Step Up vs. a move action?

Just making sure I understand this...this feat isn't activated against a move or withdrawal, correct?

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Just making sure I understand this...this feat isn't activated against a move or withdrawal, correct?

As I interpret it, no.

I concur...only the five-foot step (not even the first five feet of regular movement) triggers this feat.

I have always pictured the five-foot step as not a single bound of five feet that somehow avoids AoO, but rather the small shifting and sliding that might occur over six seconds while fighting, retrieving items, etc., movement done carefully in very small increments so as not to expose the mover to extra danger. (Also, this is why you can't do a five-foot step in difficult terrain, etc.)

Given the way the D&D/Pathfinder combat round works, however, we abstract it to a single movement. In any case, this feat I think just indicates that you are shadowing yourself to that movement to stay on top of someone, waiting for the opening they are trying to avoid.

The way you described it you would think everyone should be able to take a 5-foot step as an immediate action. As it is now a mage can 5-foot step away from to cast a spell outside your reach.

True, either way (one true movement or abstracted through-the-round movement) has its pros and cons. The problem with a five-foot step not provoking if it's just that is that regular movement (not a withdraw or five-foot) would provoke after that first five feet (assuming you are moving through a second threatened square + taking an action). In other words, if you do provoke by moving out of a threatened square, you are getting hit right away...after moving five feet!

So...why is the five-foot step not provoking, given that you are still moving the same distance before someone smacks you? Well, for one, the rule says so. But as to why, in my mind, I think of it as that movement occuring slowly and carefully throughout the round. Keep in mind, in the example you give, if you step five feet away and avoid the attack but then cast and the attacker happens to have reach, they still get the attack...it's strictly in the movement arena that the five-foot step avoids the attack.

The description of the FFS is on page 189, including these words: "You can take a five-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round." The word "during" is what I'm picturing.

Keep in mind, this interpretation only applies during some applications. Sometimes, you really do need to move five feet first, then take a round of actions...for example, say you are an archer hiding behind a wall, then on your turn, you want to slide out of cover and fire all your ranged attacks in a full attack...the five-foot step is perfect for that, and is truly a movement before the action, not spread through the action.

As for everyone potentially getting the step as an immediate action, who's to say that the rules in a slightly parallel universe would not have developed that way? It would not be terribly broken given how many cool things you can do as immediate actions, but as currently written, it is still a form of movement, and movements still need to happen on your own turn.

Except for the feat that started this thread, which allows you to do just what you describe...which is a feat I like a lot.