Quick Draw and Attacks of Opportunity


Rules Questions

Shadow Lodge

Scenario: I am granted an AoO with weapon#1 (let's say I tripped somebody and I have Greater Trip). The AoO is not specifically tied to Weapon#1 (e.g., via Fortuitous). For my granted AoO, I'd like to use a different weapon currently in an accessible sheath. I have Quick Draw.

-- Can I drop #1, free-action quickdraw #2 & smack?


Sounds reasonable by RAW.


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As far as I know, having an AoO doesn't allow you to take any other actions except for the attack.

Free actions can only be taken on your turn (with an exception for speaking).

So I don't think it's allowed.

Also, my interpretation of fortuitous is that it's still tied to the weapon with the enchant.

Quote:
This special ability can be placed only on melee weapons. A fortuitous weapon grants the wielder more attacks of opportunity. Once per round, when the wielder of a fortuitous weapon hits with an attack of opportunity, he can make a second attack of opportunity with this weapon against that foe at a –5 penalty.


It doesn't work. As pointed out no free actions when it's not your turn- with some exceptions for dependent actions (there is an FAQ, I'll link later if no-one beats me to it) drawing a weapon wouldn't qualify.


Claxon wrote:

As far as I know, having an AoO doesn't allow you to take any other actions except for the attack.

Free actions can only be taken on your turn (with an exception for speaking).

Rules wrote:
You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally.

So if you consider an AoO an 'action' it could be allowed.

And the specific situation described was taking an AoO during your own turn through Greater Trip.


http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9shq

In your turn, via greater trip or the like, it works fine. Off turn it's a no go- as per the FAQ.(sorry about not linking, on phone).


Matthew Downie wrote:
Claxon wrote:

As far as I know, having an AoO doesn't allow you to take any other actions except for the attack.

Free actions can only be taken on your turn (with an exception for speaking).

Rules wrote:
You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally.

So if you consider an AoO an 'action' it could be allowed.

And the specific situation described was taking an AoO during your own turn through Greater Trip.

Right, but it still doesn't work in his example because he's asking to use the 2nd attack granted by Fortuitous to deal damage with another weapon. But Fortuitous seems to make it pretty clear you must use the same weapon.


Sir Thugsalot wrote: "...not tied to a specific weapon..."
I got the impression he knew about fortuitous locking the AoO to the weapon.


I got the impression he didn't think Fortuitous tied it to a specific weapon.

Otherwise why would he use e.g. which means "for example"?


He meant this:

Quote:
The AoO is not specifically tied to Weapon#1 (e.g., as it would be if it was an AoO via Fortuitous)


It should work.


GMs have a lot of discretion when it comes to what Free Actions are allowed or not. When you are Tripping someone with Greater Trip, it usually is your turn, and you can take Free Actions during your turn. But Attacks of Opportunity happen out-of-turn even when it is your turn, so maybe not.

Free Actions often happen in conjunction with other actions, so why not with Attacks of Opportunity? For instance, what if you or some creature made a Tentacle Attack as an Attack of Opportunity? Most Tentacles have Grab, allowing a Free Action Grapple immediately following the Attack. I'm pretty sure that you can get that free Grapple check even if you made that Tentacle Attack as a Attack of Opportuntiy. Of course, what if you then wanted to release the Grapple, also a Free Action? Will you be allowed to release the Grapple?

I read about this a fair amount when I was debating about the Throwing Shield. Free Actions are called out in the Core Rulebook as something you can expect table variation on.


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There are several problems with the idea:

1) You can't make an AoO with a weapon with which you don't threaten. You cannot threaten with a weapon you are not currently wielding.

If someone wants to argue that the above is wrong, my first question to you is going to be: Can I wear a boot blade (and thus threaten adjacent squares) and use my bow for any AoO's provoked in that area?

2) You cannot take free actions outside of your turn unless explicitly called out (eg, speaking). The FAQ on grab, trip, etc, sets a precedent that free actions that are associated with something else you are doing are allowed off turn. Drawing a weapon is not an action associated with making an attack though. i.e, just because a creature with a free grab check on a successful attack gets that free grab during an AoO, does not mean that same creature could also drop prone as part of an AoO.

