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I have a Fighter with Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Greater Trip and Hammer the Gap.

I have two questions about that:

  1. Does 'hitting' the trip counts as a 'hit' for Hammer the Gap?
  2. Say that in my Full Attack Action I make the trip in my first attack, and then the opponent generates an AoO (for Greater Trip). If I hit this attack of opportunity, would it count towards the Hammer the Gap bonus?
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  • \$\begingroup\$ Because of the confusion over your currently accepted answer, I feel like this question is too broad and should be parsed into two separate questions; "Does hitting a CMB such as Trip count toward Hammer the Gap?" and "Do Attacks of Opportunity count toward Hammer the Gap?" This will bring it in line with the Stack's One Question-One Answer guideline \$\endgroup\$
    – Ifusaso 'he-him'
    Commented Jan 26, 2019 at 22:15

1 Answer 1

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1) Yes, the trip attempt counts for Hammer the Gap if it hits.

From the PFSRD on Combat Maneuvers (emphasis mine):

When you attempt to perform a combat maneuver, make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus. Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects. These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver. The DC of this maneuver is your target’s Combat Maneuver Defense. Combat maneuvers are attack rolls, so you must roll for concealment and take any other penalties that would normally apply to an attack roll.

Combat maneuvers are attack rolls. Hammer the Gap gives a bonus for each attack that hits. If the trip attempt hits, it counts for Hammer the Gap.

2) Yes, the attack of opportunity counts for Hammer the Gap if it it hits.

From the PFSRD on Hammer the Gap, (emphasis mine):

When you take a full-attack action, each consecutive hit against the same opponent deals extra damage equal to the number of previous consecutive hits you have made against that opponent this turn. This damage is multiplied on a critical hit.

Hammer the Gap counts all hits since the start of your turn. The attack of opportunity happened on your turn. Therefore it counts for Hammer the Gap.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for your reply! I interpreted the same way, but my DM said it was not RAI, that only attacks 'from your full' counts because it is 'too much' if AoO also counts. Thanks again for you time! \$\endgroup\$
    – Martin Chocho
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 21:23
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    \$\begingroup\$ @MartinChocho It seems reasonable to me. 1) Fighters & other melee types need to be able to kill something in a single full attack in order to be even remotely competitive with spellcasters that get save-or-die effects. 2) As you get into higher levels, many foes will have simply unbeatable CMD, making the trip attempt a net loss of damage in many cases. 3) You spent 4-5 feats to get +1 damage on a couple attacks. Power Attack might have been a better choice. \$\endgroup\$
    – Oblivious Sage ♦
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 21:31
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    \$\begingroup\$ 2) is correct, but I don't believe 1) is. The PFSRD also says: Any combination of a creature’s attacks during a melee full attack can be replaced by a trip, disarm, or sunder maneuver (any maneuver that says “in place of a melee attack”). which doesn't make sense if these maneuvers are also attacks. They would have just put them under the "attack" section. Instead, everything talks about "replacing" or "substituting" them for attacks, which implies that they are different than attacks. Just because something has you make an attack roll doesn't make it an attack. \$\endgroup\$
    – firedraco
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 21:41
  • \$\begingroup\$ @firedraco I don't agree with that interpretation, but I can see why someone would interpret it that way. The core of the problem is that Pathfinder doesn't clearly define what an "attack" is; they define attack actions and attack rolls, but provide no objective criteria for what constitutes an "attack". \$\endgroup\$
    – Oblivious Sage ♦
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 21:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ The do define an attack as a standard action you can make: d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat/#TOC-Attack (as well as by reference in the full attack section d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat/#TOC-Full-Attack) but if you think that they are just defining an action and not what an attack is well...that's totally reasonable! \$\endgroup\$
    – firedraco
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 21:49

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