square, right?

Or else it's for the "overrun" action which I'd say includes leaving the square after.

Either way, I'd lump it all together as one opportunity for the purposes of Combat Reflexes.

 

[Nail]

...so actually the AoO provoked is not provoked by the action (Overrun), but instead by the movement out of a threatened square that you take during an Overrun action?

 

[Infiniti2000]

...so actually the AoO provoked is not provoked by the action (Overrun), but instead by the movement out of a threatened square that you take during an Overrun action?

Yes, you specifically provoke an AoO because you move into the defender's space. This is a movement-based AoO and therefore the opponent only gets one per round. This is not an attack-based AoO like, say, disarm.

Per the SRD, "Since you begin the overrun by moving into the defender’s space, you provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender. "

 

[Artoomis]

...so actually the AoO provoked is not provoked by the action (Overrun), but instead by the movement out of a threatened square that you take during an Overrun action?

Yep. Remember that moving into an opponent's square does NOT provoke an AoO, it's moving OUT of the threatened square you leave to enter that occupied square that does it.

That's why there is no AoO when you enter the same square as tiny (reach:0) creatures.

Looking back at the SRD quotes above (Step 1), it is not the "overrun" action that provokes, it's the included movement.

 

[Nail]

Looking back at the SRD quotes above (Step 1), it is not the "overrun" action that provokes, it's the included movement.

Agreed. Just wanted that spelled out in this thread.

 

[Someone]

"YOU... SHALL NOT... PASS! I know well what I´m saying. Look, I´m prone. It´s impossible to get past me unless you make a DC 25 tumble check."

 

[Dross]

Yep. Remember that moving into an opponent's square does NOT provoke an AoO, it's moving OUT of the threatened square you leave to enter that occupied square that does it.

That's why there is no AoO when you enter the same square as tiny (reach:0) creatures.

Looking back at the SRD quotes above (Step 1), it is not the "overrun" action that provokes, it's the included movement.

Which would mean that the prone opponent needs to be able to threaten the overruner for the AoO to happen, since otherwise you are not leaving a threatened square?

(Edited for spelling)

 

[SBMC]

What about this side question: Does the "Over-runner" provoke an AoO when leaving the succussfully "re-knocked prone" defender's square?

I.e.: 2 AoOs? One in, one out?

It depends: the same action can never casue two AoO's. So if you don't ahve Improved Overrun - the opponent lets you by...then one AoO for entering the square and one for leaving a threatened area. If he does not let you by then in my book its all overrun so no matter what he only gets 1.