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More specifically, if you fall off of a gargantuan dragon would it get an attack on you while you are falling?

Gael L
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Maiko Chikyu
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3 Answers3

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Does falling through an enemy's threatened area trigger an attack of opportunity?

Yes

More specifically, if you fall off of a gargantuan dragon would it get an attack on you while you are falling?

Yes

From Combat->Attacks of Opportunity

Moving out of a threatened square usually provokes an attack of opportunity from the threatening opponent.

From Combat->Actions In Combat (table footnote 1)

Regardless of the action, if you move out of a threatened square, you usually provoke an attack of opportunity. This column indicates whether the action itself, not moving, provokes an attack of opportunity.

It is not a move action that provokes, it is movement itself.

Wyrmwood
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Yes

pp 137 PHB 3.5E, bolding mine

Provoking an Attack of Opportunity: Two kinds of actions can provoke attacks of opportunity: moving out of a threatened square and performing an action within a threatened square. Moving: 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 (see page 144) and the withdraw action (see page 143). Performing a Distracting Act: Some actions, when performed in a threatened square, provoke attacks of opportunity as you divert your attention from the battle. Casting a spell and attacking with a ranged weapon, for example, are distracting actions. Table 8–2: Actions in Combat notes many of the actions that provoke attacks of opportunity.

Remember that even actions that normally provoke attacks of opportunity may have exceptions to this rule. For instance, a character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat doesn’t incur an attack of opportunity for making an unarmed attack.

According to the 3.5e PHB if you move out of the threatened range of the dragon/ other gargantuan creature, as you move out of that area you incur an opportunity attack. However, if the character were to manage to make the withdraw action then the dragon wouldn't get the opportunity attack.

rpgstar
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  • Please note, D&D checks for AoO triggering every time you move out of a square not treatened space as a whole. – annoying imp Nov 30 '17 at 08:13
  • @annoyingimp technically D&D 5e does require you to choose to move whereas 3.5e is moving in general. Note pp 195 of the PHB 5e. – rpgstar Nov 30 '17 at 10:25
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    I don't think you are reffering to what I'm concerned about. Withdraw action lets you leave one single square. If you fall off of a gargantuan creature you will move more than one square down (all of them in a threatened area) and will provoke even if you took a withdraw action to move from his head or shoulder to start that fall. – annoying imp Nov 30 '17 at 19:03
  • @annoyingimp I see what you mean now, that would be a problem, in which case there is no workaround, at least one person is going to get AoO. though if multiple people went at once then the dragon would use its reaction on the first and not have it to use on the other ones. Pardon me if I've gotten that all wrong I usually play 5e not 3.5e and I know that's how it would work in 5e. – rpgstar Dec 05 '17 at 20:53
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Almost always that is a no.

While moving away as an action, except for adjustment step/withdraw, will trigger an opportunity attack, being moved away does not. Falling is not a movement action, it is movement by "another force". In a sense, if falling triggered AoO, things like wind gust, levitate, psi push, shield slams, and so many other sources of "pushing" would trigger a AoO for the attacker. That does not happen.

It might, but only in unusual situations. Some feats (I'm struggling to remember which, but there is at least one) will give you an AoO trigger on dexterity loss, but you need to have the feat. Tripping into the ground would leave you prone, and as long as you are still within attack reach, it would trigger AoO.

I will try to research which feat it is at home afterwards. It might be something from Songs and Silence.

SevenSidedDie
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Elindor
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    [Citation Needed] on “being moved away does not [trigger an attack of opportunity].” I have never seen that said. – KRyan Nov 30 '17 at 16:06
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    Interesting line of reason, but isn't representative of other rules. For example, if you are bull rushed by some other force, you still provoke from any other opponent that threatens. – Wyrmwood Nov 30 '17 at 16:20
  • @Wyrmwood, you have a point. Bull rush do specifically denotes that defender triggers AoO if moved. – Elindor Nov 30 '17 at 16:38
  • @KRyan, "Two kinds of actions can provoke attacks of opportunity: moving out of a threatened square and performing an action within a threatened square." Being pushed or falling is not an action. The rules are very clear, though, that moving out of threat is taken as an action. While there is no text saying bing pushed wont trigger AoO, if you look at "action types" in the books, you'll also see that "A 5 ft. step is considered no action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity". If the movement is no action, it should not trigger AoO. So, is falling an action? – Elindor Nov 30 '17 at 16:38
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    @Elindor I agree that the rules are unclear, but I do not agree with your conclusions. A 5-ft. step is not an action, and does not provoke, but these are separate statements—a 5-ft. step doesn’t provoke because the rules say it doesn’t, not inherently as part of being a non-action. – KRyan Nov 30 '17 at 16:42
  • @KRyan at the same time, the only statements of triggering AoO are in specific actions. Either moving out of threat, or performing action in threatened square. All other trigger cases are specifically written in the source. But i see your point. To you, if it does not say it won't trigger, it triggers. To me, if it does not say it triggers, it does not trigger. Since i see no rule specifying it, I try not to assume rules and pick the no case. But I also understand why picking the general case is preferred by some people. I think both PoV are valid and respect your point. – Elindor Nov 30 '17 at 16:49
  • @Elindor The rules are inconsistent on calling out whether or not an event provokes attacks of opportunity (cf. this question and its highest-voted answer). – Hey I Can Chan Nov 30 '17 at 17:36
  • RC Pg. 23 "BULL RUSH RESULTS If you beat the defender’s Strength check result, you push the defender back 5 feet. If you wish to move with the defender, you can push it back an additional 5 feet for every 5 points by which your check result exceeds its result. You can’t, however, exceed your normal movement limit. The defender provokes attacks of opportunity if it is moved. So do you if you move with it. The two of you don’t provoke attacks of opportunity from each other for this movement. – CrimRei Jan 26 '20 at 03:50