I haven't found anything in the rules regarding these two subjects, so I'm curious: can someone use a combat maneuver as an attack of opportunity? I could see maybe restricting it, saying that maneuvers requiring movement (bull rush, overrun, etc.) are out of the question, but what about using your AoO to start a grapple or disarm the opponent? Is that a viable option?
Combat maneuvers that replace an attack (Trip, Disarm) can be used. Those requiring a standard action (Bull Rush, Dirty Trick) can't.
I haven't found anything in the rules regarding these two subjects, so I'm curious: can someone use a combat maneuver as an attack of opportunity? I could see maybe restricting it, saying that maneuvers requiring movement (bull rush, overrun, etc.) are out of the question, but what about using your AoO to start a grapple or disarm the opponent? Is that a viable option?
It's a tried and proven tactic, especially with combat reflexes and reach. For example, with a reach weapon you could trip medium-sized enemies charging you, preventing their attack, or disarm them, making them mostly harmless in their charge if they are humans.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Fun mental exercise:
Two duelists, each with 20 DEX and Combat Reflexes, but neither has Improved Disarm.
They point their rapiers at each other, and when the bell rings, they attempt to disarm each other.
*DING!*
One of them wins initiative, and attempts his disarm as a standard action. Oops! AoO!
Second duelist uses his AoO as a disarm, but he doesn't have Improved Disarm either. Oops! AoO!
So the first duelist, who has already initiated (but not finished) the original disarm, uses his AoO for another disarm... which provokes again.
Back and forth, back and forth, with each disarm provoking an AoO, and each AoO being a disarm, stacking them up without resolving any of them, until finally someone (specifically, the second duelist) doesn't have any AoO's left to use.
Finally, we can start resolving, until one of them succeeds and ends the match.
All during the first duelist's first action on his first turn.
;)
You can only disarm or trip, not sunder:
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.
The bolded part indicates that you can't sunder as an AoO. An attack action is an action, either standard or full, you take on your turn. An AoO isn't an attack action, so you can't sunder.
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They FAQ'd that to the contrary, actually. Sunder isn't supposed to be "part of an attack action".
EDIT:
LINK
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They FAQ'd that to the contrary, actually. Sunder isn't supposed to be "part of an attack action".
EDIT:
LINK
Wow, that was back in 2012 - why would it not be updated in the PRD?
They FAQ'd that to the contrary, actually. Sunder isn't supposed to be "part of an attack action".
EDIT:
LINK
Ah, whoops - went straight to the PRD instead of checking the FAQ first. Would be nice if they updated the PRD or CRB errata for that... Thanks!
| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Iirc there was a new printing after that FAQ was issued so they either forgot about it or there were editing issues.
On a related note, I was wondering how you handle interruptions generated by maneuvers during AoO when they affect the target's action but do not outright prevent it.
For example, in the above-mentioned scenario of a character with reach tripping a medium charging foe, if the maneuver is successful the charging target falls prone and its action is wasted, but what if the charging opponent gets disarmed instead? Must it finish the charge even if it does not have weapons (using unarmed strike), or can it choose to stop the charge where it is? The same goes for a full attack, assuming the attacker has already moved 5 ft.