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I have two questions the first is this.
I am standing next to a wizard with a ready to hit him if he casts spells. the wizard decides to cast. what happens first my ready or the aoo. and if it is the ready does he test for spell failure right away? or do I still get the aoo.
the second question. if I ready to move next to him if he starts casting a spell do I still get the aoo?
I have two questions the first is this.
I am standing next to a wizard with a ready to hit him if he casts spells. the wizard decides to cast. what happens first my ready or the aoo. and if it is the ready does he test for spell failure right away? or do I still get the aoo.
the second question. if I ready to move next to him if he starts casting a spell do I still get the aoo?
The way i see it. Your ready would be the aoo. Would be unfair if you got two attacks in.
I would say no, you would have to be next to him when he starts to cast, not mid cast.
the problem though is a ready isn't an aoo. you can do lots of stuff with it. including 5 foot step etc that you can't do with an aoo. the readied action actually makes it your turn going just before the opponents.
Two whacks. Its not unfair. Its the attack of opportunity to which he was entitled and the held action he's entitled to.
Besides,if a caster is dumb enough to stand next to someone and not 5 foot step away OR cast defensively, they deserve the axe to the head.
Two whacks. Its not unfair. Its the attack of opportunity to which he was entitled and the held action he's entitled to.
Besides,if a caster is dumb enough to stand next to someone and not 5 foot step away OR cast defensively, they deserve the axe to the head.
right that's where my second question comes in though your answer suggests it works. in this case my monk has a 60 foot move. if I stand 30 say from an enemy spell caster and say if he casts I move next to them.
as the ready I move up, he then actually starts to cast triggering an aoo. I then trip him.
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Two whacks. Its not unfair. Its the attack of opportunity to which he was entitled and the held action he's entitled to.
Besides,if a caster is dumb enough to stand next to someone and not 5 foot step away OR cast defensively, they deserve the axe to the head.
right that's where my second question comes in though your answer suggests it works. in this case my monk has a 60 foot move. if I stand 30 say from an enemy spell caster and say if he casts I move next to them.
as the ready I move up, he then actually starts to cast triggering an aoo. I then trip him.
mostly correct, and a great way to trick the caster into thinking hes safe, but i'm fairly sure your attack of opportunity must be a melee attack not a trip attempt.
trips can be done in place of an attack. though if there is an exception please point it out. I just thought this was a great way to take advantage of my move.
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trips can be done in place of an attack. though if there is an exception please point it out. I just thought this was a great way to take advantage of my move.
after further investigation i have not found anything to support my claims. keep tripping the casters, disarm the potions, and sunder the scrolls with those aoos.
right that's where my second question comes in though your answer suggests it works. in this case my monk has a 60 foot move. if I stand 30 say from an enemy spell caster and say if he casts I move next to them.
as the ready I move up, he then actually starts to cast triggering an aoo. I then trip him.
I don't think so. A readied action MUST be a standard action. You cannot use half of your move action and a standard action as a readied action. The closest thing to doing that would be a partial charge, which i don't think works in pathfinder
If you are able to take only a standard action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed) and you cannot draw a weapon unless you possess the Quick Draw feat. You can't use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action on your turn.
It sounds like this is something you can only do when slowed or staggered, not simply holding an action.
The feats in the step up chain are designed for harassing wizards. You pretty much need them to stop someone from casting by making 5 foot steps..
right that's where my second question comes in though your answer suggests it works. in this case my monk has a 60 foot move. if I stand 30 say from an enemy spell caster and say if he casts I move next to them.
as the ready I move up, he then actually starts to cast triggering an aoo. I then trip him.
I don't think so. A readied action MUST be a standard action. You cannot use half of your move action and a standard action as a readied action. The closest thing to doing that would be a partial charge, which i don't think works in pathfinder
If you are able to take only a standard action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed) and you cannot draw a weapon unless you possess the Quick Draw feat. You can't use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action on your turn.
It sounds like this is something you can only do when slowed or staggered, not simply holding an action.
The feats in the step up chain are designed for harassing wizards. You pretty much need them to stop someone from casting by making 5 foot steps..
A readied action does not have to be a standard action. You just have to use a standard action to set up the readied action which can be a move action.
