Forum: Public Forum

Andrew,

Just a few things to expand on your four point interpretation:

First "All we want are the facts, ma'am" (Dragnet, 1951)

Pathfinder Reference Document

Spring Attack (Combat)

You can deftly move up to a foe, strike, and withdraw before he can react.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.

Benefit: You can move up to your speed and make a single melee attack without provoking any attacks of opportunity from the target of your attack. You can move both before and after the attack, but you must move at least 10 feet before the attack and the total distance that you move cannot be greater than your speed. You cannot use this ability to attack a foe that is adjacent to you at the start of your turn.

Normal: You cannot move before and after an attack.

System Reference Document 3.5

SPRING ATTACK [GENERAL]

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.

Benefit: When using the attack action with a melee weapon, you can move both before and after the attack, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate. You can’t use this feat if you are wearing heavy armor.

You must move at least 5 feet both before and after you make your attack in order to utilize the benefits of Spring Attack.

Special: A fighter may select Spring Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.

I would have sworn that the 3.5 version mentioned something about actually springing then retreating, but I was wrong.
Note the way the PRD now actually restricts the movement phases of the spring attack: ten feet movement and non-adjacent foe.
Therefore the ride by attack like movement for a spring attack is technically legal, as long as the initial ten feet movement takes place.

Your interpretation

1. Spring Attack cancels reach against one target.

In a way yes, in fact it effectively cancels the threatened area of THE target with regards to the PC attacking with Spring Attack. One has to use Spring Attack though, so no casting safely while moving by saying "Hey, I have Spring Attack!"

2. You must move 10ft, IN A STRAIGHT LINE first.

10ft: yes, straight line: no.
The attacker can dance about the target as long as the distance moved prior to the attempted hit is at least ten feet.

3. You do not have to use the movement to move away, however but the inital attack must be from the angle charged.

There is no charge, but I agree with the fact that the movement surprisingly need not be spring-like, as far as the rules state it anyway.

4. You may then use the remainder of your movement to go anywhere. You still provoke AOO but not against the target that you struck

Yep, if other creatures threaten any square that the attacker leaves during the procedure, they can whack the attacker. Mobility, which is a pre-requisite for Spring Attack, still applies in this particular case of having more than one opponent.

Laurent,