Attacks of Opportunity?

[JimmyNids]

Single melee strike is standard action, spells are standard actions(mostly). My DM insists if you cast a spell you can't make attacks of opportunity, regardless of being a magus holding a sword and casting. Anyone have a point of official reference either way proving one of these conclusively? If I cast a std spell but can't make an AoO even though armed, why should a fighter who uses the same time to shout while swinging a sword??

[KurenaiYami]

Wait, let me get this straight.

Your DM says that if you cast a spell you cannot perform an attack of opportunity, under the reasoning that you have already used your standard action?

An attack of opportunity is not a standard action. It's a "free" attack you get when your opponents leave themselves open.

Essentially, it's best to think of it as not taking an action at all.

[John Templeton]

If a character was casting a full round spell ie Sumon Monster I would agree about no AoO but if casting a standard action spell acid orb they should still get an AoO, if they armed of course.

[Robespierre]

You're DM is new isn't he?

[Serisan]

It sounds like your DM is new. The only time this should ever be an issue is if you are casting a 1-round or longer cast time spell. In that case, you are still speaking in a strong voice and making your somatic gestures when the provoke occurs, with your attention primarily on the spell you are casting. Even still, I'm vague on whether this actually affects things, as long as you are armed.

If you cast a spell with a standard action, you're no longer speaking or gesturing. Your concentration is not encompassed by the spell as it has already been resolved.

[Windquake]

The Attack of Opportunity assumes you have a weapon in hand that threatens (or have some kind of unarmed strike/claw/bite/etc).

So if you have a wizard that is holding a dagger, and casts a spell, and then someone runs by you, you can take your attack of opportunity, most definitely!

[Dosgamer]

If you're not threatening (i.e., still casting a spell, concentrating on maintaining a spell you've already cast, not holding a weapon or having natural attacks, etc.) then you don't get an AoO. If you're not otherwise engaged and you're holding a weapon then you threaten and you can roll your AoO. Good luck!

[Canzy77]

O.K so this argument came up involving AoO. does taking a 5 foot step into difficult terrain give an AoO? That was 30 min. of rule fighting that I could have done without.

[BigNorseWolf]

You can't take a 5 foot step in difficult terrain (sans special ability)

[Joana]

So yes, not only does it incur an attack of opportunity but it also takes your move action.

[Canzy77]

Danke!

[Trikk]

Canzy77 wrote:

O.K so this argument came up involving AoO. does taking a 5 foot step into difficult terrain give an AoO? That was 30 min. of rule fighting that I could have done without.

We could never remember if it was impossible to 5-foot INTO or OUT OF difficult terrain. Both makes sense and sometimes we run it as both.

[sumguy182]

So lets say the board looks like this:

[D][D][D][ ]
[D][X][D][ ]
[D][D][D][H]

D = Difficult terrain
X = Enemy
H = Hero

The argument was "Would stepping into the difficult terrain squares provoke an attack of opportunity?" I was the one running the game. I would say no because you are not stepping out of a threatened square. The argument that a player had was that you have to use 2 movement to step into that difficult terrain square and he would get an attack because of that 2nd movement cost. Does anyone know of a clear ruling on this?

[Trikk]

sumguy182 wrote:

So lets say the board looks like this:

[D][D][D][ ]
[D][X][D][ ]
[D][D][D][H]

D = Difficult terrain
X = Enemy
H = Hero

The argument was "Would stepping into the difficult terrain squares provoke an attack of opportunity?" I was the one running the game. I would say no because you are not stepping out of a threatened square. The argument that a player had was that you have to use 2 movement to step into that difficult terrain square and he would get an attack because of that 2nd movement cost. Does anyone know of a clear ruling on this?

You don't provoke an AoO for moving into a threatened square.

[Tilnar]

sumguy182 wrote:

So lets say the board looks like this:

[D][D][D][ ]
[D][X][D][ ]
[D][D][D][H]

D = Difficult terrain
X = Enemy
H = Hero

The argument was "Would stepping into the difficult terrain squares provoke an attack of opportunity?" I was the one running the game. I would say no because you are not stepping out of a threatened square. The argument that a player had was that you have to use 2 movement to step into that difficult terrain square and he would get an attack because of that 2nd movement cost. Does anyone know of a clear ruling on this?

Well, you're both partially right:

- He can't 5' step into difficult terrain (it's a move action and costs double, unless he has a feat or power that alters that), but:
- You don't provoke for moving into a threatened square.

So, net result, there's no AoO, unless the hero's got reach (because, then, X is threatened before his move). Having said that, if the opposite situation were to happen, and X were to move away from the hero to the position you have marked, it would provoke, since he left a threatened square and can't make a 5'-footer due to the terrain.