A readied action does not have to be a standard action. You just have to use a standard action to set up the readied action which can be a move action.
-Right, but he wants to move up AND whack the wizard.
Readying an Action: You can ready a standard action, a move action, a swift action, or a free action. To do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. Then, anytime before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character's activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action. Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.
You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don't otherwise move any distance during the round.
right that's where my second question comes in though your answer suggests it works. in this case my monk has a 60 foot move. if I stand 30 say from an enemy spell caster and say if he casts I move next to them.
as the ready I move up, he then actually starts to cast triggering an aoo. I then trip him.
I don't think so. A readied action MUST be a standard action. You cannot use half of your move action and a standard action as a readied action. The closest thing to doing that would be a partial charge, which i don't think works in pathfinder
He isn't suggesting that you can do both the move and the standard action as a readied action.
He suggested that you use the readied action to move close to the spellcaster, also allowing you to make an attack of opportunity against him.
I would personally allow that.
right that's where my second question comes in though your answer suggests it works. in this case my monk has a 60 foot move. if I stand 30 say from an enemy spell caster and say if he casts I move next to them.
as the ready I move up, he then actually starts to cast triggering an aoo. I then trip him.
I don't think so. A readied action MUST be a standard action. You cannot use half of your move action and a standard action as a readied action. The closest thing to doing that would be a partial charge, which i don't think works in pathfinder
He isn't suggesting that you can do both the move and the standard action as a readied action.
He suggested that you use the readied action to move close to the spellcaster, also allowing you to make an attack of opportunity against him.
I would personally allow that.
This is how I read his intent also.
Still kinda iffy. I think the wizard would be able to do his 5 foot step to move away
Still kinda iffy. I think the wizard would be able to do his 5 foot step to move away
Not while he is in the middle of casting. You can't just stop doing one action to do another, and then go back to the previous action. I don't even think you can just stop a committed action with a full round action being an exception, and that is only because it says you can.
Still kinda iffy. I think the wizard would be able to do his 5 foot step to move awayNot while he is in the middle of casting. You can't just stop doing one action to do another, and then go back to the previous action. I don't even think you can just stop a committed action with a full round action being an exception, and that is only because it says you can.
You don'thave to stop an action to 5 foot step though. You can do it in the middle of a full round attack , just like you can use quickdraw to draw during a full round attack.
You can move 5 feet in any round when you don't perform any other kind of movement. Taking this 5-foot step never provokes an attack of opportunity. You can't take more than one 5-foot step in a round, and you can't take a 5-foot step in the same round that you move any distance.
You can take a 5-foot step before, during , or after your other actions in the round.
Still kinda iffy. I think the wizard would be able to do his 5 foot step to move awayNot while he is in the middle of casting. You can't just stop doing one action to do another, and then go back to the previous action. I don't even think you can just stop a committed action with a full round action being an exception, and that is only because it says you can.You don'thave to stop an action to 5 foot step though. You can do it in the middle of a full round attack , just like you can use quickdraw to draw during a full round attack.
You can move 5 feet in any round when you don't perform any other kind of movement. Taking this 5-foot step never provokes an attack of opportunity. You can't take more than one 5-foot step in a round, and you can't take a 5-foot step in the same round that you move any distance.
You can take a 5-foot step before, during , or after your other actions in the round.
I did not know about the "during". I guess the caster could step away.
this discussion started with my dm when he had the idea of npc usin a ready action to do a partial charge. I thought it seemed potential
.y strong. but I thought of this move trick while examining the mechanics.
to re iterate. I was earlier suggesting to ready a move action. this puts my int before the wizards I move next to him. then his declared action goes off which Ithen triggers an attack of Oportortu ity.
this trick if legit seems pretty solid use of a monks high movement
I do not think that 5-foot steps should allow you to declare an action in one location, then change your mind based entirely on the consequences of that action in that location. Once you declare the action you have to see through at least that part of it; you can't say "I want to provoke am AoO in this square", then "No, nevermind, I want to provoke an AoO in this square".
It's not just that you're moving mid-action, it's that you're taking back the part that you've already done (the "begins casting a spell" part). In fact, you're taking back that part of the action based only on an unforseen result of that part of the action.
