Warder, Step Up and Zone of Nope

[Cwymbran-San]

Hi playgrounders, i need help concerning the abovementioned class feature.

A 10th level warder has set up his Defensive Focus next to a friendly caster. Said caster moves a 5ft-step backwards to get away from a baddy which is threatening him. The baddy has Step Up and would now like to pursue the caster to keep him from using his spells.

Q: Does the "Zone of Nope" prevent him from doing so?

[Tuvarkz]

The Step-Up 5-foot step seems to be using the same as the standard 5-foot step you can use once per turn, which can't be done on difficult terrain, so likely not.

[Elricaltovilla]

Hi playgrounders, i need help concerning the abovementioned class feature.

A 10th level warder has set up his Defensive Focus next to a friendly caster. Said caster moves a 5ft-step backwards to get away from a baddy which is threatening him. The baddy has Step Up and would now like to pursue the caster to keep him from using his spells.

Q: Does the "Zone of Nope" prevent him from doing so?

The answer is (like always) "It depends."

Based on this



At 10th level, her defensive focus improves further, causing the ground within her melee reach to be treated as if it were difficult terrain, hampering her foes' movement around him. If a foe tries to move through a space within her reach, the movement through those squares costs double (x2).


from the Defensive Focus class feature, there are situations in which the Warder's Defensive Focus would prevent an enemy from being able to 5 ft. step. Specifically, if the enemy in question were trying to 5 ft. step into or out of the Warder's Melee Reach, as you can't 5 ft. step through difficult terrain.

It's worth noting that as worded, only enemies treat the Warder's threatened area as difficult terrain, not allies. So even if the Wizard was adjacent to the Warder, the wizard would still be able to 5 ft. step.