Move Through Threatened Squares
In addition, you can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics. When moving in this way, you move at half speed. You can move at full speed by increasing the DC of the check by 10. You cannot use Acrobatics to move past foes if your speed is reduced due to carrying a medium or heavy load or wearing medium or heavy armor. If an ability allows you to move at full speed under such conditions, you can use Acrobatics to move past foes. You can use Acrobatics in this way while prone, but doing so requires a full-round action to move 5 feet, and the DC is increased by 5.
Bolding and italics are mine. I guess I just looked at this thoroughly for the first time, and have probably been doing this wrong forever. Per RAW this means that anyone wearing medium or heavy armor (unless they have a feat or skill that lets them move at full speed anyway) CAN NOT even attempt to avoid AoO's when moving through threatened squares?
However, you can still jump and soften a fall only suffering the armor check penalty to the DC?
Am I correct in my interpretation? Also, what is the rationale behind that? Medium and heavy armor prevent you from being acrobatic enough to avoid attacks while moving, but only offer a little hindrance to jumping or falling?
I guess my full-plated paladin pulled an illegal move the one time he tried (and succeeded!) to tumble past an enemy...
That's what I'm saying. I've been letting anyone use Acrobatics to avoid AoO's. Obviously I've been doing it wrong. I just figured the armor check penalty was the mechanical hindrance to tumbling. I didn't even think to look for a blanket "no" you can't do that.
I guess my full-plated paladin pulled an illegal move the one time he tried (and succeeded!) to tumble past an enemy...That's what I'm saying. I've been letting anyone use Acrobatics to avoid AoO's. Obviously I've been doing it wrong. I just figured the armor check penalty was the mechanical hindrance to tumbling. I didn't even think to look for a blanket "no" you can't do that.
Does that mean that any dwarf can tumble in full plate? I think so... :)
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Per RAW this means that anyone wearing medium or heavy armor (unless they have a feat or skill that lets them move at full speed anyway) CAN NOT even attempt to avoid AoO's when moving through threatened squares?
Seems pretty clear that you can't. I suspect a lot of folks hand wave this but if you are a stickler for RAW then no. I would suggest a good alternative is double the ACP for tumbling but then you have to track the second penalty.
However, you can still jump and soften a fall only suffering the armor check penalty to the DC?
Sure, it calls out avoiding AoO's specifically so you can do anything else with just the normal ACP.
Am I correct in my interpretation? Also, what is the rationale behind that? Medium and heavy armor prevent you from being acrobatic enough to avoid attacks while moving, but only offer a little hindrance to jumping or falling?
Yes.
I'm not sure I could really say what the developers were thinking. My main thought is it provides a nice benefit to Fighters and Dwarves when using heavy/ medium armor.
Does that mean that any dwarf can tumble in full plate? I think so... :)I guess my full-plated paladin pulled an illegal move the one time he tried (and succeeded!) to tumble past an enemy...That's what I'm saying. I've been letting anyone use Acrobatics to avoid AoO's. Obviously I've been doing it wrong. I just figured the armor check penalty was the mechanical hindrance to tumbling. I didn't even think to look for a blanket "no" you can't do that.
Yep, dwarves are not blocked by this. Third level fighters ignore it for medium armor, and seventh level fighters ignore it for heavy armor. Does anyone know if there are feats that allow you to move at full speed regardless of armor?
Edit: What do you do with this?
Fast Movement (Ex)
A barbarian’s land speed is faster than the norm for her race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor, and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the barbarian’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to the barbarian's land speed.
The barbarian's base movement would be at, or above depending on race, their "normal" racial speed if they wore medium armor, because you apply the penalty for armor after the increase for Fast Movement. So do they ignore the Acrobatics block?