If you ARE going to allow players to rewrite reality you should at least be fair about it. "Okay, you never began casting a spell in space 1A, so the fighter's readied action never triggered, and he never moved to space 1A. Now you're in space 1B. You begin casting a spell, so the fighter moves to be adjacent to you..."
this discussion started with my dm when he had the idea of npc usin a ready action to do a partial charge.
I think that worked in 3.5 But as i said.. not pathfinder.
It's not just that you're moving mid-action, it's that you're taking back the part that you've already done (the "begins casting a spell" part). In fact, you're taking back that part of the action based only on an unforseen result of that part of the action.
Thats just it though, you're not taking back an action, or responding to an action that drew an aoo. The wizard triggered a ready action by STARTING to cast a spell. That readied action moves the monk over to the wizard. If the monk is at the absolute limit of his movement, i don't see why the wizard couldn't 5 foot step to be too far away from the monk to hit when the monk moved from square 1 to square 2, since its all during the wizards turn.
If the monk has extra movement, i think once the monk reaches him he immediately causes the aoo. So the monk moves, the wizard moves, the monk keeps moving, and hits with the aoo.
Thats just it though, you're not taking back an action, or responding to an action that drew an aoo.
I disagree. The monk will say "I ready an action in response to anyone starting to cast a spell" (if he doesn't then he simply hasn't worded it well). Because to "start casting a spell" is to provoke attacks of opportunity, and the monk wants his readied action to happen in response to (i.e immediately before) that.
If the wizard doesn't actually start to cast a spell, then the monk's readied action doesn't go off. If the wizard does actually start to cast a spell, then that decision needs to be resolved, including all of its consequences.
I also wouldn't allow someone to 5-foot step away from a creature that's invisible or has reach (i.e, a creature whom the wizard didn't know would be able to make an AoO), at least not retroactively. Nor would I allow someone to make a trip attempt, fail, and then take a 5-foot step to avoid being tripped in turn.
I do not think that 5-foot steps should allow you to declare an action in one location, then change your mind based entirely on the consequences of that action in that location. Once you declare the action you have to see through at least that part of it; you can't say "I want to provoke am AoO in this square", then "No, nevermind, I want to provoke an AoO in this square".
It's not just that you're moving mid-action, it's that you're taking back the part that you've already done (the "begins casting a spell" part). In fact, you're taking back that part of the action based only on an unforseen result of that part of the action.
If you ARE going to allow players to rewrite reality you should at least be fair about it. "Okay, you never began casting a spell in space 1A, so the fighter's readied action never triggered, and he never moved to space 1A. Now you're in space 1B. You begin casting a spell, so the fighter moves to be adjacent to you..."
The rules do say during so it is legal. The fairness of it is another thread altogether.
this discussion started with my dm when he had the idea of npc usin a ready action to do a partial charge. I thought it seemed potential
.y strong. but I thought of this move trick while examining the mechanics.to re iterate. I was earlier suggesting to ready a move action. this puts my int before the wizards I move next to him. then his declared action goes off which Ithen triggers an attack of Oportortu ity.
this trick if legit seems pretty solid use of a monks high movement
Partial charge does not exist in PF. You can charge as a standard action when limit to a standard action, but I think the limits was for things like surprise rounds that only allow you to get one standard action, and nothing else.
If the tactic was valid I think it would have been heard of by now, but that "limited to a standard action" is vague.
In this case, though, the 5-foot step would need to be taken during another person's action, namely during the readied action or during the AoO. I don't think the rules support that.
Why not between the readied action and the AoO?In this case, though, the 5-foot step would need to be taken during another person's action, namely during the readied action or during the AoO. I don't think the rules support that.
I was thinking the same thing.
Why not between the readied action and the AoO?
According to my reading?
Readied actions happen before the action that triggers them. AoOs also happen before the action that triggered them. These actions happen retroactively.
5-foot steps do not happen retroactively. A 5-foot step can happen at any point during your turn, yes, but the parts of your turn still need to happen in the order that you declare them (you can't make a later decision out-of-turn just to see what happens, for the purposes of making earlier decisions, which is what this whole thing boils down to).
If you want to take a 5-foot step before you begin casting a spell, then you need to actually declare your 5-foot step you begin casting your spell. If you declare your 5-foot step after you start casting a spell, then it happens after you start casting that spell.
