When picking an item up, does an AoO stop it?

[malichai]

If someone is disarmed, and they then try to pick their weapon back up and you successfully make an AoO against them as they try to pick that weapon up, do they still get the weapon back?

 

[AGGEMAM]

If you are still able to, yes.

 

[Li Shenron]

In general you can say that an AoO happens "at the same time" as the action which provoked it, but it does not disrupt it. In some trivial cases it is pretty obvious that you may not complete the action afterwards, such as if the AoO has killed you.

There are some actions which call for a Concentration check in case the AoO was successful (casting a spell, using a spell-like ability or a spell-completion item, using certain skills) to successfully complete the action, therefore they can be effectively disrupted if you fail to concentrate but it is not automatic. Also these kind of actions allow you to perform them on the defensive to avoid the AoO (but not the chance to fail the action itself) from the start.

In your example, you provoke an AoO to pick up the item, but the AoO doesn't prevent you to do that.

 

[AGGEMAM]

In general you can say that an AoO happens "at the same time" as the action which provoked it, but it does not disrupt it. In some trivial cases it is pretty obvious that you may not complete the action afterwards, such as if the AoO has killed you.

The AoO could instill a number of different reason why you would not be able to complete your action besides killing you, stunning and grappling springs to mind, hence the more general reply. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

 

[Li Shenron]

The AoO could instill a number of different reason why you would not be able to complete your action besides killing you, stunning and grappling springs to mind, hence the more general reply. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Ok, there are also non-trivial cases to consider

 

[Aristotle]

In your example, you provoke an AoO to pick up the item, but the AoO doesn't prevent you to do that.

This is pretty much how I read it too. An AoO struck against someone performing an action does not actually prevent them from doing the action (with the exception of certain things like spellcasting which can be disrupted).

If someone had been disarmed and the incurred an AoO by picking up their lost weapon, I would probably allow the person getting the AoO to use it to "disarm" the opponent's weapon before he can pick it up. Effectively playing keep-away. Of course that would be a house rule, and is not (AFAIK) supported by the text in any way.

 

[AGGEMAM]

I would probably allow the person getting the AoO to use it to "disarm" the opponent's weapon before he can pick it up. Effectively playing keep-away. Of course that would be a house rule, and is not (AFAIK) supported by the text in any way.

Sure it is. A disarm takes the place of a melee attack. An AoO is a melee attack. What more do you need?

DISARM
As a melee attack, you may attempt to disarm your opponent.

Making an Attack of Opportunity: An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack, and you can only make one per round.

 

[Eccles]

This is only a smidge fof topic, but relevant.

Could you take that AoO against the weapon on the floor instead of the person picking it up?

 

[Li Shenron]

This is only a smidge fof topic, but relevant.

Could you take that AoO against the weapon on the floor instead of the person picking it up?

At least this is not granted by the rules. However, I think there was a similar case when someone provokes an AoO with drinking a potion and you were allowed to direct the AoO against the potion if you wanted. Now I cannot find it in the SRD, could it be in some FAQ?

 

[Aristotle]

This is only a smidge fof topic, but relevant.

Could you take that AoO against the weapon on the floor instead of the person picking it up?

This is more along the lines of what I was talking about, but I worded it poorly. I dunno that it is allowed "by the rules", but if one of my players thought to do it I'd let them.