Spring Attack doubt

[Egres]

Lets use another example:

Creature has fast healing. We want to kill it asap. I ready an action to fireball it as soon as I see my fellow wizard about to magic missile it.

Fellow Wizard casts magic missile, targetting Creature.

I cast fireball. fireball kills Creature.

Can Fellow Wizard now decide to target something else with his magic missile?

I beg to differ.

The spell mechanic is quite different.

When you cast Magic Missile, you have already chosen your target, and your action is already done.

But in my example the Ftr's attack didn't take place yet.

 

[Egres]

Both can whack the snot out of him until he wisens up and choses his foe before going in.

So, by your reasoning, he should choose his opponent before, but could opt to choose it later?

 

[The Souljourner]

In order to not provoke an attack of opportunity on the way in, you have to "commit" to using spring attack, and to which opponent you're going to attack. The problem is that spring attack really ought to be its own action, taking a full round.

Here's what I'd rule given the feat as written - on the way in, if you want to avoid an attack of opportunity, you must commit to attacking one specific opponent. If you do not commit, anyone may make an attack of opportunity on the way in. Once you attack someone, that person is now your target, and will not get an attack of opportunity if you move after the attack (though likely they've already taken an attack of opportunity on the way in, so wouldn't get another on the way out anyway).

In other words - if you don't choose your target first, you also don't get to avoid an AoO from your opponent, but you can still move before and after the attack. I can't imagine that ever coming up in an actual game though.

-The Souljourner

 

[dshai527]

I would allow the player to change his target if a readied action killed his initial target, but I would not allow the spring attack to continue. (And Yes I would allow the mage to redirect his magic missile in the above scenario). The condition for the spring attack was negated but i would not rob him of his standard action just because of a readied action. I would have the player change it to move + standard action instead because of the change in targets. (Yes the player avoided the AOO from his original target but if two players use teamwork tactics I would like to encourage it)

I agree that the target must be identified before the spring attack occurs. I find it interesting that the player could use his dodge bonus on the monster that was allowed the AOO while avoiding the AOO of the other one due to Spring Attack...plus he gets the mobility bonus.

 

[frankthedm]

So, by your reasoning, he should choose his opponent before, but could opt to choose it later?

Not my reasoning, that is just the way i read the RAW.

 

[Egres]

Not my reasoning, that is just the way i read the RAW.

I see.

 

[dcollins]

I could agree, but can you support your PoV with something?

I completely agree with how Souljourner and Frankthedm have more fully explained it.

 

[Egres]

I completely agree with how Souljourner and Frankthedm have more fully explained it.

But, this doesn't give you any support.

In other words, for Frank and Souljourner you can opt to choose your target after your move, while your post makes me think that you don't agree with this PoV.

the fighter cannot attack Ogre B (because his action was to attack Ogre A). This has to be considered a special mechanic of Spring Attack

 

[Infiniti2000]

As an added personal note, as DM I don't allow "move action, observe, think about it, next action". I generally require my players to simply state what they're doing on their turn, in its entirety. Otherwise it bogs down into a chess game, which I find really irritating (only have one player that really tries this, though).

So, you don't allow a character to move around a corner and attack an enemy there? You also don't allow someone to react if he gets tripped during his move action?

 

[Hypersmurf]

It's similar to the 3E version of the 3.5 Withdraw action.

If all you do in a round is move, your first square is not threatened.

So I'm adjacent to a 3E greataxe-wielding orc. I take a move action to move 30' directly away from him. If that's all I do - or if I move another 30' - I didn't provoke an AoO. If, however, I then sheathe my sword, I did provoke an AoO.

The only way to resolve this is to accept that certain choices earlier in the round can restrict certain options later in the round.

Just as if I shoot my bow at no penalty, I cannot then decide to use my Rapid Shot feat for a second shot; so, in 3E, if I move away from the orc and claim no AoO, I cannot then decide to take an action other than movement.

"I move away from the orc..."
"In such a way as to avoid an AoO?"
"Of course! I move thirty feet to the north..."
"Twenty feet from the orc, you trigger a pit trap... failed save, you fall."
"I cast Feather Fall!"
"You can't. You've voluntarily surrendered the right to take any actions other than movement in this round."

Similarly, when declaring the use of the Spring Attack feat, one must have a designated defender to avoid a paradox, because making the decision later could alter previous events.

-Hyp.