What you COULD say is that any AoOs are resolved first, making it impossible to get there in time via a readied move action, but the fact that readied actions are so open-ended makes me feel like there ought to be some way to make it do what you want. Either way, though, I certainly don't believe that 5-foot steps on the wizard's part have anything to do with it.
Why not between the readied action and the AoO?According to my reading?
Readied actions happen before the action that triggers them. AoOs also happen before the action that triggered them. These actions happen retroactively.
5-foot steps do not happen retroactively. A 5-foot step can happen at any point during your turn, yes, but the parts of your turn still need to happen in the order that you declare them (you can't make a later decision out-of-turn just to see what happens, for the purposes of making earlier decisions, which is what this whole thing boils down to).
If you want to take a 5-foot step before you begin casting a spell, then you need to actually declare your 5-foot step you begin casting your spell. If you declare your 5-foot step after you start casting a spell, then it happens after you start casting that spell.
What you COULD say is that any AoOs are resolved first, making it impossible to get there in time via a readied move action, but the fact that readied actions are so open-ended makes me feel like there ought to be some way to make it do what you want. Either way, though, I certainly don't believe that 5-foot steps on the wizard's part have anything to do with it.
The wizard(player) could state that is going to take one step away as the opponent is running towards him. That could allow the opponent to close the distance, but have the caster stepping away just as the melee guy stops directly in from of him.
The wizard(player) could state that is going to take one step away as the opponent is running towards him. That could allow the opponent to close the distance, but have the caster stepping away just as the melee guy stops directly in from of him.
The wizard player just said "I begin casting a spell".
If he wants to say "I take a 5-foot step", well, he can say that, but it won't actually happen until I finish resolving the last thing he told me. In my opinion, that's something so basic that it doesn't need to be stated; things happen in order, unless and except when the rules say they don't.
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I'm completely not sure on this one. I think it comes down to how you interpret this line from the 5-foot step rules:
You can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round.
How does the during function exactly? Can you only do it during your actions in your turn or does that include others players actions (such as AoOs)?
The wizard(player) could state that is going to take one step away as the opponent is running towards him. That could allow the opponent to close the distance, but have the caster stepping away just as the melee guy stops directly in from of him.The wizard player just said "I begin casting a spell".
If he wants to say "I take a 5-foot step", well, he can say that, but it won't actually happen until I finish resolving the last thing he told me. In my opinion, that's something so basic that it doesn't need to be stated; things happen in order, unless and except when the rules say they don't.
Combat in real life revolves around turns. In the game it is simultaneous. As soon as I see someone running at me it takes nothing, but a thought to change my current position which is why the "during" of the 5 ft step is important. It allows a special break in the rules that other actions don't. The readied action was triggered on the spell being cast. The AoO is triggered on the wizard still being there casting when the melee guy reaches his destination spot. Depending on how the melee guy worded his readied action he may just be able to follow the caster despite the 5 ft step and still get the AoO.
I guess an important thing to look at is whether the 5 ft step is completed before the AoO takes place because until it is the caster is still in the original square, and ripe for the picking.
I'm completely not sure on this one. I think it comes down to how you interpret this line from the 5-foot step rules:
You can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round.How does the during function exactly? Can you only do it during your actions in your turn or does that include others players actions (such as AoOs)?
In this case, I think the only way for him to even have the option would be if he could take his 5-foot step as a "response" of some kind. The AoO and the movement are both happening in response to him beginning to cast a spell, and to have any hope of interrupting that (either acting between those two things or at the same time as one of them) you need to be able to act in the same 'slice of time', so to speak. Remember that a response is supposed to happen IMMEDIATELY before the thing that triggers it.
I feel like I'm in danger of repeating myself now, though; I've made my argument as well as I can, and it may turn out that other arguments still make more sense to you. :)
I'm completely not sure on this one. I think it comes down to how you interpret this line from the 5-foot step rules:
You can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round.How does the during function exactly? Can you only do it during your actions in your turn or does that include others players actions (such as AoOs)?
I always thought the "during" part was to allow a player to make a 5-foot step between attacks during a full-round action.
