Question about the "Command" spell rules

[Seiryu]

We were running a PFS game yesterday and I was running a level 5 Inquisitor. I set a bear trap behind a door. When the enemy opened the door, I launched a readied Command spell at him and commanded him to approach. He noticed the bear trap, but the description says of Command says "Approach: On its turn, the subject moves toward you as quickly and directly as possible for 1 round. The creature may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal."

The question is, would this guy have been able to use acrobatics to avoid the trap although he provokes AOOs normally?

Command:

Command

School enchantment (compulsion) [language-dependent, mind-affecting]; Level cleric 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target one living creature

Duration 1 round

Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

You give the subject a single command, which it obeys to the best of its ability at its earliest opportunity. You may select from the following options.

Approach: On its turn, the subject moves toward you as quickly and directly as possible for 1 round. The creature may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal.

Drop: On its turn, the subject drops whatever it is holding. It can't pick up any dropped item until its next turn.

Fall: On its turn, the subject falls to the ground and remains prone for 1 round. It may act normally while prone but takes any appropriate penalties.

Flee: On its turn, the subject moves away from you as quickly as possible for 1 round. It may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal.

Halt: The subject stands in place for 1 round. It may not take any actions but is not considered helpless.

If the subject can't carry out your command on its next turn, the spell automatically fails.

Bear Trap is located on page 186 in the APG.You can also find it at http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedGear.html

Bear Trap:

Bear Trap CR 1

Type mechanical; Perception DC 15; Disable Device DC 20

Effects

Trigger location; Reset manual

Effect Atk +10 melee (2d6+3); sharp jaws spring shut around the creature's ankle and halve the creature's base speed (or hold the creature immobile if the trap is attached to a solid object); the creature can escape with a DC 20 Disable Device check, DC 22 Escape Artist check, or DC 26 Strength check

Thanks

[Te'Shen]

I lean toward no. Unless I failed my perception check, which is always a possibility, there isn't anything in the Acrobatics Skill that says you can use it to dodge traps.

If the npc failed his check and if he was forced to move through the area that contained the trap, I would say he triggered it unless there were some other extenuating circumstances.

Edit: And I'm thinking, the way this is phrased, is more of a rule question, or a question of how different elements interact by rules.

Now if you asked for advice on how to approach the DM after s/he possibly ruled that the npc tumbled out of the way of the trap or how to use this tactic more effectively, that sounds like advice to me.

That's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

[Seiryu]

Sorry, what I meant was he used acrobatics to jump over the trap while he was under the effects of the spell. I spoke with the GM about it and he wants to make sure that he's ruling it correctly as well.

And yes, it is a rules question and I completely missed the rules question forums lol. I couldn't find it, sorry about that. I'll post there thanks.

[Anguish]

Just to play devil's advocate, the command spell also has this nice bit of text: "You give the subject a single command, which it obeys to the best of its ability at its earliest opportunity."

Well. Sticking its leg into a bear trap certainly isn't the best way to obey the command to approach, if the target has the ability to avoid the trap. See where I'm going with this? The enemy approached, which is what you told him to do. You just wanted him to do the job poorly, and get caught up in a trap. Understandable.

This isn't a cut & dried situation, sadly.

[Te'Shen]

Anguish wrote:

Just to play devil's advocate, the command spell also has this nice bit of text: "You give the subject a single command, which it obeys to the best of its ability at its earliest opportunity.". . . .

Fair enough. I just figure that command forces literal behavior rather than analytical behavior since it's one round/six seconds in duration, but that's more of an interpretation rather than a rule.

So... ignore me.