Why can't I hold all these Attacks of Opportunity?

[Crukul]

So now that we've got my eye-catching thread title out of the way, let's talk what this is actually about.

I've got a character I'm building with Dex all the way, so I figured I might give that old 'Combat Reflexes' dealie I've spotted a try-out. But now my character's got so many Attacks of Opportunity per turn, I can't honestly see using them all, or even most of them, at any given time.

And so I beseech you know, oh veritable reliquaries of knowledge greater than I, what can I do with all these AoOs? Is there anything at all like feats, or maybe special weapons or something I dunno? Or would I be better off just scrapping that feat and picking something else, seeing as how I'm still building from the ground up? I remember hearing about a feat that let's you do something else with AoOs apart from just using them as intended, so this is why I am asking.

[eggynack]

Well, normally you just pick up stuff that lets you use AoO's in response to abnormal things. Offhand, I can think of robilar's gambit (PHB II, 82), which lets you drop your AC to get AoO's against each of your opponent's attacks, karmic strike (CW, 102) which is similar, but somewhat worse, and the thicket of blades stance (ToB, 61) which lets you make AoO's against any sort of movement, including five foot steps.

Another thing you should probably get is as many threatened squares as possible, which generally means a reach weapon and size increases. The best reach weapon is the spiked chain, but a guisarme will do in a pinch. For size increases, a psychic warrior dip for expansion is a classic, but potions of enlarge person, a base race with large size, an other sort of item for this purpose (likely custom), or just a friendly wizard should do the job fine.

Finally, you might want some alternate things to do with AoO's. Stand still (XPH, 51) lets you use your AoO to stop the enemy's movement, which is rather nifty. Apart from that, you can use combat maneuvers for the AoO's, though they're less directly AoO based. The best maneuver for this, and everything else, is tripping, because an opponent standing from prone provokes an AoO, and that's generally pretty great. To that end, you're probably going to want improved trip, as well as knock-down (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown)

As for a build, I'd probably go with something traditional, like either a crusader 20 (I dunno what a good crusader based build looks like, PrC and multiclass-wise), or a barbarian 2/fighter 2/ToB stuff or filler X/runescarred barbarian 10 (UE, 31). The important part of the latter build is the variety of barbarian ACF's, like wolf totem (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) for cheap tripping, whirling frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) for its crazy awesomeness, and spirit lion totem (CC, 46) for the extremely cheap pounce. Either way, you should end up alright.

[BWR]

One issue of Dungeon (nr. 100 I believe) had feats that allowed you to spend your AoOs on iterative attacks (e.g if you have 3 AoOs, you could make one normal and a second one at -5 on the same trigger).

[Taveena]

The Stormguard Warrior feat gives a +4 stacking damage and attack bonus to any enemy you refrain from making an AoO on.

[Firechanter]

1. use a Spiked Chain. It's finessable and has Reach.
2. consider a Retaliation build, using Karmic Strike and/or Robilars Gambit.

Be aware that Dex builds are inferior to Str builds, so no whinging later on.

...swordsaged.

[Mordokai]

Inhuman reach (http://dndtools.eu/feats/lords-of-madness--72/inhuman-reach--1617/) + spiked chain + item that allows you to enlarge yourself. That should give you what, 20 foot reach? Slap on some of the things eggynack mentioned and you'll be standing in the middle of the battlefield, whacking at everything that dares so much as look your way.

Mind you, you(or rather, your character) will look disgusting. Or, at the very least, disturbing.

[Ruethgar]

Goliath
Improved Trip
Knockdown
Knockback
Thicket of Blades
Robilars Gambit

You get attacked, you AoO Kockdown Knockback they are being forced into taking movement if you succeed so AoO Knockback occurs before they move they are being so tripped AoO Kockback. Technically speaking the movement from the second knockback is a different opportunity and it is resolved before the first one fires off, so you could spend all AoOs on one target and they are prone and knocked a good distance away.

[Skevvix]

Inhuman reach (http://dndtools.eu/feats/lords-of-madness--72/inhuman-reach--1617/) + spiked chain + item that allows you to enlarge yourself. That should give you what, 20 foot reach? Slap on some of the things eggynack mentioned and you'll be standing in the middle of the battlefield, whacking at everything that dares so much as look your way.

Mind you, you(or rather, your character) will look disgusting. Or, at the very least, disturbing.

That reach progression would go Enlarge(giving large size I presume) 10ft + Inhuman reach (http://dndtools.eu/feats/lords-of-madness--72/inhuman-reach--1617/) 15ft + Spiked Chain = 30ft reach.

Reach weapons double your natural reach.

[Captnq]

The monk in the group I run for has managed (with buff spells) to extend her reach out to 45 feet with her unarmed attack.

Then she gets an AoO whenever you:
Look like you are going to attack her.
If you miss trying to hit her.
Move.

I have no idea what that even looks like considering she's 5' 0" In character.

Factor in great cleave and FoB and she attacks often.