This is definitely an interesting debate. I'm not at all sure what is the "correct" (or the intended) way to handle this sequence of events.
Firstly the monk could have "Step Up" (and the feat chain attached) to counter the wizard's 5ft step (should he be allowed one, which I don't think he is).
Although it doesn't really matter for this debate, the Sargava companion features the "Rhino Charge" feat which allows you to ready a charge (though only move up to your speed on the charge, rather than double-speed).
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I'm completely not sure on this one. I think it comes down to how you interpret this line from the 5-foot step rules:
You can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round.How does the during function exactly? Can you only do it during your actions in your turn or does that include others players actions (such as AoOs)?In this case, I think the only way for him to even have the option would be if he could take his 5-foot step as a "response" of some kind. The AoO and the movement are both happening in response to him beginning to cast a spell, and to have any hope of interrupting that (either acting between those two things or at the same time as one of them) you need to be able to act in the same 'slice of time', so to speak. Remember that a response is supposed to happen IMMEDIATELY before the thing that triggers it.
I feel like I'm in danger of repeating myself now, though; I've made my argument as well as I can, and it may turn out that other arguments still make more sense to you. :)
No. You're making your point very well and I think I have to agree with your view. I just needed to thrash a few things out in response, is all.
I think unless a ruling is made that a 5-foot step can interrupt in the same way a readied action does then unfortunately you can't step back in that situation as far as the rules go.
It'd be interesting to hear what the implications might be if such a rule were to be introduced however.
Sorry Wraithstrike, but I think that, by RAW, Hydro is right. If the Wizard say "I start casting a spell", then the readied action is triggered and resolved before the action that triggered it. So the Monk move in a square adjacent to the wizard. Now, the Wizard is still casting a spell, and the AoO resovles itself before the Wizard action. So, even if the Wizard can take a 5-ft step "during" his action, it doesn't even matter, because both the readied action and the AoO are resolved "before" the Wizard's action. Now, is this really RAI? I can't tell, but we "may" have found a little trick that will shrink the gap between spellcasters and non-spellcasters a little more. :P
I am going to restrict that "during" to full round attacks as a houserule. It seems that without it things get complicated since the only reason I can think of too 5 ft step during the middle of any action other than a full round attack is to avoid an AoO. Otherwise you would only do it before or after.
Sorry Wraithstrike, but I think that, by RAW, Hydro is right. If the Wizard say "I start casting a spell", then the readied action is triggered and resolved before the action that triggered it. So the Monk move in a square adjacent to the wizard. Now, the Wizard is still casting a spell, and the AoO resovles itself before the Wizard action. So, even if the Wizard can take a 5-ft step "during" his action, it doesn't even matter, because both the readied action and the AoO are resolved "before" the Wizard's action. Now, is this really RAI? I can't tell, but we "may" have found a little trick that will shrink the gap between spellcasters and non-spellcasters a little more. :P
Actually they occur before the spell is resolved, not before it begins since an AoO interupts the action, and if possible the action that provoked the AoO is completed. By being able to 5 ft step during your own action you are doing two actions at once that are independent of each other.
The only thing it seems that is required for a 5-ft step is that it be your turn and you have not moved, or you are not currently moving.
Let's say there's a trapped door that opens up a 5-foot wide pit under the space immediately in front of the door whenever someone tries to open it. Then let's say Bob the Fighter walks up and tries to open the door, and the DM tells him, "Alright, make a reflex save. The floor opens up under you." So Bob the Fighter says, "Alright, I 5-foot-step back so I'm not over the pit."
Does that mean he no longer has to make a reflex save?
Sorry Wraithstrike, but I think that, by RAW, Hydro is right. If the Wizard say "I start casting a spell", then the readied action is triggered and resolved before the action that triggered it. So the Monk move in a square adjacent to the wizard. Now, the Wizard is still casting a spell, and the AoO resovles itself before the Wizard action. So, even if the Wizard can take a 5-ft step "during" his action, it doesn't even matter, because both the readied action and the AoO are resolved "before" the Wizard's action. Now, is this really RAI? I can't tell, but we "may" have found a little trick that will shrink the gap between spellcasters and non-spellcasters a little more. :PActually they occur before the spell is resolved, not before it begins since an AoO interupts the action, and if possible the action that provoked the AoO is completed. By being able to 5 ft step during your own action you are doing two actions at once that are independent of each other.
