Spring Attack Confusion

[Chu Li]

i have two questions about spring attack.
my assumption so far was that you got to move, attack and then move again as a full-round action. the phb says it's an attack action. does that actually mean that you get to pull of the stunt as a standard action and still get a move action? or does it mean you split your move action between before and after the attack?
i'd also like to know if it's valid to move into a square occupied by an ally, swing at the foe and then continue your movement.

since i was unable to find anything in the rules concerning this, i hereby summon THEE, oh Great Elder Beings who lurk in this here forum, so that THOU helpest me in my quest for knowledge

yours sincerely
Chu Li

 

[Ilium]

Basically, Spring Attack lets you do a regular move and a single attack. What it gets you is that you can do part of your move before the attack and part after, which you can't do normally.

So, no, you don't get to do a move action in addition to the Spring Attack. Spring Attack just lets you split up your Move action into a "before the attack" and "after the attack" portion.

 

[Christian]

There's nothing in the errata; but IMHO, the Spring Attack wording is a 3.0 -> 3.5 conversion error. The action definitions changed (the standard actions in 3.0 included a move or move-equivalent action of your choice), but the wording of the Spring Attack feat wasn't adjusted to match.

 

[Hypersmurf]

There's nothing in the errata; but IMHO, the Spring Attack wording is a 3.0 -> 3.5 conversion error. The action definitions changed (the standard actions in 3.0 included a move or move-equivalent action of your choice), but the wording of the Spring Attack feat wasn't adjusted to match.

They did, in fact, correct the wording of Spring Attack to account for it.

They didn't do it in errata, however; they did it in the text of the Special Edition 3.5 PHB. If you don't own the book, the only way you'd know is if someone tells you.

The wording is now something like "When you take the attack action with a melee weapon, you may split your move action to move before and after the attack etc etc", from memory.

-Hyp.

 

[Bagpuss]

Special Edition and later printings of the PHB.

 

[Chu Li]

ok, thanks a lot folks. that has already been very helpful.

still, my second question keeps burdening me. what about attacking from an occupied square while spring attacking? i know that i can't end my movement in such a square, but technically my movement isn't really over when i attack, or is it?
The whole idea about spring attack seems to be that you attack while moving or am i seriously wrong?

humbly yours

Chu Li

 

[Ilium]

ok, thanks a lot folks. that has already been very helpful.

still, my second question keeps burdening me. what about attacking from an occupied square while spring attacking? i know that i can't end my movement in such a square, but technically my movement isn't really over when i attack, or is it?
The whole idea about spring attack seems to be that you attack while moving or am i seriously wrong?

humbly yours

Chu Li

You know, I've never considered this before. I don't think the feat description is explicit about it either way (unless the correction in later printings includes this as well).

The SRD says:

When using the attack action with a melee weapon, you can move both before and after the attack, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate. You can’t use this feat if you are wearing heavy armor.

You must move at least 5 feet both before and after you make your attack in order to utilize the benefits of Spring Attack.

I've emphasized the bit that might be relevant. You could argue that "you can move both before and after..." means you are moving twice. And a movement can't end in an occupied square.

Personally I don't have much of an opinion either way.

 

[Elethiomel]

The rules for being in others' spaces make my head hurt.

An unrelated question: Chu Li, are you Chun Li's father? And if so, do I have your blessing?

 

[Shadeydm]

ok, thanks a lot folks. that has already been very helpful.

still, my second question keeps burdening me. what about attacking from an occupied square while spring attacking? i know that i can't end my movement in such a square, but technically my movement isn't really over when i attack, or is it?
The whole idea about spring attack seems to be that you attack while moving or am i seriously wrong?

humbly yours

Chu Li

This sounds like a job for Hypersmurf!

 

[Random Axe]

You know, I've never considered this before. I don't think the feat description is explicit about it either way (unless the correction in later printings includes this as well).

The SRD says:


I've emphasized the bit that might be relevant. You could argue that "you can move both before and after..." means you are moving twice. And a movement can't end in an occupied square.

I agree with this interpretation -- you are stopping your movement in order to attack, then you move again, up to the limit of your Move Rate.