Wanting to provoke an AoO

[billd91]

I don't have a problem with a character deliberately provoking an AoO. I'd treat it much like a feint. Giving the opponent a Sense Motive roll isn't a bad idea to see if he can determine that he's being drawn out so he's in no position to respond to another threat.
I would debate requiring at least a move action to perform it since there are no specified free actions that provoke. But I could always consider this the very sort of free action that could provoke it. I think the fact that the provoking character specifically gives up the possibility of his opponent making a free attack at his full bonus is reasonably balancing enough.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I would debate requiring at least a move action to perform it since there are no specified free actions that provoke.

Reloading a light or hand crossbow with the Rapid Reload feat and standing up from prone as a Free Action with a DC 35 Tumble check leap immediately to mind.

 

[shilsen]

Exactly, and therefore I would not allow it.

If you want to provoke, perform an action that does (the fighter could try a disarm with one attack, for example).

Bye
Thanee

Same here.

 

[Len]

But I wouldn't allow it as a free action. You'd have to spend a move action, even if you didn't actually leave your square.

Even if I have Rapid Reload?

 

[blargney the second]

I really like the idea of using a combat maneuver to provoke the AoO. Whether you succeed or fail, you accomplish something useful. I have to use this sometime!

-blarg

 

[RandomPrecision]

I'd allow it as a standard action (even considering Rapid Reload and stand up from prone with Tumble).

Of course, you could also choose to do something more useful, like trying to grapple your opponent to draw the AoO. That wouldn't even draw a Sense Motive check, since you're actually trying to grapple your opponent. In any event, the enemy will have to accept that AoO over whoever that you're drawing fire for.

 

[Celebrim]

I really like the idea of using a combat maneuver to provoke the AoO. Whether you succeed or fail, you accomplish something useful. I have to use this sometime!

-blarg

How many movies have you seen where the hero runs in front of the monster and distracts it in order to save some helpless person from being lunch?

Well, see, now you can do that. Add an action in thier to goad someone into attacking you, and you can fully defend someone. Neither combat manuever is part of the SRD, but so what. Who wants to limit themselves to just things in the rule book?

Of course, you could also choose to do something more useful, like trying to grapple your opponent to draw the AoO.

Of course, grappling a wraith might be abit hard, and grappling a fire elemental is not recommended, and grappling say an advanced Dire Ape probably is pointless since it could take -20 and just ignore you completely.

 

[sfedi]

I would definetly allow it.

How many movies have you seen where the hero runs in front of the monster and distracts it in order to save some helpless person from being lunch?

You could even go Total Defense and THEN provoke the AoO.

Of course, we're talking about a dumb monster here.

 

[moritheil]

I would allow it..but I would give any AoO taken a circumstantial +2 to hit as the target is 'trying' to get hit. Its hard to tell when to switch out from the 'ha ha, you cant hit me' dance...

Oh, a mere +2? That's way too kind. You want to provoke an attack from someone who would normally be saving his AOO for someone else? Fine. Take an action to make a Bluff vs. Sense Motive . . . (and IMC, quite possibly forfeit your dex bonus vs. that attack.)

There is no reason to allow this kind of thing as a free action, unless you're dealing with some monster that would lash out at any opportunity, and you perform some action that would draw an AOO normally. Yes, if the fighter comes up with a free action that draws an AOO and uses it, that's fine. Still, the fighter should take pains to declare the other action, which happens to draw an AOO, rather than simply stating "I draw an AOO." That, to me, sounds like the fighter is asking to Bluff.

Plus, it smells of metagaming. People heroically throw themselves in front of monsters; they do not heroically declare game mechanics.

 

[Celebrim]

People heroically throw themselves in front of monsters; they do not heroically declare game mechanics.

Exactly. That's a great quote. I wish you'd made that quote in a few other threads I'm a part of right now.

We may disagree over how to handle the rules to best fit the vision, but we seem to agree with what the goal is.