5 FT STEP
- Thread starter gav
- Start date
sbarrie
Mongoose
A five foot step is a free move you can take if you don't otherwise move. Normally you provoke an Attack of Opportunity (AoO) for leaving a threatened square (not for entering one). This does not occur with a five foot step.
However, actions other than moving can also provoke an AoO. For instance, Sundering a weapon without the Improved Sunder feat, or firing a bow.
The way I handle 5' steps in Conan (I don't have the AE, and this isn't the exact same as the OE), is when you take a 5' step and provoke an AoO for something other than your movement (because a 5' step doesn't provoke for movement), then anybody who can strike you in either square, before or after your 5' step, may take an AoO against you.
E.g. Dextro is armed with bow, but Sinestros is attacking him with an arming sword. If Dextro fires his bow, Sinestros should get an AoO against Dextro for firing the bow. If Dextro moves 30' from Sinestros, then Sinestros gets an AoO for Dextro leaving his threatened area. If Dextro takes a 5' step from Sinestros and fires his bow, Sinestros still gets an AoO. This is different than DnD3 rules for 5' steps.
Note that if Sinestros moved away from Dextro, or if Sinestros sundered Dextro's bow Dextro would not get an AoO, because bows don't threaten adjacent areas, only melee weapons do. Dextro should clearly drop the damn bow and fight with a real weapon. (If Dextro had the feat Improved Unarmed Fighting, he could take AoOs with his unarmed attacks, even while holding the bow.)
Finally, if Dextro took a 5' step, dropped his bow (a free action), drew his poinard (a move action), and stabbed Grippa who was standing nearby (a standard action), then Sinestros would not get an AoO, since none of those actions provoke AoOs.
However, actions other than moving can also provoke an AoO. For instance, Sundering a weapon without the Improved Sunder feat, or firing a bow.
The way I handle 5' steps in Conan (I don't have the AE, and this isn't the exact same as the OE), is when you take a 5' step and provoke an AoO for something other than your movement (because a 5' step doesn't provoke for movement), then anybody who can strike you in either square, before or after your 5' step, may take an AoO against you.
E.g. Dextro is armed with bow, but Sinestros is attacking him with an arming sword. If Dextro fires his bow, Sinestros should get an AoO against Dextro for firing the bow. If Dextro moves 30' from Sinestros, then Sinestros gets an AoO for Dextro leaving his threatened area. If Dextro takes a 5' step from Sinestros and fires his bow, Sinestros still gets an AoO. This is different than DnD3 rules for 5' steps.
Note that if Sinestros moved away from Dextro, or if Sinestros sundered Dextro's bow Dextro would not get an AoO, because bows don't threaten adjacent areas, only melee weapons do. Dextro should clearly drop the damn bow and fight with a real weapon. (If Dextro had the feat Improved Unarmed Fighting, he could take AoOs with his unarmed attacks, even while holding the bow.)
Finally, if Dextro took a 5' step, dropped his bow (a free action), drew his poinard (a move action), and stabbed Grippa who was standing nearby (a standard action), then Sinestros would not get an AoO, since none of those actions provoke AoOs.
Thankyou thats a great help.
I dont have the book in front of me so im assuming that you only get one AoO per round?
Also I guess the benefit of the 5ft step is it helps you not to be cornered by the enemy?
When it comes to actions standard,full etc. I still have some explaining to do as in 2e dnd you attacked once or twice on average, now you have attack and full attack, standard, full and move actions does this slow the game down in your opinion and did your players get to grips with this ok from my first couple of readings this was a bit confusing???
Thanks again for the great example, {personaly I could do with more examples but im asuming most people are familiar with 3E] apologies if this is going over the same old ground
I dont have the book in front of me so im assuming that you only get one AoO per round?
Also I guess the benefit of the 5ft step is it helps you not to be cornered by the enemy?
When it comes to actions standard,full etc. I still have some explaining to do as in 2e dnd you attacked once or twice on average, now you have attack and full attack, standard, full and move actions does this slow the game down in your opinion and did your players get to grips with this ok from my first couple of readings this was a bit confusing???
Thanks again for the great example, {personaly I could do with more examples but im asuming most people are familiar with 3E] apologies if this is going over the same old ground
You only get one AoO a round, unless you have the combat reflexes feat, which allows you to make up to 1+(Dex bonus) AoO a round.
The logic of standard action/full attack option is not so bad once you get used to it. It basically boils down to this:
move action+standard action
(or)
5-foot step+full attack
Although, the moves don't always have to proceed the attacks.
5-foot steps are useful for many things. For a fighter equipped with a reach weapon that cannot be used next to adjacent foes, 5-foot steps are necessary to get into attack position against an opponent who is currently adjacent. 5-foot steps are also useful when trying to flank opponents, without drawing an AoO (and to avoid being thus flanked).
The logic of standard action/full attack option is not so bad once you get used to it. It basically boils down to this:
move action+standard action
(or)
5-foot step+full attack
Although, the moves don't always have to proceed the attacks.
5-foot steps are useful for many things. For a fighter equipped with a reach weapon that cannot be used next to adjacent foes, 5-foot steps are necessary to get into attack position against an opponent who is currently adjacent. 5-foot steps are also useful when trying to flank opponents, without drawing an AoO (and to avoid being thus flanked).
sbarrie
Mongoose
Yes, you may normally make only one Attack of Opportunity a round. The feat Combat Reflexes increases this number.
The use of 5' steps will become clear after playing bit. If an enemy's close, it's better to make a 5' step and a Full Attack, rather than move and make a single attack. The system's really designed for miniatures and a grid. Here's some one inch graph paper if you need it.
I brought my current crop of players in cold from AD&D (1st edition).
In any round, you have the following options:
The only way to take more than one attack is with a Full round action. That includes Two weapon fighting, and characters with a Base Attack Bonus of +6 or more.
Here's a site which explains the 3.5 rules nicely. Assume Conan's the same for now
The use of 5' steps will become clear after playing bit. If an enemy's close, it's better to make a 5' step and a Full Attack, rather than move and make a single attack. The system's really designed for miniatures and a grid. Here's some one inch graph paper if you need it.
I brought my current crop of players in cold from AD&D (1st edition).
In any round, you have the following options:
- Full round action
- Standard action plus move action (in either order)
- 2 Move actions
The only way to take more than one attack is with a Full round action. That includes Two weapon fighting, and characters with a Base Attack Bonus of +6 or more.
Here's a site which explains the 3.5 rules nicely. Assume Conan's the same for now
Sutek
Mongoose
Also, keep in mind that although Warrior A can only make a single AoO per round unless he has Combat Reflexes, Warrior B can rack up more than one AoO against himself by doing too many dangerous things on his turn. Dropping a aweapon, casting a spell and 5' stepping out of an opponent's square in one round incurs 3 AoOs, for instance.
Always best to take that step first and to not try to do too much at once...
Always best to take that step first and to not try to do too much at once...
