So, after seeing all my encounters devolve into "guy with guisarme trips opponent, all other PCs dogpile the guy and kill him with AoOs when he tries to get up," I'm getting kind of tired of the AoO for standing up from prone that was added in 3.5. So I'm considering removing that, returning a small part of 3.0 to my game.

The way I see it, even without the AoO tripping someone is a pretty OK proposition:

• Your other attacks for the rest of the round get a +4 bonus.
• Your allies who go between you and your opponent also get that +4 bonus.
• Your opponent can't make a full attack next round, because he has to spend a move action getting up.
• If you have Improved Trip, you don't even really waste an attack doing it, since you get a free attack if you succeed (at +4!).

Adding AoOs on top of all those advantages changes trip from a decent option to a super one, at least against creatures likely to be susceptible to a trip (e.g it will be hard against huge quadruped creatures...).

So, anyone like to try to talk me out of it?

Not me and I'm thinking of playing a spiked chain, wielding trip specialist next character. I think it seems a much better rule than the one in 3.5

Although, an alternative would be just adding a maneuver called something like "defensive stand from prone" where the tripped character could take a full round action to remain on the defensive while standing that would negate AoO. That way if the character were in a hurry to stand, enemies could take their shots (IMO AoO make sense any time a target doesn't bother to remain alert), or the character could stand without provoking AoO but lose the ability to move far or attack (or anything else) for that round.

That wouldn't really fix anything as then the person has the option of standing up and getting lots of AoO and having half an action. Or standing up and getting everyones Full-attack action against them next round, including being tripped all over again. Either way you are totally screwed.

Well, he can get up and move and still suffer AoO just for moving, then still get at least everyone's basic attack against him as well when they all move up and hit him. This way, at least he's not stuck with the choice of either staying prone, incurring the penalties that brings, or standing and getting bitch-slapped immediately. Yet it would still preserve the value, for the most part, of tripping enemies (and the danger of dropping/falling prone in combat). I guess I happen to like that standing and moving provokes AoO...it makes sense to me. It also keeps the Kip-up ability of Thief-Acrobats a very valuable ability.

Once up, the character would also have the options of fighting defensively or going on full defense as well...at least until help arrives to take some of the pressure off.                        IMO trip should be a powerful manuever, and specialists in it should become a group's priority target.

I don't play with an AoO for stadning at all - but that is because we use "knockdown rules" (converted from 2E combat & tactics) and it would just be too deadly to use both rules - and I prefer the cinematic nature of the weight of a blow driving someone to the ground more than the free attack on someone getting up.

House Rule: "A DC 15 Tumble check allows your character to stand up from prone without incurring an Attack of Opportunity."

Quote from: CyclotronHouse Rule: "A DC 15 Tumble check allows your character to stand up from prone without incurring an Attack of Opportunity."

That's great too...and makes perfect sense to me...and gets even more use out of the tumble skill.

Quote from: SigmundIMO trip should be a powerful manuever, and specialists in it should become a group's priority target.

Well, as I said in the original post, tripping is a pretty powerful maneuver even without the AoO, especially if you have friends there ganging up to take advantage of the +4 attack bonus (I think it's technically -4 to AC, but that's the same thing).

Quote from: CyclotronHouse Rule: "A DC 15 Tumble check allows your character to stand up from prone without incurring an Attack of Opportunity."

The problem with that is that very few monsters have Tumble as a skill, and few classes have it as a class skill (notably, most primary combatants don't). Also, Tumble is already a pretty powerful skill, allowing you to move around the battlefield without getting smacked around. I'm a bit leery about adding even more utility to it.

I could see allowing Tumble to be used to get up as a free action, with a failure (or possibly a failure by 5+) meaning you provoke an AoO.

I never mind letting tumble have all the utility it can get because the characters that most often use it are rarely the toughest, so any time they can avoid getting hit is a good thing...I know when my rogue did get hit, it really hurt
I understand about the monster thing. I just remember in 3.0 when it seemed no PCs ever wanted to even use, let alone specialize in, the trip maneuver because it seemed to bring very little return for the feat investment. This is probably why I won't remove the AoO from standing up in combat in my game. I do think I'll use my earlier suggestion myself though. I haven't seen the dogpiling that you are seeing yet, but I can understand how it could be frustrating.

Quote from: DackeThe problem with that is that very few monsters have Tumble as a skill, and few classes have it as a class skill (notably, most primary combatants don't). Also, Tumble is already a pretty powerful skill, allowing you to move around the battlefield without getting smacked around. I'm a bit leery about adding even more utility to it.

But that's the whole point.

Why not use a rule mechanic that already does almost exactly what you want?

Tumble lets you move avoid Attacks of Opportunities for moving through threatened spaces with a skill check of modest DC.  Why not just use the same thing for standing up from prone?  A DC 15 check will be a challenging untrained check for most monsters, but is by no means out of reach.

Like Sigmund said...  Most players, except for perhaps Rogues and Monks, won't have many ranks in Tumble either.  No one else has the class skill or the skill points to make it worthwhile.

I don't see a problem with the 3.5 rule.  Sticking your spear in the face of someone who is flat on his back should inspire him to want to stay put, not stand up.
 
That said, 3.0 worked fine without it.  I prefer tripping to be uber-screwed, but that's mainly flavor.

*deleted post*

Somehow this ended-up in the wrong thread...

You could also allow the target of a trip attack to make a Balance check in place of the standard Strength or Dexterity check.