Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Qwicksilver 03-02-07, 11:46 AM	Does Spring Attack allow a player to move in directions other than towards an enemy and back in the opposite direction? 1. Can I Spring attack towards an enemy and move off at a direction other than directly where i came from? 2. Can I Spring attack towards an enemy but perhaps use that movement to move around obstacles etc? 3. Lastly, the most weird use of spring attack I can see, does sidestepping 5 ft while still staying in melee range with a creature, attacking and then moving constitute a spring attack. This is to imply that all I need to do is move before and after an attack and I can gain the benefits of not provoking an AoO from the creature I'm attacking. In terms of what's written, it seems so, but I'm more concerned with what's fair in terms of balance and realism.
tarkin 03-02-07, 11:56 AM	1&2. Yes, you can move in any direction you want. Only Charge forces you to move in straight lines. 3. Yes, you can sidestep, attack, then move back. These are fair tactics, not unbalanced at all.
Qwicksilver 03-02-07, 01:13 PM	Thanks, I'm wondering if this is the general concensus, as I'm not really the one who needs convincing. Is there an erratta, or an earlier post with such a concensus?
Alvoros Darkleaf 03-02-07, 01:24 PM	Thanks, I'm wondering if this is the general concensus, as I'm not really the one who needs convincing. Is there an erratta, or an earlier post with such a concensus? I can't recall this ever being an issue of contension. Basically the feat states you can move both before AND after your attack action, as long as you do not exceed your total move action allowance. Direction of movement, how many turns you make, etc. is not a factor. Alvo
Goreg Skullcrusher 03-02-07, 02:51 PM	Picture the 5 ft sidestep as a darting maneuver to get up close with the foe (remember that while the miniatures are 5 ft apart, the actual combattants routinely fluctuate as they fight) only to break off after landing a solid blow. If you've ever seen the movie Rob Roy, there's a pretty good example of this near the end fight scene.
Qwicksilver 03-02-07, 03:28 PM	Well that's ok, seems like the dispute's been resolved. I am actually not arguing for a feat on my behalf, a friend of mine who played a monk wanted to use the feat in just those ways, provoking no AoOs. As I tried to reason with my DM and his semi-coDM, a more experienced player who plans the battles, it seems they want to meet me half way and acknowledge that situation 1 provokes no AoOs, Situation 2 will work but will provoke an AoO, and Situation 3 will work But will still provoke an AoO. I suppose it's the best compromise. I see the feat as working as perhaps an anime character would move quickly and deftly striking in and out of threatened range easily, so I'm happy one can still use the feat for interesting hit and run, cover to cover tactics. An interesting corollary to this argument came up when the DM's helper said that he was just wondering what it would do to other special movement actions like charge and withdraw. As long as we have been using it, withdraw must be in a straight line, but upon reading the rules, tarkin is right in that Charge is the only movement action that specifies a straight line of movement. Honestly sidestepping seems a bit superfluous as an action, since the same character has a 19 to tumble anyway.