Attack of Opportunity clarifications


Rules Questions


Hi,i wanted to ask some clarifications about AoP,movements etc

Example:
if a fighter with a sword charge something with,lets say, 3 square of reach

he provoke AoP for leaving that 2 threatened squares? or only normal movements count?


He provokes for both. Just as if he would run/charge passed someone.


Yes, charging provokes attacks of opportunity if you move out of a threatened square.

The fighter in your example only provokes one attack of opportunity from the creature with 3 squares of reach. The relevant rule:

"Moving out of more than one square threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn't count as more than one opportunity for that opponent."

Note that, regardless, you only get one attack of opportunity per round unless you have the combat reflexes feat.


Opponent threatens 3 squares in all directions (reach 15 feet)
Fighter charges.

at T-15feet he does not provoke an AoO. He has moved from a non threatened square into a threatened square.

At T-10feet he provokes an AoO for moving through a threatened square (moves from T -15 to T-10)

At T-5feet he provokes an AoO for moving through a threatened square (moves from T -10 to T-5)

You are correct that he Provokes twice in the same action - movement. That he moves as part of a charge is not relevant, he has still moved through threatened squares.


Iczer wrote:

Opponent threatens 3 squares in all directions (reach 15 feet)

Fighter charges.

at T-15feet he does not provoke an AoO. He has moved from a non threatened square into a threatened square.

At T-10feet he provokes an AoO for moving through a threatened square (moves from T -15 to T-10)

At T-5feet he provokes an AoO for moving through a threatened square (moves from T -10 to T-5)

You are correct that he Provokes twice in the same action - movement. That he moves as part of a charge is not relevant, he has still moved through threatened squares.

This is incorrect. He provokes only once, even if the opponent has combat reflexes. See above.


Thanks,we have always played using the "threatened area" instead "square" XD this make some tactics and feats MORE usefull XD

Liberty's Edge

Here is the section of the CRB that Blakmane is referring to. The general rule that applies is that Combat Reflexes does not allow you to make more than one attack per opportunity, and the specific rule, which he already cited, has to do with multiple "steps" through threatened space being all part of the same move action/opportunity.


the more you learn


even with combat reflexs, you can only provoke once for any action you take (unless it is a mult iaction such as overrun which include both a move an an attack roll that might provoke by iteslf). the provoked can pick at which part to take the attack.
so moving through many threatened areas will only provoke once.

Shadow Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Minor clarification. It will Provoke each square that they move through, and the one that gets the AoO can opt not to take it at each threatened square. They only get one AoO, regardless of how many the target moves through that they threaten, even with Combat Reflexes, however.

This could be important, because the first square might not be optimal, for example if they have an ally to flank with at the second, they can opt to take it later on if they want. Or if the creature has different attacks, and they want to use one that has less reach, for example, they can wait to see if the target moves within reach, not taking the AoO at the first opportunity.

Secondly, its not that they only Provoke once, its that others can only take one AoO against them, each, for moving per round, regardless of how many AoOs they can take.


You only provoke once for each action on a turn. "Moving" is a single action, so no matter how far you move or how many squares the opponent threatens, you only provoke once from each opponent on that turn.

However, you can take multiple actions that provoke on a single turn. You can move and then make a ranged attack, or retrieve something from your backpack, cast a spell, etc. (Note that drawing a potion is one action that provokes, and drinking a potion is a separate action that also provokes.)

For movement, we often find it easier to think of it as "leaving a threatened square" that provokes. You don't provoke when you enter the square, which is how you close in combat without provoking: it's leaving the threatened square that makes it "moving through" the threatened area.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Attack of Opportunity clarifications All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.