Avoiding AoOs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Avoiding AoOs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
tos_shai_hulud
04-06-08, 10:24 PM I am curious about the Concentration skill. Monks have concentration as a class skill. According to the rules, a Concentration check is used any time an action that normally requires full concentration is attempted. I am curious about what sort of action a monk might attempt that he would want to use Concentration to avoid an attack of opportunity for? Attacks are ruled out by the concentration skill (so a monk who did not possess the Improved Trip feat could not attempt a concentration check to avoid the AoO there). Is there anything that a monk does that requires concentration?
Krusk
04-06-08, 11:41 PM Meditation, things like that.

I think it is a fluff skill that was added because monks are supposed to be able to do things like that.
Lilinthra
04-07-08, 09:57 AM I was going to say that Monks do get a few spell-like abilities and might need a Concentration roll for that, but it seems they are actually Supernatural abilities that mimic spells. So Concentration would not be needed for those.

Could just be for flavor as Krusk said.
Merestil Haye
04-07-08, 02:18 PM It's a hangover from 3.0.

The Abundant Step ability was a spell-like ability in 3.0. Use of an (Sp) ability provokes attacks of opportunity unless used defensively, therefore the Monk had Concentration as a class skill.

Now Abundant Step is a (Su) ability, its use no longer provokes AoOs and therefore Monks have no real use for the Concentration skill (unless multiclassing).
Darien_Ashoka
04-08-08, 01:24 AM the Epic Feat Shattering Strike allows use of Concentration checks instead of STR checks to break items.

Yes, I have tried it out and it is completely worth it!
tos_shai_hulud
04-08-08, 07:31 AM I proposed a feat under Unearthed Arcana and House Rules, but have not received many replies. I was really hoping someone would let me know if it looks too powerful, not powerful enough, or just right.

Improved Concentration (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1013913)
1 ton ghost
04-10-08, 12:42 PM I know Rogues can use it (Concentration) when Disabling Device or Opening a Lock, but apart from playing up the ancient zen master routine for monk, I'm kinda' stumped.
Weird feats of strength, endurance challenges, things like that sure, but those are largely for flavor. Apart from from the epic feat and Abundant Step, are there any other applications, practical or otherwise for Concentration? Conjunction w/ other skills? Anything?
runestar
04-11-08, 02:14 AM I proposed a feat under Unearthed Arcana and House Rules, but have not received many replies. I was really hoping someone would let me know if it looks too powerful, not powerful enough, or just right.

Improved Concentration (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1013913)

It sure seems odd. I wouldn't think of using concentration to avoid AoOs from say, getting up from prone, retrieving a disarmed weapon, leaving a threatened square (or at least, I don't see how concentrating real hard lets you avoid those AoOs in the first place).

Power wise, I am not sure. The improved trip/disarm/grapple/sunder feats have extra abilities beyond not provoking AoOs, for a single feat will not render them moot. But overall just seems way too useful, in that it is not at all difficult to boost your skill check such that success is always assured (since you don't fail on a 1). And I am personally not that hot on a single skill allowing blanket removal of all AoO-provoking situations...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tos_shai_hulud 04-06-08, 10:24 PM	I am curious about the Concentration skill. Monks have concentration as a class skill. According to the rules, a Concentration check is used any time an action that normally requires full concentration is attempted. I am curious about what sort of action a monk might attempt that he would want to use Concentration to avoid an attack of opportunity for? Attacks are ruled out by the concentration skill (so a monk who did not possess the Improved Trip feat could not attempt a concentration check to avoid the AoO there). Is there anything that a monk does that requires concentration?
Krusk 04-06-08, 11:41 PM	Meditation, things like that. I think it is a fluff skill that was added because monks are supposed to be able to do things like that.
Lilinthra 04-07-08, 09:57 AM	I was going to say that Monks do get a few spell-like abilities and might need a Concentration roll for that, but it seems they are actually Supernatural abilities that mimic spells. So Concentration would not be needed for those. Could just be for flavor as Krusk said.
Merestil Haye 04-07-08, 02:18 PM	It's a hangover from 3.0. The Abundant Step ability was a spell-like ability in 3.0. Use of an (Sp) ability provokes attacks of opportunity unless used defensively, therefore the Monk had Concentration as a class skill. Now Abundant Step is a (Su) ability, its use no longer provokes AoOs and therefore Monks have no real use for the Concentration skill (unless multiclassing).
Darien_Ashoka 04-08-08, 01:24 AM	the Epic Feat Shattering Strike allows use of Concentration checks instead of STR checks to break items. Yes, I have tried it out and it is completely worth it!
tos_shai_hulud 04-08-08, 07:31 AM	I proposed a feat under Unearthed Arcana and House Rules, but have not received many replies. I was really hoping someone would let me know if it looks too powerful, not powerful enough, or just right. Improved Concentration (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1013913)
1 ton ghost 04-10-08, 12:42 PM	I know Rogues can use it (Concentration) when Disabling Device or Opening a Lock, but apart from playing up the ancient zen master routine for monk, I'm kinda' stumped. Weird feats of strength, endurance challenges, things like that sure, but those are largely for flavor. Apart from from the epic feat and Abundant Step, are there any other applications, practical or otherwise for Concentration? Conjunction w/ other skills? Anything?
runestar 04-11-08, 02:14 AM	I proposed a feat under Unearthed Arcana and House Rules, but have not received many replies. I was really hoping someone would let me know if it looks too powerful, not powerful enough, or just right. Improved Concentration (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1013913) It sure seems odd. I wouldn't think of using concentration to avoid AoOs from say, getting up from prone, retrieving a disarmed weapon, leaving a threatened square (or at least, I don't see how concentrating real hard lets you avoid those AoOs in the first place). Power wise, I am not sure. The improved trip/disarm/grapple/sunder feats have extra abilities beyond not provoking AoOs, for a single feat will not render them moot. But overall just seems way too useful, in that it is not at all difficult to boost your skill check such that success is always assured (since you don't fail on a 1). And I am personally not that hot on a single skill allowing blanket removal of all AoO-provoking situations...