3) I find the argument that you can take free actions when taking another action normally a weak one for this scenario. The context of the rules in which actions are discussed is a context of "things you can do during your turn" (excepting immediate actions which specifically say you can use them outside of turn). That is normally you can take actions on your turn, and only on your turn. If some exception allows you to take some actions outside of your turn, that is not the normal condition. But again refer to the FAQ for precedent. If you have an ability that let's you take a move action outside of your turn, that should probably also let you stealth during such a move, or take an acrobatics check during that move. But it should not allow you free actions that are not associated with movement.

Additionally, if you can take any free action you want just because you took an AoO (or other action outside of turn), then you can also take a swift action in those same instances - because swift actions can be taken any time you can take a free action. Such a ruling does not seem to fit with the intended purpose of swift actions, and thus is in all likelihood an incorrect interpretation of them.


Speaking in combat is a free action, drawing ammunition is a free action. Both of these things (with Snap Shot and Combat Reflexes for the latter) are frequently done multiple times out of turn by many characters.

The whole 'no free actions out of turn' argument is played-out and passé at this point.


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FAQ wrote:
While you can’t take most free actions off your turn
CRB on speaking wrote:
In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn't your turn.

This is the only free action that specifies it can be used when it's not your turn.

It is neither played out nor passe.

Grand Lodge

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LoudKid wrote:

Speaking in combat is a free action, drawing ammunition is a free action. Both of these things (with Snap Shot and Combat Reflexes for the latter) are frequently done multiple times out of turn by many characters.

The whole 'no free actions out of turn' argument is played-out and passé at this point.

And both of those things have special exceptions to allow them to be done outside your turn. That's not a valid argument.

Shadow Lodge

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So an archer can draw a 2' arrow out of his quiver and hook it into another weapon (which requires the arrow's addition in order to function) faster than I can draw and slash with a weapon using a feat specifically worded to make said activity happen in the blink of an eye?

<furrowed-eyebrows scowl>

(IRL, you could do this before acceleration due to gravity has taken your dropped weapon all the way to the ground.)

Grand Lodge

Bringing realism into it doesn't really help prove your point. A Gunslinger can reload and shoot a powder weapon multiple times in 6 seconds.

The rules purposely do not allow free actions other than talking outside of your turn (Snapshot is a special case of an FAQ saying you can draw the ammunition while using the feat).

If you dislike it, then talk to your GM about houseruling it. It's not super unreasonable.


Jurassic Pratt wrote:
Bringing realism into it doesn't really help prove your point.

Every time someone tries to bring realism into a fantasy conversation, somewhere in the world, a catgirl dies


I don't recall drawing and nocking an arrow being a free action. Nocking, at least, is specifically called out as "not an action", so whose turn it is doesn't enter into it anyway.

Default, you can't take free actions out of turn unless the specific action says you can. No reason a GM can't allow specific actions to be taken out of turn, though--if you can speak, for example, you could probably waggle your eyebrows or wave at someone out of turn so long as your eyebrows or hand weren't otherwise occupied--assuming those are actions at all.

Grand Lodge

blahpers wrote:

I don't recall drawing and nocking an arrow being a free action. Nocking, at least, is specifically called out as "not an action", so whose turn it is doesn't enter into it anyway.

Default, you can't take free actions out of turn unless the specific action says you can. No reason a GM can't allow specific actions to be taken out of turn, though--if you can speak, for example, you could probably waggle your eyebrows or wave at someone out of turn so long as your eyebrows or hand weren't otherwise occupied--assuming those are actions at all.

You're correct in recalling that nocking the arrow is "not an action" but drawing ammunition is indeed a free action.

CRB on Drawing/Sheathing a Weapon wrote:
Drawing ammunition for use with a ranged weapon (such as arrows, bolts, sling bullets, or shuriken) is a free action.


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bbangerter wrote:

There are several problems with the idea:

1) You can't make an AoO with a weapon with which you don't threaten. You cannot threaten with a weapon you are not currently wielding.

I don't think this is the case, at least not exactly.

