D&D 3E/3.5 Taking the 4E approach to AOO in 3E

[MojoGM]

Hey all,

The notion of making AOO's less clunky in 4E has me intrigued, and since we have starting messing with the 3E's rules seriously for the first time (we're trying out spell levels for the wizard), I'm wondering about limiting the conditions which provoke AOO's in order to try and speed up the game.

Has anyone done this? And if so, what exactly did you do and how has it worked? Any particular pitfalls to watch out for?

My initial thought is to keep AOO's for spells or ranged weapons in melee, specific movement in combat and that's it. Sort of like they are talking about in 4E.

Any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

If you take them out for special attacks (disarm, trip, grapple, etc), you make those much more powerful. You nerf the 'Improved X' feats. You also make reach weapons pointless.

This should probably be in the Rules forum, though.

 

[an_idol_mind]

"An attack of opportunity occurs only when a threatened character lets his guard down."

That's been my house rule basically since I starte dplaying 3rd edition. On the plus side, it's easy to remember. On the minus side, it leaves things wide open for DM adjudication, which may bother some players.

 

[Scribble]

You can gank the rules from Iron Heroes. You provoke an AoO if you:

1. Do anything other then take an attack action while in a square threatened by an opponent. (or an angry friend I guess.)

2. Move more then 1/4 your movement through a square threatened by an opponent. (or again, an angry friend...)

That's it.

 

[Delta]

In my "Diminutive d20" rules, I assert than any action that provokes an AOO in 3E is prohibited. Therefore, you need to pass Concentration to cast in melee, you need the special feat to attempt a disarm/trip/grapple, etc.

 

[Mistwell]

If you take them out for special attacks (disarm, trip, grapple, etc), you make those much more powerful. You nerf the 'Improved X' feats. You also make reach weapons pointless.

This should probably be in the Rules forum, though.

How does this impact reach weapons? You still get an AOO for movement, just not for special attacks. Reach weapons are mostly about AOOs for movement.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Anything you do provokes an AoO, including doing nothing.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Just off the top of my head...

Reach weapons do not have to be about AoOs for movement. That could easily be changed.

Give the reach weapons the spiked chain footprint, and then all reach weapons have a rather minor benefit. Not exciting, but not useless either.

I know nothing about what 4e plans...

Another variant would be that you do not provoke an AoO if you move at half rate. Tumble becomes a skill whereby you can make a check to move at full and not provoke.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

You... you... you need to take SIDES! You can't just use part of 3E and part of 4E. You have to choose one or the other! Using just PARTS because you like the IDEAS? Seriously, c'mon. That's not normal.

 

[MojoGM]

You... you... you need to take SIDES! You can't just use part of 3E and part of 4E. You have to choose one or the other! Using just PARTS because you like the IDEAS? Seriously, c'mon. That's not normal.

You're right! How dare I!

Actually I'm very much looking forward to 4E, and will definately buy it, but I doubt I'll get to play or run it for quite awhile. We switch between two campaigns with my gaming group, and my turn to DM won't be around for another year or so (at the earliest), and even then we'll stick with 3.5 until we finish with my game.

I hope to use 4E in some capacity in the future, but nothing is definite. But you can bet I'll be buying it to read and enjoy.

But for now (and once it comes out) I'll canibalize it for good ideas to make 3.5 better.