Post/Author/DateTime	Post
fireangel37 02-07-05, 06:52 PM	Alright, I know I should know this, but I'm blanking. Suppose you have this situation where 1 is the orc, 2 is the PC, and X is the solid object. . . . 1 . X X . 2 I understand that cover prevents AoOs so if the PC were tying to stop in cover and reload a crossbow, etc, he would be protected. However, the PC instead moves like this: . . . 1 2 X X . . Does the PC invoke an AoO and why or why not? Thanks in advance.
Beware of Kobold 02-07-05, 08:21 PM	if the PC tries to reload his crossbow in that spot next to the orc, yes, he would provoke and AoO because he doesn't have any cover there.
fireangel37 02-07-05, 09:42 PM	But does he invoke one from moving from the square one down and right of the orc to the square beside the orc (assuming it's not a 5' step, of course)?
Nom 02-07-05, 09:47 PM	I don't think the question you're asking is the one you think you're asking. In the first diagram, the PC can do anything he likes without provoking an AoO from the orc, because he isn't threatened by the orc. If he moves to the position in the 2nd diagram, he still doesn't provoke an AoO when he leaves his starting square, because he hasn't done anything risky in a threatened square (enterting a square does not provoke an AoO). But the PC cannot move diagonally past a corner wall (PH pg 147), so to reach the square indicated in the second diagram he must first move to the square diagonally below the orc (see below). He is now within the orc's threatened area. However, he now gains cover from the wall between him and the orc (PH pg 151), and thus is not subject to attacks of opportunity. Thus, the orc cannot make an AoO as the PC leaves his current square and moves up to be fully adjacent to the orc.1 . X X 2 + If he then reloaded his crossbow while next to the orc, he would provoke an AoO (idiot PC). However, what if the orc is wielding a longspear (a reach weapon). In this case, the orc threatens the PC an AoOs are provoked as normal. "What about cover?" you say. As it happens, the PC gains no cover (unless the orc is an idiot). Using the ranged cover rules, the orc can choose any corner of his square to trace line of effect (PH pg 150). If he chooses the bottom right corner, he can trace a line to each corner of the PC's square without encountering either wall (running along the edge doesn't count). But consider:1 . . X X 2In this case, the PC does have cover, and thus the orc cannot take an AoO against the PC, even though he threatens the PC. The PC can reload his crossbow, move away, or do anything else he wishes without risk. However, were the PC to move as indicated below (from square '+' to sqare '2'), he would provoke an AoO in the square marked '*'. The PC cannot travel diagonally through a corner with a wall (PH pg 147), so must travel first to '*'. At this point, he no longer has cover from the orc, so leaving that square provokes an AoO as normal.1 2 * X X +
Beware of Kobold 02-07-05, 10:01 PM	But does he invoke one from moving from the square one down and right of the orc to the square beside the orc (assuming it's not a 5' step, of course)? No, he wouldn't because the square he leaves that would normally cause him to provoke an AoO has cover from the orc due to the wall, so therefore no AoO as he leaves that square