Threatened Squares

[Elric VIII]

I have finally remembered to post about this, it has been something that's been bugging me in one of my campaigns.

My DM says that if you start your round in a square that was previously threatened (for example, adjacent to a character with a 5' reach) it is not considered threatened and no AoOs are provoked when moving out of it.

Is this an actual rule? If so, where can it be found?

[KillianHawkeye]

No. Your DM is probably thinking of the rules for the Withdraw action. If you take a Full-Round Action to Withdraw, you don't provoke AoOs for leaving the first square of your movement.


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.

[Echoes]

Nothing in any book I've read has ever supported what your DM is proposing, it definitely sounds houseruled to me.

Here are the relevant portions of the SRD:


You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not your action. Generally, that means everything in all squares adjacent to your space (including diagonally). An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from you. If you’re unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of opportunity.


Moving out of a threatened square usually provokes an attack of opportunity from the threatening opponent. There are two common methods of avoiding such an attack—the 5-foot step and the withdraw action.


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.

Edit: Aaaaaah, ninjas!

[Elric VIII]

Thank you, both. My DM is convinced that it's the actual rules.

[John Campbell]

Note also that if this were a rule (which it isn't), it would make the Knight's 3rd level Bulwark of Defense ability completely useless, in the literal "does not ever do anything at all" sense.

[Elric VIII]

Note also that if this were a rule (which it isn't), it would make the Knight's 3rd level Bulwark of Defense ability completely useless, in the literal "does not ever do anything at all" sense.

That is a very good point of argument. I guess it applies to Thicket of Blades as well.

Also, I'm realizing that under this mechanic that spellcasters would not provoke AoOs uless they move up to something, since they would not be in a threatened square.

[Jarveiyan]

I always understood it that you provoked when you moved through a threatened square(but your fine if you just move into or out of it). So your going to tell me that moving upto an enemy I'm going to be more aware and cautious than when I'm moving away from them while theyre still conscious? I guess they taught us wrong in the military - we shouldn't pay attention to detail, just let ourselves get hit by our enemies.

[KillianHawkeye]

I always understood it that you provoked when you moved through a threatened square(but your fine if you just move into or out of it). So your going to tell me that moving upto an enemy I'm going to be more aware and cautious than when I'm moving away from them while theyre still conscious? I guess they taught us wrong in the military - we shouldn't pay attention to detail, just let ourselves get hit by our enemies.

It's not wrong. If you want to be cautious, you must take the Withdraw action, which represents cautiously evacuating the place you're standing in. I don't know about real life, but in D&D you can't cautiously leave an opponent right after you've attacked him.

The rule is that you provoke an AoO anytime you leave an opponent's threatened square (without cautiously withdrawing). Entering is no problem.