can you Cleave off of an AO? [Archive] - Wizards Community

can you Cleave off of an AO? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TheRealOrion
12-29-06, 04:13 PM Can you Cleave off of an Attack of Opportunity? The description doesn't say either way:

If you deal a creature enough damage to make it drop (typically by dropping it to below 0 hit points or killing it), you get an immediate, extra melee attack against another creature within reach. You cannot take a 5-foot step before making this extra attack. The extra attack is with the same weapon and at the same bonus as the attack that dropped the previous creature. You can use this ability once per round.

Conceivably, between Great Cleave and Combat Reflexes, you could string an AO into a lot of kills. Or could you? I'm not sure how I feel about this!
StevenO
12-29-06, 04:28 PM Technically Yes, you may use cleave to make an attack against any opponent you threaten if you drop an opponent with an AoO.

Some people would like to completely eliminate that possibility. The big problem is getting a free attack on a target that is otherwise inelligable for the attack that triggered off the cleave. I and others don't quite like the open-ended nature of the cleave triggered attack and instead reset your attacks to the same point they were before the cleave was triggererd.

Situation: You are fighting an Orc. Another Orc tries to run past you with a third waiting to run past as well. It is not your turn and you have use of cleave.
Standard rules: Orc moves past triggering AoO. If AoO drops orc you cleave into orc you are currently fighting. Third orc moves by.
My varient: Orc moves past triggering AoO. AoO drops orc but cleave gives you back AoO. Third orc moves by triggering AoO (saved by cleave) and gets hit.

The variation does infringe on Combat Reflexes but remember you must drop the target for it to be effective. The key is to keep Cleave useful for extra attacks when an opponent goes down but keep from penalizing opponents who don't deserve the extra attack.
mvincent
12-29-06, 04:49 PM Can you Cleave off of an Attack of Opportunity?From the 3.5 FAQ:
"If an attack of opportunity drops a foe, can the attacker
then make a follow-up Cleave attack?
Yes. The Cleave feat doesn’t say anything about the attack
that triggers it having to be made on the attacker’s turn."
TheRealOrion
12-29-06, 06:54 PM Done and done. Thanks!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TheRealOrion 12-29-06, 04:13 PM	Can you Cleave off of an Attack of Opportunity? The description doesn't say either way: If you deal a creature enough damage to make it drop (typically by dropping it to below 0 hit points or killing it), you get an immediate, extra melee attack against another creature within reach. You cannot take a 5-foot step before making this extra attack. The extra attack is with the same weapon and at the same bonus as the attack that dropped the previous creature. You can use this ability once per round. Conceivably, between Great Cleave and Combat Reflexes, you could string an AO into a lot of kills. Or could you? I'm not sure how I feel about this!
StevenO 12-29-06, 04:28 PM	Technically Yes, you may use cleave to make an attack against any opponent you threaten if you drop an opponent with an AoO. Some people would like to completely eliminate that possibility. The big problem is getting a free attack on a target that is otherwise inelligable for the attack that triggered off the cleave. I and others don't quite like the open-ended nature of the cleave triggered attack and instead reset your attacks to the same point they were before the cleave was triggererd. Situation: You are fighting an Orc. Another Orc tries to run past you with a third waiting to run past as well. It is not your turn and you have use of cleave. Standard rules: Orc moves past triggering AoO. If AoO drops orc you cleave into orc you are currently fighting. Third orc moves by. My varient: Orc moves past triggering AoO. AoO drops orc but cleave gives you back AoO. Third orc moves by triggering AoO (saved by cleave) and gets hit. The variation does infringe on Combat Reflexes but remember you must drop the target for it to be effective. The key is to keep Cleave useful for extra attacks when an opponent goes down but keep from penalizing opponents who don't deserve the extra attack.
mvincent 12-29-06, 04:49 PM	Can you Cleave off of an Attack of Opportunity?From the 3.5 FAQ: "If an attack of opportunity drops a foe, can the attacker then make a follow-up Cleave attack? Yes. The Cleave feat doesn’t say anything about the attack that triggers it having to be made on the attacker’s turn."
TheRealOrion 12-29-06, 06:54 PM	Done and done. Thanks!