Spend Standard Action, Move to take AoO, Get Reduced to 0 Zero: Still get to move?

[jeffman]

This happened in a combat in my game last night that resulted in PC death, so I want to make sure I ruled this correctly.

The PC had two bad guys in front of her. She casted a spell, spending a standard action. She then wanted (well, needed) to move away, and without tumble or anything special she started to move out of the square, provoking AoOs. The AoOs knocked her down to 0 hp, making here disabled.

I ruled that since she had already spent a standard action this round, and was now at 0 hp, she couldn't complete her move action, since you are limited to only one standard or move action when disabled.

What do you guys think of this ruling?

Here's what the SRD has to say about being disabled.

You can only take a single move or standard action each turn (but not both, nor can you take full-round actions). You can take move actions without further injuring yourself, but if you perform any standard action (or any other strenuous action) you take 1 point of damage after the completing the act. Unless your activity increased your hit points, you are now at -1 hit points, and you’re dying.

 

[Krelios]

I assume she cast defensively to avoid the AoO for casting in melee? If so, you ruled correctly. What she probably should have done was use the Withdraw action and cast on her next turn.

 

[Menexenus]

I don't know. I think this is a difficult question. You are clearly right that someone who has 0 hp can only take partial actions. But still, the attack of opportunity that was taken by the bad guys was earned precisely because the spellcaster was moving! (If she hadn't moved there would have been no AoOs in the first place.)

I can see your reasoning, and I don't think it is obviously wrong. But still, I probably would have allowed the character to complete her movement this round since it was that movement that provoked that AoOs in the first place. I would have started to enforce the rules for being disabled in the subsequent round.

But I do think this is a close call.

 

[jeffman]

Encounters gone wrong

There are a lot of 'should haves' in regard to this encounter

I can't remember what she casted, but ya, she didn't get AoO from that.

 

[werk]

Responding to the title question, yes, she would move out of the threatened square, but could not finish the move.

The move drew the AoO and was spent. You were correct in your ruling, as far as I'm concerned, except you probably had her end in a different square than I would.

 

[Infiniti2000]

She gets the move action, no question in my mind. If you rule that she cannot move, then she never took the move action and thus never provoked the AoO's in the first place. That creates a paradox so she must have taken the Move Action. Being disabled does not cause her to fail in completing her action (such as being tripped would).

You cannot cause her to lose her Move Action and not create a paradox. Having her move only 5ft or so would be the worst choice IMO.

 

[Rhun]

I agree with I2K on this one. I would have allowed her to complete her move action.

 

[RigaMortus2]

I am leaning towards agreeing with I2K as well, though I do see both points...

The character DID take their Standard Action (cast a spell) already, so that uses up their "either 1 Standard Action OR 1 Move Action" limitation for the round when they become disabled. On the other hand, they are already in the middle of their Move Action...

I guess another way to look at it, had they instead been dropped to -1 HPs, would you allow them to continue to Move and then drop unconcious?

 

[Thanee]

When your current hit points drop to exactly 0, you’re disabled. You can only take a single move or standard action each turn (but not both, nor can you take full-round actions). You can take move actions without further injuring yourself, but if you perform any standard action (or any other strenuous action) you take 1 point of damage after the completing the act.

The action has already been taken, so it's already past the point where this is not allowed.

Taking move actions does not cause damage.

She would have been able to complete the move normally and on her next turn, she would be limited to either standard or move action only.

Bye
Thanee

 

[werk]

Having her move only 5ft or so would be the worst choice IMO.

Why, specifically?

I see it more that her move action was interrupted. It occurred, but was unable to be completed. The only part that has to occur, to avoid the paradox, is that she must leave the threatened square, so that's all that happens.