Evasive Reflexes and Shifting Defense Stance

[Iamtheend]

Evasive Reflexes says I can make a 5 foot step instead of an AoO which means taking the steps don't use up AoO's and I can use it as long as I have at least one AoO to use.

With Shifting Defense stance from Tome Of Battle I am granted an AoO from someone attacking before they strike but it must be used to take a 5 foot step. Well with Evasive Reflexes I could Opt to use my AoO and instead take a 5 foot step not counting against my AoO's for the round.

By RAW does this make sense to everyone else?

Evasive Reflexes
"Benefit: When an opponent gives you a chance to make an attack of opportunity, you can instead immediately take a 5-foot step."

Shifting Defense
"While you are in this stance, you can make an immediate 5-foot step each time an opponent attacks you. Moving in this manner consumes one of your attacks of opportunity in the currrent round. You cannot move in this manner if you have no attacks of opportunity remaining. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity."

[Darrin]

Evasive Reflexes says I can make a 5 foot step instead of an AoO which means taking the steps don't use up AoO's and I can use it as long as I have at least one AoO to use.

With Shifting Defense stance from Tome Of Battle I am granted an AoO from someone attacking before they strike but it must be used to take a 5 foot step. Well with Evasive Reflexes I could Opt to use my AoO and instead take a 5 foot step not counting against my AoO's for the round.

By RAW does this make sense to everyone else?


I don't think so. Shifting defense does not "grant" you an AoO, it grants you a 5' step, with an activation cost = one of your AoOs for that round. You're not actually getting an AoO, if you opted not to take your 5' step from Shifting Defense, you would not get to make an AoO instead.

It sounds like what you want to do is closer to Evasive Reflexes + Robilar's Gambit. RG *does* grant you an AoO when you get attacked, which you could then swap for a 5' step.

[Necroticplague]

I don't think so. Shifting defense does not "grant" you an AoO, it grants you a 5' step, with an activation cost = one of your AoOs for that round. You're not actually getting an AoO, if you opted not to take your 5' step from Shifting Defense, you would not get to make an AoO instead.

It sounds like what you want to do is closer to Evasive Reflexes + Robilar's Gambit. RG *does* grant you an AoO when you get attacked, which you could then swap for a 5' step.

Unfortunately, since RG resolves after their attack, you move away after they hit you, so you can't dodge the attack using that combo.

[Darrin]

Unfortunately, since RG resolves after their attack, you move away after they hit you, so you can't dodge the attack using that combo.

The AoO "resolves" after your opponent's attack, but there may be some wiggle-room in there... the AoO is provoked "each time they swing". You could argue that provoking happens before the attack hits, thus you could swap for the 5' step before the attack hits. But more likely that sort of argument would probably get a book thrown at your head.

[Person_Man]

The combo you are looking for is some combination of:

Reach Weapon + Evasive Reflexes + Hold the Line + Karmic Strike + Robilar’s Gambit + Sparring Dummy of the Master (10 ft step) or DC 40 Tumble Check (10 ft step, Oriental Adventures).

So enemy Charges you, and you take two 10 ft steps (once because he moves into your threatened area, and once because of Hold the Line. Because he needs to Charge in a strait line and you move to the left or right, his Charge fails. If an enemy just walks up to you without Tumbling, you can still take one 10 ft step. If he attacks you, you get one 10 ft step from Rob's Gambit. If he hits you, you get another from Karmic Strike. (So it's basically impossible for anyone to make a full attack against you unless they have massive reach).

If you're doing this combo, I also suggest some method of reducing your enemy's movement. Earth Devotion, Entangling Exhalation, nets, etc.

You may also want to look at the Flicker mystery, which allows you to move 5' per mystery-user level as an Immediate Action. It's a Standard Action to cast, but lasts rounds/level. The Binder can also get access via the Tenebrous vestige. (But he can only use a limited number of times each day, and by that level you generally have much better things to bind.).

Either combo works best for non-melee builds. I've tried to do it with a melee build, and you often just get bogged down in the middle with no where to go, especially in dungeons.