Spring Attack vs. Reach

[Dimwhit]

I posted this on the Wizards board, but I'm not getting much response.

I had read on another post that Tumble and Spring Attack are the only ways to get within 5' of an opponent with reach without provoking an AoO. Tumble I agree with. But how does Spring Attack do it? Here's my thinking:
In normal combat, if you, for example, attack an opponent and move more than 5' out of his threatened area, you provoke an AoO. Spring Attack counters this by allowing you to move in, attack, and move out (both movements can be more than 5') without provoking. That's what it's there for, in my opinion.

However, couldn't the movement of the Spring Attack itself provoke an AoO? Just like the Charge action? If you Spring in to an adjacent square of an opponent who has reach, seems to me you'd still provoke an AoO. Not for moving, attacking, and moving, but for moving through a threathened area. And it seems like Springing back out would also provoke.

So, if I'm wrong (and I may be), why? I hope I explained it clearly.

 

[alaric]

From the SRD

Benefit: When using the attack action with a melee weapon, the character can move both before and after the attack, provided that the character's total distance moved is not greater than the character's speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender the character attacks. The character can’t use this feat if the character is in heavy armor.

While it doesn't spell it out, it uses the the 3E standard of meaning what it says. You do not provoke movement based AoO from the character you are attacking. Reach only allows you to extend you threat range, but it still makes it a movement based AoO.

 

[kreynolds]

So, if I'm wrong (and I may be), why?

Because it says "Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender the character attacks." You can still provoke AoO's from other threatened areas though, as you only get to specify one target of your attack, thus there is only one defender. So watch out for other enemies in the area.

 

[James McMurray]

In my campaign, we've read it to mean that you receive no movement AoOs from your target. By the time you are using Spring Atack against cretures with reach, you probably have multiple attcks available to you. Spring Attack keeps you from using them all. Combine that with the inability to hold a front line and protect the spellcasters / archers of the group, and Spring Attack becomes a situationally useful tool and not a solution to all battles. Sure, the character himself may do very well avoiding tns of AoOs, but then again, his cleric nd wizard friends just bit the dust because he wasn't there keeping the giant from attacking them with impunity.

 

[Aurianna]

A 5ft step, after a round of "Full Defense" at their 10ft range will allow you to close with no AoO. Just their regular attack, but with "Full Def" on, you'll possibly have a lower chance of being hit.

 

[Christian]

A 5ft step, after a round of "Full Defense" at their 10ft range will allow you to close with no AoO. Just their regular attack, but with "Full Def" on, you'll possibly have a lower chance of being hit.

[DM]Great tactic! I like it! And the monster would never, ever hit you with a full attack on their turn, then step back 5' to 15' range. I promise. [/DM]

 

[evileeyore]

Keep in mind that there is nothing stopping the creature with reach from readying on attack should the sprining attacker enter his reach...

Just limits how many times he gets to hit you in one round...

 

[Aurianna]

[DM]Great tactic! I like it! And the monster would never, ever hit you with a full attack on their turn, then step back 5' to 15' range. I promise. [/DM]

Heh, I guess that's why you'd really only want to try that against low-intelligence opponents.

 

[Macbrea]

The other way to approach a person with reach weapon without provoking an AoO is wield a tower shield for half cover.



If you have a tower shield set at half cover you can do anything you want without provoking an AoO. The cover rules state it.

quote from SRD

Cover and Attacks of Opportunity

An attacker can't execute an attack of opportunity against a combatant with one-half or better cover.

 

[Antikinesis]

There's magic ways to approach reach critters, too. (Though you probably wouldn't want to, unless you're polymorphed into something useful, or want to deliver a touch spell, whatever.). Shield spell offer 3/4 cover, making you immune to AoO's. (That, for those of you who haven't recognized it, is a "troll".)

Seriously... invisibility (100% cover), dimension door, teleport, obscuring mist, etc. It can be done.

-AK