Opportune Parry and Riposte vs. Concealment (ex: while blind)


Rules Questions

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

I'm prepping for a higher-level PFS scenario and I want to make sure I've got my bases covered with classes I may see PCs playing--so please humor me if this is a dumb one. I searched and found nothin'.

I've found SRMcF's post on Parry and Riposte as an attack of opportunity and I've read the PRD text on the ability, but I'm still left with a question about OP&R: I feel that if you are blind, in an area of darkness through which you cannot see, or for some other reason you can't see your attacker (invisibility?) and the attacker has concealment from you, then the miss chance would be applied to your initial OP&R roll. It seems pretty clear that it would apply to the attack you can optionally make as an immediate action; I'm not asking about that.

The rules on this one seem a little unclear; there's no requirement that the swashbuckler even be aware of the attack, for example. I personally would run it that way (you need to be aware of the attack) if it weren't for the whole PFS deal. But it's kindasorta an attack of opportunity, which makes me think that reasonable limits or penalties on an attack of opportunity would also apply to this first roll. But then, it doesn't say that you're making an attack of opportunity against the target specifically, just that you compare results... sigh, gray areas.

I guess one way to look at it is, on the initial OP&R roll, do you allow the swashbuckler to benefit from flanking? If so, that suggests that the OP&R check targets the attacking creature and penalties as well as bonuses would apply. If not, that suggests that it's an independent check and penalties like concealment would also not apply.

Sovereign Court

Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

It is an attack roll. I would apply all bonuses and penalties that apply to attacks.


I would certainly impose the concealment penalties on that - which also means that blindfighting feats would also apply.

It doesn't say the swash has to be aware of the attack, and for PFS that means they don't have to be aware. However, when making any attack roll in an invisible opponent/darkness/blind situation, concealment applies. I don't see this as substantially any different.

Liberty's Edge

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PRD wrote:
Opportune Parry and Riposte (Ex): At 1st level, when an opponent makes a melee attack against the swashbuckler, she can spend 1 panache point and expend a use of an attack of opportunity to attempt to parry that attack. The swashbuckler makes an attack roll as if she were making an attack of opportunity; for each size category the attacking creature is larger than the swashbuckler, the swashbuckler takes a –2 penalty on this roll. If her result is greater than the attacking creature's result, the creature's attack automatically misses.

To me it seem that she can "expend a use of an attack of opportunity" meant that the swashbuckler need to be able to make attack of opportunity, so the ability don't work if she is flat footed and unable to make attacks of opportunity.

I wouldn't allow her to make an Opportune Parry and Riposte against an opponent if she is unable to make an attack of opportunity against that opponent, but I can't say if that is RAW or not. For sure the parry roll applies all the modifiers the character would apply to an attack of opportunity, miss chance for concealment included.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Thanks everyone. Glad to hear that's not a controversial interpretation.

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