[Lucid]

The monk in the group I run for has managed (with buff spells) to extend her reach out to 45 feet with her unarmed attack.
...
I have no idea what that even looks like considering she's 5' 0" In character.Something like this (http://youtu.be/Xr13alg0o40?t=1m40s)?

[Chronos]

I have no idea what that even looks like considering she's 5' 0" In character.
Depends on what buffs she's using to get that. It might be her limbs stretching, or it might be shadowy extensions of her fists, or it might be whirlwinds flying off of her, or spontaneously growing tentacles. Or, given that she's got so much, probably some combination of all of those.

[StreamOfTheSky]

The Backstab feat from dragon mag gave you an AoO every time a foe whom you were flanking attacked someone other than you. That'd be an easy way to pile up AoOs.

[Callin]

If ya want something different the feat Evasive Reflexes allows you to take a 5' step instead of taking the AoO

[lsfreak]

More than likely, you're going to want a combination of several of these.

Reach and/or Robilar's Gambit and/or Karmic Strike
plus
Evasive Reflexes and/or Stromguard Warrior

The first two simply net you more opportunities to trigger AoOs. If you've got a ton of them, though, you can make them more worthwhile by trading them for other actions. If you're running on rogue, for example, AoOs without sneak will be far from impressive. But with Stormguard Warrior adding a stacking +4atk/+4dmg every time you're offered an AoO but don't follow through, well, that can turn your next turn's damage into a gornfest.

Do consider other costs, though. Combat Reflexes might simply not be worth it compared to other options if you're needing multiple other feats to actually use the AoOs you can make; maybe you're better off taking those 2-3 feats and using it to grab Improved Skirmish and Knowledge Devotion, for example. Especially as Dex builds are often based of 3/4BAB and so Robilar's, the best way of triggering extra AoOs, is going to be unreachable until beyond the levels most campaigns go to.

[Gwendol]

Mageslayer feat, to prevent defensive casting.

Get reach and a way to prevent 5' steps (Knight Bulwark of defence or Crusader Thicket of Blades stance).

Get improved trip, somehow. And probably knock-down as well.

However, in my experience you rarely need a dex higher than 14 for these types of builds. The DM will likely not have his monsters provoke quite as much anyway.

[OldTrees1]

However, in my experience you rarely need a dex higher than 14 for these types of builds. The DM will likely not have his monsters provoke quite as much anyway.

Strange. I have always needed a DEX of 16-18 to be threatening enough for the enemies to avoid provoking rather than swarm past me. I end up using only 0-2 per round but it is the capacity for more that holds the line.

[Gwendol]

Sure, if you're in a game where encountering swarms of enemies is a regular occurence, why not. Otherwise getting Bracers of Opportunity for an extra 2 AoO's per day is a decent addition.
My point is that there is usually a break point where adding more DEX is less valuable than putting points in other abilities (during character creation, buffing before battles, or getting items for permanent ability increase is always recommended).

[OldTrees1]

Sure, if you're in a game where encountering swarms of enemies is a regular occurence, why not. Otherwise getting Bracers of Opportunity for an extra 2 AoO's per day is a decent addition.
My point is that there is usually a break point where adding more DEX is less valuable than putting points in other abilities (during character creation, buffing before battles, or getting items for permanent ability increase is always recommended).

Are 3-5 brutes really a swarm?

Where are those bracers? Edit: Magic Item Compendium. I expect my fighter to sell their Gloves of Dex+2 to gain one of these bad boys.

Since ability boosting item investments reward a balanced investment more than specialized investment, I have never had problems getting a Str based fighter to 16 Dex.

However I do agree there is a break point. I have found it to be higher since my DMs do not give fighters automatic aggro.

[Gwendol]

With 14 Dex you get 3 AoO's per round. My DM's rarely if ever allow me to attempt more than that. Once I've hit/tripped 2-3 of them the rest hang back and use ranged weapons or attack someone else.

[OldTrees1]

With 14 Dex you get 3 AoO's per round. My DM's rarely if ever allow me to attempt more than that. Once I've hit/tripped 2-3 of them the rest hang back and use ranged weapons or attack someone else.

Would you believe that in all these years of playing 3.5, I missed the word "additional"?
13-14 Dex looks sufficient now that I know about the bracers and that combat reflexes gives [1+Dex] attacks rather than [Dex] attacks.

[Gwendol]

LOL! I guess you do learn something new every day! Good for you!

[Mr Adventurer]

Wait, you can combo Robilar's Gambit and Evasive Reflexes. Then, whenever someone goes to attack you, you can just 5' step away and wave impudently. Hilarious.

[2xMachina]

And then if they have thicket of blades(?) (AoO for 5' steps) along with Evasive Reflex, both of you can shuffle quite far for just 1 strike.

[Person_Man]

Increase your size/reach as much as possible (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7081777).

Knockback (free Bull Rush on each hit, and you do not need to follow up) + Shock Trooper (Bull Rush can be directed to left and right for every square you knock enemy back, knocking enemies into each other Trips them) + Imp Trip (free follow up attack when you Trip enemy).

Robilar's Gambit/Karmic Strike (enemies provoke whenever they attack you and whenever they hit you).