Can one grapple as an AOO, specifically on a Prone or Disarmed opponent?
Thanks
HH
No. Making a grapple requires a standard action. An Attack of Opportunity only allows you to make a single melee attack.
No. Making a grapple requires a standard action. An Attack of Opportunity only allows you to make a single melee attack.
This is true, and a good answer to the initial poster. I'd now like to extend his answer: you CAN disarm, sunder, or trip as an attack of AoO.
Though I wouldn't suggest doing any of those maneuvers as an AoO unless you have an Improved ___ feat, because, well, it'll be hard to follow the combat flow when a monster is taking an AoO on their own turn.
If I've misread, feel free to call me on it.
You used to be able to make an AoO with a grapple in 3.5, but Pathfinder changed that.
Best to take Scorpion Grasp from Sandstorm, it lets you initiate a grapple when you successfully hit with an unarmed strike or light weapon; a poor man's Improved Grab special attack, basically.
So to clarify, if I were to use a Combat Maneuver to give an opponent the prone condition, I could not attempt to grapple him when the opponent attempted to stand?
HH
No, you cannot.
The jury is also out on whether Sunder is a Standard action or a regular melee attack.
The culprit wording is ".... as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack", where one camp interprets an Attack action as a Standard action as detailed under Actions in the Combat chapter, and the other camp interprets an attack action as any attack.
There is supporting evidence for both sides, such as Monk's Flurry of Blows including multiple Sunders, and a developer statement on what Attack Actions are, but there has not yet been a mass agreement either way.
... and a developer statement on what Attack Actions are ...
Sorry for the derailment; I wasn't aware this Sunder's action type was a point of contention. Would you mind posting a link to this post?
A fairly recent Sunder argument
That is a fascinating argument, there. Possibly the most memorable part is that no one in the first page of the thread brought up the words "part of."
Either way, reading it I withdraw Sunder being able to be used as an AoO. Instead, only Trip and Disarm appear to be able to be used in this way.
Either way, reading it I withdraw Sunder being able to be used as an AoO. Instead, only Trip and Disarm appear to be able to be used in this way.
Actually, regardless of which way that argument goes, you should still be able to perform a sunder in such an instance. I believe an AoO is an attack action, qualifying it for use as part of the first interpretation, and a melee attack, qualifying it for for use as part of the second interpretation.
So Sunder as an AoO seems like it would be good. I think.
I believe an AoO is an attack action, qualifying it for use as part of the first interpretation, and a melee attack, qualifying it for for use as part of the second interpretation.
I...am not sure that an AoO is an attack action. Action has specific meaning (standard action, move action, etc). Most of the debate in that thread is about a similarly-described action, Vital Strike, which developers have ruled meant "on a standard action attack" when it said "attack action." That said, there are subtle differences in phrasing in the Sunder rule that I believe could make a difference.
You can attempt to sunder an item held or worn by your opponent as part of an attack action in place of a melee attack.
I don't know that an AoO is an attack action. If you find somewhere that states that it is, let me know. Until then, I, personally, would assume it can only be used as a standard attack or one in the series of a full attack action (I am aware that is not in agreement with the thread - but that's definitely off topic).
AoO's are not attack actions. An attack action is a standard action. You get a basic melee attack. They would specifically say you get to perform an attack action as opposed to can attack for it to be true.