Can you combat maneuver on an attack of opportunity?

[Vardandor]

Can you combat maneuver on an attack of opportunity? I am playing a pole arm fighter and it would be nice if I could try to trip my opponents as they close in on me.

[Vardandor]

/bump please someone help me out here I need an answer.

[Speaker for the Dead]

Yes. Combat maneuvers like trip can be performed as an AoO.

[Crank]

I was under the impression only melee attacks can be used in an attack of opportunity. From d20PFSRD:

d20PFSRD wrote:

An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack, and most characters can only make one per round.

Is a combat maneuver considered a melee attack? I never considered it such (even though it is considered an attack roll).

[Speaker for the Dead]

Trip, sunder, grapple and disarm are combat maneuvers that substitute for a melee attack so they can be used for an AoO. Bull rush and over-run do as well but since you have to move you can't use them as an AoO.

[Finlanderboy]

You can do anything that replaces an attack.

Trip, disarm, and sunder.

The others cost a standard action and you can not. So no grapple, steal, reposition, drag, and ect

[Crank]

Gotcha. And I found the text to back it up:

d20PFSRD wrote:

When performing a combat maneuver, you must use an action appropriate to the maneuver you are attempting to perform. While many combat maneuvers can be performed as part of an attack action, full-attack action, or attack of opportunity (in place of a melee attack), others require a specific action.

Good to know!

[Speaker for the Dead]

Opinions vary :-)

[njharman]

Some combat maneuvers can (the ones that say can be used "in place of a melee attack") others can not (ones that define that they are an action type, usually standard).

[Finlanderboy]

Speaker for the Dead wrote:

Opinions vary :-)

There is no opinion about grapple, or other standard costing manuevers. There are builds and feats build around these standard action costing abilities.

Ofcourse if you want to homerule. Then it is not an opinion but a home rule.

There is some debate on sunder.

[Cheapy]

There's no debate on sunder. Not anymore, at least

[Kazumetsa Raijin]

Trip, Disarm, and Sunder may be used instead of the normal melee attack.

[Finlanderboy]

Cheapy wrote:

There's no debate on sunder. Not anymore, at least

Yeah, I knew that was out there but I can not find them like you.

CHeapy is awesome.

[StreamOfTheSky]

On top of trip, disarm, and sunder, there are ways to AoO with other maneuvers.

The Barbarian's Knockback rage power lets you replace a melee attack with a form of bull rush (that also does minor damage) once per round.

Monster special attacks like Grab, Push, and Pull "chain" for free off of a melee hit, including AoOs with the appropriate natural weapon. Most likely to be used by an eidolon/synthesis, a druid or his companion, or any beast shape user.

The Shield Slam feat gives a free bull rush attempt with each hit with your shield.

And there's more options beyond that, I'm sure...