Attacks of Opportunity and Combat Maneuvers - official?

[Shar Tahl]

We are having a debate as to using combat maneuvers in place of a melee attack as part of an attack of opportunity. One side is saying it is a standard melee attack only. What is the official stance on this? The rules only state "a single melee attack".

[james maissen]

Shar Tahl wrote:

We are having a debate as to using combat maneuvers in place of a melee attack as part of an attack of opportunity. One side is saying it is a standard melee attack only. What is the official stance on this? The rules only state "a single melee attack".

Certain attacks can be used in place of a single melee attack.

For example during a full attack action one may elect to have one's PC make a trip attempt instead of a normal attack.

The sequence could go: Melee Flail attack at BAB 11, Trip Attack w/ Flail (based on BAB 6), and then Melee Flail attack at BAB 1.

-James

[Thazar]

The main item to check out is in the core rule book if the Combat Maneuver states "In place of a melee attack" or "As a standard action in place of an attack."

Notice how the first line of Sunder, Disarm, and Trip read compared to Bull Rush, Grapple, or Overrun.

Disarm
You can attempt to disarm your opponent in place of a
melee attack.

Vs

Bull Rush
You can make a bull rush as a standard action or as part of a
charge, in place of the melee attack.

So I would say some of them can be used as an AoO and some cannot.

[Andrew Besso]

Don't forget the danger that you may provoke an AoO by doing these combat maneuvers.