attack of opportunity ? [Archive] - Wizards Community

attack of opportunity ? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
damsel in distress
08-21-04, 12:32 PM 1) Character A starts casting a spell ( not defensively ) that has a casting time of 1 round ( ex: druid casting summon natures ally I)

2) Character B - who has a sword in his hand - moves his speed * 2 and ends up just besides character A before character A has finished casting his spell. Does character B get an attack of opportunity ?

If not - why not ?
If he does: If he was just moving past him on his way to somewhere else, would he then also get his AOO ?

I hope you can help me out on this one guys, it caused some discussion on our latest session and it will have a great impact on our encounters to come ( want to stop this summon master ? - just stay right next to him !)
Heron_Marked_Blade
08-21-04, 12:58 PM I don't believe you can take an AoO while moving (your second example). You don't make AoOs on your turn; they're a response to someone else's action in a space you threaten.

Regarding your first situation (I'm away from my books right now, and the SRD is acting funny on this computer), I think Character B *would* get an AoO on Character A's initiative (right before the spell was completed). Character A would have to make a Concentration check if damage is dealt to see if his spell is interrupted.

I rule this way because casting a summon monster spell takes as long as ice storm's duration; anyone entering ice storm's area of effect during that time takes damage. Since summon monster takes that long, the spellcaster is still spellcasting after Character B moves up, and spellcasting in a threatened area provokes an AoO.

That's how I look at it.
Shadowfax7
08-21-04, 01:22 PM You definitely can't take an AoO if you move past a caster casting a spell. That caster must be the one leaving a square threatened by you, not the opposite.

However, that caster could stop casting (interrupting his spell and losing it) and take an AoO on you, IF he had a weapon in hand, or similarly threatened the square you leave as you moved past him/her.

As far as getting an AoO on a caster casting a 1 round spell after you have taken a double move to arrive adjacent to him/her . . . I say no.

Because this would effectively give you the ability to take a double move and an attack on your turn, something NOT alowed by the rules except by using the charge action.

I recommend you charge the caster while he is casting the 1 round spell.

Now rulewise . . . I interpret the rule about getting an AoO on a caster casting a spell in a threatened square as pertaining to the commencement of casting, not continuation. Thus the caster was not threatened at the time he/she started casting the spell.

If not interpreted like this, it opens up the ability to take a double move and attack w/o using the charge action, which is specifically made for this and carries its own penalties.

To see this more clearly, consider that when you arrive after your double move, you no longer have any time during your turn (6 sec round) to make an attack, unless you had charged.
isbavatar
08-21-04, 02:38 PM I'm not sure, but I think I might rule it just the opposite:

I certainly wouldn't give the advancing individual an immediate AoO on the Druid after his move, but once it rolled around to the Druid's turn on which he would finish the spell, I'd be tempted to say that he's still defensively compromised due to the spellcasting. Thus, just before the summon spell finishes, the individual that advanced into a threatening position gets an AoO on the Druid and a chance to mess up the spell.

But it does make a lot more sense just to charge the Druid... unless there's a Wizard next to him about to cast, I don't know, Power Word Kill or something really nasty like that.
Tonus
08-21-04, 03:25 PM No, you don't continuously provoke. If there is no adjacent enemy to take advantage of the AOO opportunity when you begin casting, you do not get an AOO.

HOWEVER - if the spellcaster takes damage before the spell is completed he must make succeed at a concentration check or lose the spell. So although there is no AOO, the fighter can simply move and attack, and have a chance of disrupting the spellcasting that way.
Egres
08-21-04, 06:01 PM However, that caster could stop casting (interrupting his spell and losing it) and take an AoO on you, IF he had a weapon in hand, or similarly threatened the square you leave as you moved past him/her.
From the SRD:

However, that caster could stop casting (interrupting his spell and losing it) and take an AoO on you, IF he had a weapon in hand, or similarly threatened the square you leave as you moved past him/her.
Shadowfax7
08-22-04, 01:38 PM Egres, it seems you were attempting to quote the SRD, but copy/pasted part of my post in error.

I would be interested in knowing what part of the SRD you were going to quote.
Egres
08-22-04, 04:55 PM Originally posted by Shadowfax7
Egres, it seems you were attempting to quote the SRD, but copy/pasted part of my post in error.

I would be interested in knowing what part of the SRD you were going to quote.

:rofl:

OMG!

Let's try again:

From the SRD:

While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you.

Where did you find the rule allowing you to interrupt your 1 round-long spell casting?
Hypersmurf
08-23-04, 01:06 AM Originally posted by Egres
From the SRD:

While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you.

Quoting a little more would answer the other question, as well:

When you begin a spell that takes 1 round or longer to cast, you must continue the invocations, gestures, and concentration from one round to just before your turn in the next round (at least). If you lose concentration after starting the spell and before it is complete, you lose the spell.

You only provoke attacks of opportunity when you begin casting a spell, even though you might continue casting for at least one full round. While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you.

