Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Slimgauge 11-20-07, 03:59 PM	Here's what the SRD says about the Withdraw (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#withdraw) action: Withdraw Withdrawing from melee combat is a full-round action. When you withdraw, you can move up to double your speed. The square you start out in is not considered threatened by any opponent you can see, and therefore visible enemies do not get attacks of opportunity against you when you move from that square. (Invisible enemies still get attacks of opportunity against you, and you can’t withdraw from combat if you’re blinded.) You can’t take a 5-foot step during the same round in which you withdraw. If, during the process of withdrawing, you move out of a threatened square (other than the one you started in), enemies get attacks of opportunity as normal. You may not withdraw using a form of movement for which you don’t have a listed speed. Here's what the SRD says about Crawling (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#move) Crawling You can crawl 5 feet as a move action. Crawling incurs attacks of opportunity from any attackers who threaten you at any point of your crawl. Question: Can you use the withdraw action when crawling, or does the lack of a listed crawl speed mean you can't ? In game situation: Narrow corridor with creatures A, B and C in order. B and C are allies. A trips B. B, starting prone, wants to move thru C's square (allies may pass thru friendly occupied squares) to get behind him. If he stands and then moves, he takes two AoOs from A, one for standing and one for leaving a threatened square. If he crawls away as two move actions, he gets only the AoO from leaving A's threatend square. B gets brilliant idea to do a withdraw action, claiming he has a listed land speed, it's just reduced to 5' by the fact that he's got to crawl. This would mean he doesn't take an AoO in or when leaving his starting square, because it's no longer considered threatened.
tyrecian 11-20-07, 06:26 PM	I might be off on this, but we ruled that yes you could... but usually it didnt come up because it was rarely the only square from which crawlling would not provoke... :P But yes, as a DM, i was ruling that a PC could withdraw, essentially the same as a withdraw action standing... however, most of my players didnt do that since it meant they were still prone and couldn't move as far... It is a tough situation, since you draw an AoO for moving through threatenned (other than starter) and for standing, and there is nothing (i know of) that can make these two go away... :( My players generally just get up and take the AoO, or ready an action to get up while the tank, cleric, druid, or someone with HPs takes an AoO to allow them to get up free (guessing that the monster has no CReflexes)... But yes, i would say that you could withdraw crawling... Although it rarely will come up, there should be a way to withdraw in any circumstance where you are free to move.