5' step is gone, right?

[GM 8574 - SFS]

Just to confirm, the 5' step is now gone, and there's only the "Guarded Step" move action, correct? I want to make sure that I'm not shorting my players, but I like that the list of what causes attacks of opportunity has gotten so much shorter, so they shouldn't need to use a 5' step as often.

Thanks!

[Imbicatus]

Correct. Guarded Step is the pathfinder 5 foot step, but it requires a move action.

[Saker]

I also noticed there's no combat reflexes which makes sense if they want to reduce the number of attacks in a round.

[HWalsh]

Saker wrote:

I also noticed there's no combat reflexes which makes sense if they want to reduce the number of attacks in a round.

This is also why "Step Up" and "Step up and Strike" are pretty much "must have feats" for melee. Much like Pathfinder and Power Attack - These are too good to pass up.

[Wrath]

Step up can't be used to then make an AoO though. It uses your reaction already.

Step up and strike still allows the move and attack, but again you can't AoO any more because your reaction has been used for the feat.

So, a caster takes guarded step for 5'gap. Player uses step up feat. Caster still casts spell but can't be disrupted because the player used his reaction already for step up.

Eg 2 - caster uses guarded step for 5' distance. Player uses step up and strike to follow and hit him. Caster then casts spell without disruption because the player has used his reaction.

Disrupting spells will be quite hard unless you can force the AoO (stopping movement at all), or maybe doing continual damage (burning etc)

This makes things like the Solarian ability to hold an opponent in place so an ally can disrupt casting much more powerful and probably better justifies the loss of attacking action to do so.

[Matthew Downie]

Yeah, sounds like Step Up isn't much good for disrupting spells, but is the best way to get a full melee attack on your next turn against an enemy who wants to guarded-step away from you.

Probably too early to say if that makes it essential or not, and it might depend a lot on your GM's tactics. (Maybe they'd be more likely to just have the caster walk away and eat the AoO...)

[HWalsh]

Wrath wrote:

Step up can't be used to then make an AoO though. It uses your reaction already.

Step up and strike still allows the move and attack, but again you can't AoO any more because your reaction has been used for the feat.

So, a caster takes guarded step for 5'gap. Player uses step up feat. Caster still casts spell but can't be disrupted because the player used his reaction already for step up.

Eg 2 - caster uses guarded step for 5' distance. Player uses step up and strike to follow and hit him. Caster then casts spell without disruption because the player has used his reaction.

Disrupting spells will be quite hard unless you can force the AoO (stopping movement at all), or maybe doing continual damage (burning etc)

This makes things like the Solarian ability to hold an opponent in place so an ally can disrupt casting much more powerful and probably better justifies the loss of attacking action to do so.

Step Up doesn't allow an AoO - It does allow a Full Attack however on your next turn as you don't have to move.

Spell disruption isn't the only use for those feats. They allow a step and next round full attack on any gun user too.

[Wrath]

Oh yeah, absolutely agree HWalsh. I have no issue with the feats as they are.

But thought it was important to point this out for folks reading this since you stated it's a must have feat set. That statement is a bit misleading in a conversation about five foot steps and guarded step.

[Matthew Downie]

As has been pointed out elsewhere, reach weapons threaten at 5 & 10 feet in Starfinder, so if you have one of those you probably don't need Step Up.

[Imbicatus]

Step up and strike allows you to defer your attack to allow another reaction. So a caster takes a guarded step to move 5', you use your reaction to use step up and strike to follow him. Step up and strike gives a bonus reaction you can use to either immediately attack or you can wait for another trigger. If the casternthan strikes, you can use the bonus reaction from step up and strike to interrupt the spell.