Spring Attach Vs. Reach

[DMFTodd]

Does Spring Attack protect you a creature with reach? Reading Spring Attack, it would seem that way. It just seems awful powerful that the spring attack can negate the ability of a creature.

 

[Infiniti2000]

It doesn't negate reach, it just negates the AoO. And yes, it does work that way, but it's a nontrivial feat to possess.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Yes, it does, because an AoO gained through reach is, generally speaking, an AoO based on movement. Spring Attack protects you from AoOs based on movement - but from your target, only.

As for powerful, consider the prereqs.

 

[Land Outcast]

You can't use it in heavy armor...

And yes, it negates AoO from the defender(sic).

Actually, if the feat hadn't this benefit it'd be a lousy feat (IMO)

 

[UltimaGabe]

You can't use it in heavy armor...

And yes, it negates AoO from the defender(sic).

Actually, if the feat hadn't this benefit it'd be a lousy feat (IMO)

Especially considering that, without that clause, EVERY Spring Attack would incur an attack of opportunity (as you're moving into and then out of their space, which would incur an attack of opportunity even if they only had 5 feet of reach).

 

[Hawken]

Spring Attack doesn't protect you against a Ready action though. You might be able to move in, attack, move out without getting touched, but that'll likely only happen once. If you try it again and that creature has readied a full attack action as soon as you advance into a threatened square, Spring Attack won't be helping you any. Or he could ready a move and attack, to move back as soon as you close, and whack you while keeping its distance (and possibly integrating a Trip, Knockdown or some other attack to keep you from closing in).

Or if the creature is able to move about tactically. If it has a reach of 10', that means that 20' of your move is spent getting into and out of threatened areas, so you have to be within 10' at the start of your turn to use it and get out of the threatened areas before your move is up (assuming you have a move of 30'). If the creature is 20'-25' away, you're going to end your move in its threatened area and its going to whomp on you before you can get away from it.

Spring Attack can be devastating, but its not foolproof. And, as mentioned, it can only be used against your target--target as in singular. If you're facing multiple creatures with reach, and their threatened areas overlap, the other creatures (not your target) are going to get AoOs on you.

 

[Parlan]

Spring Attack doesn't protect you against a Ready action though. You might be able to move in, attack, move out without getting touched, but that'll likely only happen once. If you try it again and that creature has readied a full attack action as soon as you advance into a threatened square, Spring Attack won't be helping you any.

Except that you can't ready a full attack. Only std actions.


So you could trade one for one with spring attack. Or just attack someone else and let your oppoent hold an actiona all round and evtually lose it.

 

[Stormrunner]

"Spring Attach and Reach"

"The troll reaches out with its long, gangly arms, stretching the spring as it does so."
(rolls dice)
"Successful touch attack - it hooks the end of the spring onto your armor and lets go. SPROIIINNNGGGGG! Make a Str check."
(PC fails check)
"The powerful spring yanks your character over the edge of the cliff. Of course, it also stops you from falling all the way, so you end up dangling, bouncing up and down, bungee-style."

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Spring Attack doesn't protect you against a Ready action though. You might be able to move in, attack, move out without getting touched, but that'll likely only happen once. If you try it again and that creature has readied a full attack action as soon as you advance into a threatened square, Spring Attack won't be helping you any. Or he could ready a move and attack, to move back as soon as you close, and whack you while keeping its distance (and possibly integrating a Trip, Knockdown or some other attack to keep you from closing in).

As Parlan pointed out, you can't ready a full attack action. More generally you can't ready anything greater than a standard action. This means that you can't also ready to move and attack. You could only ready to move or to attack. Your other points are all well put, though, particularly about the trip. A excellent tactic is grappling, though that doesn't work so well when the cleric or druid casts freedom of movement on the spring attacking fighter.

 

[Hawken]

Yeah, I caught that about the spring attack/full action shortly after I wrote it, but yesterday was a LONG day and I was too tired to go back and edit. But my main point was that there are plenty of options for reach characters against spring attack characters in physical combat, and even more choices when magic/magic items are used on either side.