Post/Author/DateTime	Post
HotSorceress 02-15-07, 05:51 PM	I have three questions. One of my players insists that using a swift or immediate action uses up your AoO for the round. No where have I found this. Is this true? Secondly, how does hiding work in combat? If, for example, the rogue takes one of the feats that allows you to hide after something happens like making a reflex save, what happens next round. Let's say the bad guy goes first. He makes a spot check and can't see the rogue, so he attacks someone else. Then the rogue's turn pops up and he moves out of hiding to attack the bad guy. Is the bad guy flat-footed against the rogue, or how does that work? The same question would apply for bad guys who hide until x round and then show up. I've never been real clear on that. Third, I have a question about movement. See diagram below 1 2 M 3 Assume M is the monster. If a player wants to move from 1 to 3, he would have to go 1,2,3, right? He couldn't 5-step from 1 to 3? I'm assuming it's the same rules as going around corners, but I'm not sure. Thanks in advance for the help.
Vegepygmy 02-15-07, 06:31 PM	One of my players insists that using a swift or immediate action uses up your AoO for the round. No where have I found this. Is this true?I have never seen such a rule. Your player might be confused by the fact that AoOs are like immediate actions in that you can perform them even when it's not your turn...but if so, I have no idea how he could extend that misunderstanding to swift actions, too. Secondly, how does hiding work in combat?For the most part, it doesn't. You can't Hide while being observed. If you can somehow distract your opponents, you may be able to Hide in the middle of a combat. If you successfully Hide, you are effectively invisible to those who fail their Spot checks. This does not make "bad guys" flat-footed, but it does deny them their Dex bonus to AC (and give you a +2 on attack rolls to hit them). I hope that answers your questions. Third, I have a question about movement.No, nothing prohibits the player from taking a 5-foot step from 1 to 3. "You can’t move diagonally past a corner (even by taking a 5-foot step). You can move diagonally past a creature, even an opponent. You can also move diagonally past other impassable obstacles, such as pits." (PHB, page 147.)
Istaran 02-15-07, 07:20 PM	I have never seen such a rule. Your player might be confused by the fact that AoOs are like immediate actions in that you can perform them even when it's not your turn...but if so, I have no idea how he could extend that misunderstanding to swift actions, too. There is no such rule. AoOs predate immediate actions. The descriptions for immediate actions do not reclassify AoOs as immediate actions (like they do for Feather Fall). They are different things. Big major example of difference: Combat Reflexes. A character can have multiple AoOs per round, but can never have multiple Immediate actions per round. As for how he could misunderstand it to swift actions: 1) assume incorrectly that an AoO is an immediate action. 2) assume incorrectly that using a swift action prevents an immediate action until your following turn begins. (That's backward: using an immediate action instead prevents you from using a swift action until the end of your following turn.) 3) under those incorrect assumptions, logically a swift action would prevent you from using AoOs (and other immediate actions) until your next turn.
ScipioX 02-15-07, 07:26 PM	Secondly, how does hiding work in combat? If you actually stab somebody from hiding, then you are effectively invisible. But if you emerge from cover and move towards the target, he sees you and is no longer denied his dex bonus. (Just as if you started the turn around a corner)
Inigo Carmine 02-15-07, 07:29 PM	For the most part, it doesn't. You can't Hide while being observed. If you can somehow distract your opponents, you may be able to Hide in the middle of a combat. If you successfully Hide, you are effectively invisible to those who fail their Spot checks. This does not make "bad guys" flat-footed, but it does deny them their Dex bonus to AC (and give you a +2 on attack rolls to hit them). I hope that answers your questions. All correct, but further elaboration: Read the description for the bluff skill, it has a way of distracting an opponent to possibly hide. Once someone has had their turn come up in combat, they are no longer flat footed. Only a very few specific things make someone flat footed after they have had a turn, your enemy not seeing your attack (because they are hidden/invisible/etc) is not one of them. If the rogue manages to hide, the enemy will be denied their dex bonus, which overlaps with and is synonomous with flat footed 90% of the time, but it is still important to note the distinction for those 10% of cases. Remember that to be hiding, the rogue requires cover and or concealment. They continue to require this even after the initial check. If the rogue hides during combat, he will not be able to remain hidden from the enemy and attack them in melee unless they retain cover/concealment the whole time. It is always a good idea for a rogue to have a ranged weapon that is good for up to 30' (the limit on sneak attack). In closing, the easiest way for a rogue to gain sneak attack after a battle has started is through flanking or magic (greater invisibility and blink being the best).