Attacks of Opportunity, Threatened Squares wrote:
You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not your turn. Generally, that means everything in all squares adjacent to your space (including diagonally). An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from you.

The rule says you have to Threaten the Square somehow, but I don't see where it says the attack you make has to be the attack you Threaten with, or even an attack you Threaten with. Normally, this would never happened, but maybe the OP has found a way.

bbangerter wrote:
If someone wants to argue that the above is wrong,

*Raises my hand*

bbangerter wrote:
my first question to you is going to be: Can I wear a boot blade (and thus threaten adjacent squares) and use my bow for any AoO's provoked in that area?

Not unless you have Snap Shot Feats, no. But,

Making an Attack of Opportunity wrote:
An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack,

The reason why you can't make Attacks of Opportunity with your bow is not that you aren't Threatening with your bow, but that Attacks of Opportunity are always melee attacks, and unless you have a Bowstaff or your Bow has a bayonet, you can't make a melee attack with a Bow. Shooting people is a Ranged Attack, not a Melee Attack.

bbangerter wrote:
You cannot take free actions outside of your turn unless explicitly called out (eg, speaking). The FAQ on grab, trip, etc, sets a precedent that free actions that are associated with something else you are doing are allowed off turn. Drawing a weapon is not an action associated with making an attack though.

Free Actions are fraught with exceptions, though.

Core Rulebook, Actions in Combat, Free Actions wrote:
Free Action: Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, there are reasonable limits on what you can really do for free, as decided by the GM.

Drawing a weapon via Quickdraw really seems to fit the rule here, although RAW specifically states there is to be table variation. Frustrating, since the best thing I can say here is that a GM is clearly not violating RAW by allowing you to do this. And he is clearly not violating RAW by disallowing it, either.


Jurassic Pratt wrote:
blahpers wrote:

I don't recall drawing and nocking an arrow being a free action. Nocking, at least, is specifically called out as "not an action", so whose turn it is doesn't enter into it anyway.

Default, you can't take free actions out of turn unless the specific action says you can. No reason a GM can't allow specific actions to be taken out of turn, though--if you can speak, for example, you could probably waggle your eyebrows or wave at someone out of turn so long as your eyebrows or hand weren't otherwise occupied--assuming those are actions at all.

You're correct in recalling that nocking the arrow is "not an action" but drawing ammunition is indeed a free action.

CRB on Drawing/Sheathing a Weapon wrote:
Drawing ammunition for use with a ranged weapon (such as arrows, bolts, sling bullets, or shuriken) is a free action.

Blargh, knew I missed something. *shrug*


Scott Wilhelm wrote:

bbangerter wrote:
my first question to you is going to be: Can I wear a boot blade (and thus threaten adjacent squares) and use my bow for any AoO's provoked in that area?

Not unless you have Snap Shot Feats, no. But,

Let's understand why snap shot makes a difference here.

Snap Shot wrote:


While wielding a ranged weapon... you threaten squares within 5 feet of you. You can make attacks of opportunity with that ranged weapon.

That's odd. As soon as you can threaten with a ranged weapon, you also can make AoO's with it.

And conversely:

Threatened Squares wrote:


If you’re unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of opportunity.

And as soon as you don't threaten, you can't make AoO's.

Now you can read those another way if you really want, but context, really... context.

Scott Wilhelm wrote:


Free Actions are fraught with exceptions...

Lot's of rules are "fraught with exceptions" - so this isn't a valid argument to why it would be allowed. None of that changes that exceptions must still be called out specifically.

That's why the FAQ on grab, trip, etc exists.

That's why summoner life link was changed to a non-action, so it could be used without violating the rules. They could have just as easily made it a rules exception to taking that particular free action outside of your turn.


Threatened Squares wrote:
If you’re unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of opportunity.
bbangerter wrote:
And as soon as you don't threaten, you can't make AoO's.

True. If you don't Threaten, you can't make Attacks of Opportunity. And you can't Threaten with a Bow. But while the rules say you can't make Attacks of Opportunity if you Threaten nothing, the rules don't say you can only make an Attack of Opportunity with a weapon you Threaten with, at least, not to my knowledge.