-Hyp.
damsel in distress
08-23-04, 01:43 PM thanks guys.
On what page did you find that last quote, hypersmurf ?
Egres
08-23-04, 06:45 PM Originally posted by damsel in distress
thanks guys.
On what page did you find that last quote, hypersmurf ?
Page 143 of the 3.5 PHB.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
damsel in distress 08-21-04, 12:32 PM	1) Character A starts casting a spell ( not defensively ) that has a casting time of 1 round ( ex: druid casting summon natures ally I) 2) Character B - who has a sword in his hand - moves his speed * 2 and ends up just besides character A before character A has finished casting his spell. Does character B get an attack of opportunity ? If not - why not ? If he does: If he was just moving past him on his way to somewhere else, would he then also get his AOO ? I hope you can help me out on this one guys, it caused some discussion on our latest session and it will have a great impact on our encounters to come ( want to stop this summon master ? - just stay right next to him !)
Heron_Marked_Blade 08-21-04, 12:58 PM	I don't believe you can take an AoO while moving (your second example). You don't make AoOs on your turn; they're a response to someone else's action in a space you threaten. Regarding your first situation (I'm away from my books right now, and the SRD is acting funny on this computer), I think Character B would get an AoO on Character A's initiative (right before the spell was completed). Character A would have to make a Concentration check if damage is dealt to see if his spell is interrupted. I rule this way because casting a summon monster spell takes as long as ice storm's duration; anyone entering ice storm's area of effect during that time takes damage. Since summon monster takes that long, the spellcaster is still spellcasting after Character B moves up, and spellcasting in a threatened area provokes an AoO. That's how I look at it.
Shadowfax7 08-21-04, 01:22 PM	You definitely can't take an AoO if you move past a caster casting a spell. That caster must be the one leaving a square threatened by you, not the opposite. However, that caster could stop casting (interrupting his spell and losing it) and take an AoO on you, IF he had a weapon in hand, or similarly threatened the square you leave as you moved past him/her. As far as getting an AoO on a caster casting a 1 round spell after you have taken a double move to arrive adjacent to him/her . . . I say no. Because this would effectively give you the ability to take a double move and an attack on your turn, something NOT alowed by the rules except by using the charge action. I recommend you charge the caster while he is casting the 1 round spell. Now rulewise . . . I interpret the rule about getting an AoO on a caster casting a spell in a threatened square as pertaining to the commencement of casting, not continuation. Thus the caster was not threatened at the time he/she started casting the spell. If not interpreted like this, it opens up the ability to take a double move and attack w/o using the charge action, which is specifically made for this and carries its own penalties. To see this more clearly, consider that when you arrive after your double move, you no longer have any time during your turn (6 sec round) to make an attack, unless you had charged.
isbavatar 08-21-04, 02:38 PM	I'm not sure, but I think I might rule it just the opposite: I certainly wouldn't give the advancing individual an immediate AoO on the Druid after his move, but once it rolled around to the Druid's turn on which he would finish the spell, I'd be tempted to say that he's still defensively compromised due to the spellcasting. Thus, just before the summon spell finishes, the individual that advanced into a threatening position gets an AoO on the Druid and a chance to mess up the spell. But it does make a lot more sense just to charge the Druid... unless there's a Wizard next to him about to cast, I don't know, Power Word Kill or something really nasty like that.
Tonus 08-21-04, 03:25 PM	No, you don't continuously provoke. If there is no adjacent enemy to take advantage of the AOO opportunity when you begin casting, you do not get an AOO. HOWEVER - if the spellcaster takes damage before the spell is completed he must make succeed at a concentration check or lose the spell. So although there is no AOO, the fighter can simply move and attack, and have a chance of disrupting the spellcasting that way.
Egres 08-21-04, 06:01 PM	However, that caster could stop casting (interrupting his spell and losing it) and take an AoO on you, IF he had a weapon in hand, or similarly threatened the square you leave as you moved past him/her. From the SRD: However, that caster could stop casting (interrupting his spell and losing it) and take an AoO on you, IF he had a weapon in hand, or similarly threatened the square you leave as you moved past him/her.
Shadowfax7 08-22-04, 01:38 PM	Egres, it seems you were attempting to quote the SRD, but copy/pasted part of my post in error. I would be interested in knowing what part of the SRD you were going to quote.
Egres 08-22-04, 04:55 PM	Originally posted by Shadowfax7 Egres, it seems you were attempting to quote the SRD, but copy/pasted part of my post in error. I would be interested in knowing what part of the SRD you were going to quote. :rofl: OMG! Let's try again: From the SRD: While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you. Where did you find the rule allowing you to interrupt your 1 round-long spell casting?
Hypersmurf 08-23-04, 01:06 AM	Originally posted by Egres From the SRD: While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you. Quoting a little more would answer the other question, as well: When you begin a spell that takes 1 round or longer to cast, you must continue the invocations, gestures, and concentration from one round to just before your turn in the next round (at least). If you lose concentration after starting the spell and before it is complete, you lose the spell. You only provoke attacks of opportunity when you begin casting a spell, even though you might continue casting for at least one full round. While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you. -Hyp.
damsel in distress 08-23-04, 01:43 PM	thanks guys. On what page did you find that last quote, hypersmurf ?
Egres 08-23-04, 06:45 PM	Originally posted by damsel in distress thanks guys. On what page did you find that last quote, hypersmurf ? Page 143 of the 3.5 PHB.