The 5' step and AoOs

[sircaren]

I have a question about something that happened in a past game. I'll try to explain the situation so it makes sense.

The paladin is in melee with a dire wolf and a barghest. Standing 5' away from the paladin is an evil cleric. The party rogue tumbles behind the cleric. On his next round, the paladin takes a 5' step to flank the cleric. He is leaving a threatened square to take an action. I found the rules on the 5' step to be a little ambiguous between the text of it, and the table. I don't remember the text off the top of my head, but I remember being confused at the time. Somewhere it was mentioned that the step itself didn't cause AoO, but what you did as a result might, or something to that effect.

Would the wolf and/or the barghest get AoO?

 

[Unseelie]

I have a question about something that happened in a past game. I'll try to explain the situation so it makes sense.

The paladin is in melee with a dire wolf and a barghest. Standing 5' away from the paladin is an evil cleric. The party rogue tumbles behind the cleric. On his next round, the paladin takes a 5' step to flank the cleric. He is leaving a threatened square to take an action. I found the rules on the 5' step to be a little ambiguous between the text of it, and the table. I don't remember the text off the top of my head, but I remember being confused at the time. Somewhere it was mentioned that the step itself didn't cause AoO, but what you did as a result might, or something to that effect.

Would the wolf and/or the barghest get AoO?

Not having my book in front of me, I'm not certain, but I believe the answer is 'No'.

However, there's no reason not to have the wolf and barghest flank the Paladin.

 

[Artoomis]

Moving: Moving out of a threatened square usually provokes an attack of opportunity from the threatening opponent. There are two common methods of avoiding such an attack—the 5-foot-step and the withdraw action (see below).

From the table:

5-foot step No

That's, "No," as in no AoO.

Take 5-Foot Step
You can move 5 feet in any round when you don’t perform any other kind of movement. Taking this 5-foot step never provokes an attack of opportunity. You can’t take more than one 5-foot step in a round, and you can’t take a 5-foot step in the same round when you move any distance.
You can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round.
You can only take a 5-foot-step if your movement isn’t hampered by difficult terrain or darkness. Any creature with a speed of 5 feet or less can’t take a 5-foot step, since moving even 5 feet requires a move action for such a slow creature.
You may not take a 5-foot step using a form of movement for which you do not have a listed speed.

I hope that straightens this out for you. No AoO for leaving a threatened square when using a 5-foot step.

 

[mikebr99]

Would a 3rd no... suffice?


Or

What they said.


Mike

 

[WonkaMania]

The complete answer is:

A 5-foot step NEVER provokes an Attack of Opportunity. Never ever ever.

Now, what you then do once you are in the new square *could* provoke an AoO, like casting a spell while in a threatened square, (because casting a spell in a threatened square provokes an AoO, but making a melee attack does not) but the act of taking a 5 foot step itself NEVER provokes.

Hope that clears it up for you.

~Wonka

 

[dagger]

The 5' step does not. But your action might. Like taking a 5 ' step and then casting a spell while still being in a threatned area. Of course taking that 5' step and then casting that spell while not being a threatned area would be ok.

 

[Mercule]

A 5-foot step NEVER provokes an Attack of Opportunity. Never ever ever.

Right-o.

Taking a 5-foot step is as safe as standing still, all else being equal.

 

[sircaren]

That clears it up heh. Thanks all.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

The only situation I can think of that moving 5' would incur an AoO is if you were crawling, IIRC.

AR

 

[mikebr99]

The only situation I can think of that moving 5' would incur an AoO is if you were crawling, IIRC.

AR

Or when moving through terrain that cancels the '5ft step' altogether... then moving 5 feet would incur an AoO.

Minimum Movement: Despite penalties to movement, you can take a full-round action to move 5 feet (1 square) in any direction, even diagonally. (This rule doesn’t allow you to move through impassable terrain or to move when all movement is prohibited.) Such movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal (despite the distance covered, this move isn’t a 5-foot
step).

YMMV


Mike