D&D 3E/3.5 Running in 3.5e...

[Ruvion]

This question came up today as we were fighting a 9 headed hydra in a gladiatorial death match.

It was concerning the fact of whether or not you can still make attacks of opportunity after having run that round (and we all "know" that an attack of opportunity from a hydra can be quite deadly). By the rules it seemed you can. But, running makes you lose Dexterity to AC and although that is not the same thing as being flatfooted, being flatfooted means you no longer can make attacks of opportunity.

But 'lo hydra has the Combat Reflexes feat (which does let you make attacks of opportunity even while flatfooted).

So the question I want to ask is really: "Can you make attacks of opportunity while running?"

Originally I got the idea, I don't know where (maybe the original 3.0 D&D), that you lose your threat range while running (much like a grappling opponent does not threaten anyone other than those he is grappling with) and hence can not make attacks of opportunity while running.

How 'bout in other situation when you would lose Dexterity bonus to AC? Such as while clinging to a wall (during a steep climb) with one hand and holding a weapon in the other? Or balancing on a tight rope with a weapon held out? Do you still threaten the area around you? If it is so, then is it only the area you are facing at the time (as maneuvering to attack those behind you or below you may be difficult in such circumstances)?

 

[Starglim]

The simplest answer is that while you are running, it's your turn and therefore it's very rare that another creature could do anything that might provoke an Attack of Opportunity. Taking a readied action, or continuing to cast a full-round spell are two exceptions that I can think of.

You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, but while running, you can't make melee attacks. Thus you don't threaten an area while running. Since the D&D turn cycle is an abstraction of many not-quite-simultaneous actions, I'd consider that you are still effectively running at the end of your turn and can't take AoO until your next turn comes up. Combat Reflexes would not help.

In the other situations that you mentioned, you can make melee attacks. 3e has no facing. In these situations you threaten any square that you can reach with the weapon that you're wielding.

 

[Hypersmurf]

While balancing, you are actually considered flat-footed, so you can't make an AoO (unless you have 5 ranks in Balance or the Combat Reflexes feat).

While climbing or running, you are not considered flat-footed; you just lose your Dex bonus to AC. There's nothing to stop you making an AoO while running (since the requirement is that you can make a melee attack, even if it isn't your turn, so the "You're using a full round action to run, so you can't attack" argument is irrelevant). For example, if you provoke an AoO while running and the opponent attempts to Trip you, provoking an AoO in turn, you can hit him.

You need both hands free to climb, so if an AoO is provoked while you are climbing, you won't be threatening an area. But if you're hanging on halfway through a climb with one hand, and a weapon in the other, you can take AoOs as normal.

-Hyp.