So, what if you had could Improved Unarmed Strike and were wielding a bow? You could make attacks of opportunity, but not with a bow. Because you aren't Threatening with a bow? No: because the rules say that Attacks of Opportunity are only melee attacks, and you don't make melee attacks with a Bow, except perhaps if you Snap Shot Feats.

The problem here is that Bow is a bad example.

So, what if you were fighting Soviet Union style with Hammer and Sickle? Can you Trip your opponent with your Sickle, and then beat on them with a Hammer? Sure: you don't have to make the Attack of Opportunity with the same weapon that netted you the AoO in the first place. But, as you might quite correctly point out, in this scenario, you are 2 weapon fighting. You are already Threatening with the Hammer. You aren't arguing that you can normally make your Attack of Opportunity with any weapon you Threaten with. Your problem is that if your weapon is sheathed, you don't Threaten with it, and the ability to Threaten with it with after taking a Free Action is not good enough.

So Hammer and Sickle is a bad example of this, too.

bbangerter wrote:
Lot's of rules are "fraught with exceptions" - so this isn't a valid argument

I don't like the argument either, but I think that is what we are left with.

The example we need is an iajutsu master. A samurai, perhaps with Improved Unarmed Strike, who can make Attacks of Opportunity with his Katana while his Katana is sheathed.


A 3rd-level samurai can draw his chosen weapon as if he had Quick Draw.


So, what is the original poster's intent? To look cool or to break the game? If it's to look cool, then I'm all for it... If he has an ulterior motive, no way, Jose.

Shadow Lodge

My "ulterior motive" is to take the AoO-granted attack with a different weapon than the one which secured the AoO via a maneuver. For example, to one I have Weapon Training in, or which is my Sacred Weapon, or which is a one-handed so swashbuckler or dervish stuff works. All that "cool" stuff.

Grand Lodge

Sir Thugsalot wrote:
My "ulterior motive" is to take the AoO-granted attack with a different weapon than the one which secured the AoO via a maneuver. For example, to one I have Weapon Training in, or which is my Sacred Weapon, or which is a one-handed so swashbuckler or dervish stuff works. All that "cool" stuff.

And I totally dig the flavor of that. Unfortunately the rules just don't support it.

It'd be a super reasonable houserule though. Just talk to your GM instead of the board (as is the solution to alot of things asked on the rules forums funnily enough). :)


Slim Jim wrote:
A 3rd-level samurai can draw his chosen weapon as if he had Quick Draw.

Yes, but I could find no statement about his ability, or lack thereof, to make attacks of opportunity with that weapon while sheathed. If he could do this via a special Class Ability, that would imply that not just everyone with the Quickdraw Feat could do that.


Vardeman wrote:
So, what is the original poster's intent? To look cool or to break the game? If it's to look cool, then I'm all for it... If he has an ulterior motive, no way, Jose.

The problem with this is that Know Alignment is only a fantasy makebelieve magic spell. Magic Spells that know people's souls don't exist in the real world.

The best we can do is to make sure the same set of rules apply to everybody, even people who aren't nice. It's sort of an equal protection under the law, civil rights thing.


Jurassic Pratt wrote:


It'd be a super reasonable houserule though. Just talk to your GM instead of the board (as is the solution to alot of things asked on the rules forums funnily enough). :)

Well, the rules forum is for the purpose of "What do the rules actually allow/disallow in game play" and not for what any given GM would houserule, or make exceptions for because of coolness, or any other reason. So this isn't terribly surprising :).


I found this in the Can I use a Long Spear at 5' and 10' FAQ

Quote:
You could choose to wield your longspear as an improvised blunt weapon. In this case, it threatens only your adjacent squares, and not the further squares. If you are wielding it as a longspear, though, to threaten the further squares, then your grip precludes the use as an improvised blunt weapon. The rules are silent on how long it would take to shift between the two, but switching between a one-handed and a two-handed grip with a one-handed weapon like a longsword is a free action (and can thus be only taken on your turn), so it should take at least as long as that, thus preventing you from simultaneously threatening all of the squares at once.

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