Reach vs. Combat Maneuver-provoked AOOs

[QuillofNumenor]

You've got a reach weapon. You're fighting a medium or smaller opponent who does not have reach. You attempt to sunder/disarm/trip him but you don't have any of the "Improved [blank]" feats that prevent the opponent's AoO. So you provoke. Problem: You're 10 feet away and your opponent can't actually reach you.

Do you:

A) Get to do your sunder/disarm/trip without incurring the AoO, laughing in your opponent's face because you didn't have to invest in a feat to get the benefit

B) Take the AoO as normal, explaining it as the opponent striking out at your hands or something

C) Watch as a logic error rips the fabric of space and time around you until you end up at a chilling blue screen with white text

D) None of the above

I've been advised that the WOTC sage suggests option B, even though it doesn't make any logical or game sense. Has anyone encountered this and come up with any other solution? It's not currently an issue in my game, but it is a curious logical problem with the ruleset.

 

[Fieari]

I would vote:

D) You provoke an AoO, but unless they have a reach weapon themselves, they can't take advantage of it. Just like casting a spell provoke an AoO, but unless someone is within reach, they can't hit you.

This differs from A in that you claim that you don't provoke. You do provoke, they just can't use it.

 

[frankthedm]

Rules call for A)

A) Get to do your sunder/disarm/trip without incurring the AoO, laughing in your opponent's face because you didn't have to invest in a feat to get the benefit

But I and some other DMs say your for can take the AoO {Disarm or sunder] on your weapon [without any risk of counter AoO] becasue you have willfully put your weapon in harm's way.

 

[hong]

By RAW it's A. I would allow disarming and sundering on the weapon, though.

 

[hong]

I would vote:

D) You provoke an AoO, but unless they have a reach weapon themselves, they can't take advantage of it. Just like casting a spell provoke an AoO, but unless someone is within reach, they can't hit you.

This differs from A in that you claim that you don't provoke. You do provoke, they just can't use it.

He didn't say that you don't provoke....

 

[Alpha Polaris]

By RAW it's A. I would allow disarming and sundering on the weapon, though.

I'd go with that one, too. You provoke an AoO, and most likely the only thing within reach is your weapon, so sunder / disarm it is. This brings a question, though: are you allowed to make a 5" step before making an AoO ?

 

[Ranes]

I don't think you can make a 5' step to make an AoO. An AoO is, by definition, 'a single melee attack', (PH 137), not a single melee attack plus a 5' step.

 

[Alpha Polaris]

Yes, but IIRC you can make a 5' step each round before or after any of your actions, provided you haven't moved yet. So is an attack (of opportunity or otherwise) an action ? I'd be inclined to say yes, since you can 5"-step between any of your iterative attacks. Would make for some tricky scenarii, though.

 

[Legildur]

Yes, but IIRC you can make a 5' step each round before or after any of your actions, provided you haven't moved yet.

No, you can only take an action on your turn. An AOO is a single melee attack (not on your turn).

 

[Legildur]

By RAW it's A. I would allow disarming and sundering on the weapon, though.

I would allow disarming, but not sunder, as sunder is a standard action (I know some people disagree on this). The table in the PHB clearly excludes Sunder from AOOs (but allows disarm, trip, grapple).