The only thing it seems that is required for a 5-ft step is that it be your turn and you have not moved, or you are not currently moving.
Even if it worked the way you say it works, what could prevent the Monk to reach the Wizard anyway, given that his base speed his high enough? If the Monk states "I ready a standard action (converted into a move action) to move into a square adjacent to the Wizard" and the Wizard back up while the Monk is moving, why the Monk should stop in a square that is not adjacent to the Wizard anymore, if he still have the possibility to move further?
Let's say there's a trapped door that opens up a 5-foot wide pit under the space immediately in front of the door whenever someone tries to open it. Then let's say Bob the Fighter walks up and tries to open the door, and the DM tells him, "Alright, make a reflex save. The floor opens up under you." So Bob the Fighter says, "Alright, I 5-foot-step back so I'm not over the pit."
Does that mean he no longer has to make a reflex save?
That is not even close to what I was proposing. In your example the fighter wants to take a 5 ft step back after the trap door opens which is the same as the caster waiting until the axe is swinging at his head. At that point it is to late.
..... why the Monk should stop in a square that is not adjacent to the Wizard anymore, if he still have the possibility to move further?
I actually brought that point up earlier, which is part of my decision to restrict the "during to full round attack actions", since I don't see it being beneficial in any other case without causing some type of rules entanglement.
That is not even close to what I was proposing. In your example the fighter wants to take a 5 ft step back after the trap door opens which is the same as the caster waiting until the axe is swinging at his head. At that point it is to late.Let's say there's a trapped door that opens up a 5-foot wide pit under the space immediately in front of the door whenever someone tries to open it. Then let's say Bob the Fighter walks up and tries to open the door, and the DM tells him, "Alright, make a reflex save. The floor opens up under you." So Bob the Fighter says, "Alright, I 5-foot-step back so I'm not over the pit."
Does that mean he no longer has to make a reflex save?
As soon as the Wizard say "I'm casting Magic Missile", the "trap" is triggered. However, that "trap" is, in fact, an angry-looking Monk running toward him. Sure, it doesn't make much sense if the Wizard can't even take a 5-ft-step while the monk is moving something like 50ft, so I guess I would allow the mage to back up. However, since it's all happening in the same time frame (the triggered action is happening during the spellcasting, and the 5-ft-step is happening during the spellcasting, so the 5-ft-step is happening during the Monk's movement), I would allow the Monk to end is move action in an "updated" location determined by the 5-ft-step of the Wizard. Of course, the Wizard could just cast of the defensive to prevent an AoO from the Monk.
thank you everyone. it mostly answered what I was looking for. I will also bring up the rhino charge feat to my dm.
The wizard would not be able to take a 5 foot step to 'back away' to the suddenly moving monk.
Readying is a standard action. You can ready a standard, move, swift or free action. So, yes a monk could use a move, and use his standard to ready another move.
But this is not a charge. He can move up when the wizard starts to cast.
However, the monk wasn't threatening the wizard when he started casting. So he doesn't get his attack of opportunity.
Otherwise we can start doing this crazy logic: Monk who is very fast, standing 10 feet from a fighter. Monk readies a crazy move action to 'move in a big U' next to the fighter when the fighter takes a move action.
_ _ _
| . . . |
X . . .O
Where X is the monk. Fighter's turn. Fighter declares a move action to move up to the monk (so he can hit him). READIED ACTION: Monk zips around, the fighter provokes an attack of opportunity from leaving a threatened space! Monk hits him and the fighter completes his move. BUT NOW HE'S HERE:
. . . . X
. O . . .
And the monk is out of reach. The fighter can't use his standard action to whack him.
That would be an awesomely cool tactic for a Monk though. I'd easily allow that from cool-factor alone :)
(At least once.. It wouldn't be equally cool the second time :P)
Stuff.
Pilum, you can't use Vital Stike as part of an AoO or a partial charge.
Also, Sekret_One, there's nothing wrong with a Monk using a readied action to back up from a Figther when he moves toward him. Both are losing their round and won't attack, so it's not overpowered or whatever. The fighter could just pick another target or take is bow with quick draw and shoot something.