Reach Weapon, AoO and Sidestep

[Squire James]

Ah, I see, one of those obscure 3.0e to 3.5e changes that I missed because it was not a rule I felt needed to be changed. I haven't had a player choose Combat Reflexes since the changeover, so I had no need to look at that section of the book. How odd.

Okay... I'd still only allow 1 AoO in this situation. An equivalent example would be a monster with natural 20' reach and Combat Reflexes. Assuming his Dex is high enough, would he get 3 AoO's on someone (1 for moving from 20' to 15', again for 15' to 10', and again for 10' to 5')? I think not, because the foe's move action is ONE ACTION, and thus can trigger only 1 AoO. Therefore, I hold the same opinion about Reach + Sidestep.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Okay... I'd still only allow 1 AoO in this situation. An equivalent example would be a monster with natural 20' reach and Combat Reflexes. Assuming his Dex is high enough, would he get 3 AoO's on someone (1 for moving from 20' to 15', again for 15' to 10', and again for 10' to 5')? I think not, because the foe's move action is ONE ACTION, and thus can trigger only 1 AoO.

It's only one AoO, because "Moving out of more than one square threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn't count as more than one opportunity for that opponent".

Even if you take two actions to do it - two Move actions, for example, will only provoke one AoO.

However, if you take one action, like the Full Attack action, and attempt to disarm someone twice and trip them once, you will provoke three AoOs if they have Combat Reflexes. One action, but three opportunities.

-Hyp.

 

[Quikill]

RE:AoO

On a related subject of AoO and movement in threatened areas:

I am playing a Dervish in a campaign, and was wondering how many tumble checks I would need to make to avoid AoO's against the opponent the character is attacking when performing a Dervish Dance around an opponent. The character can make three attacks/round so would need to make two 5' steps during the full attack action.

I ask this because it would seem that if the opponent can only make one AoO against the Dervish for moving out of a threatened square then I should only need to tumble the first 5' move to avoid the AoO.

Let me know if this sounds correct...

Thanks
Mal

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Yep. You've got it in 1.

Note that you'd need to make separate Tumble checks - at a higher DC - if there were two enemies involved.

EDIT: Upon re-reading your post, I'd like to clarify that you'd only need to make a single Tumble check, but you'd have to move at Tumble speed so long as you were within his threatened area.

 

[Diirk]

Huh? No. You have to tumble all of them because the act of tumbling the first one means he doesn't get an AoO... hence he still has it left. As soon as you start moving normally (and provoking) he gets the opportunity to use his AoO. He can only use it once, but until he uses it, it doesn't disappear.