Pathfinder 1E Tuny Creatures Entering a Hostile Ceature's Space From Cover

[Starfox]

In Pathfinder, most Tiny or smaller creatures must enter an enemy creature's space in order to make a melee attack, and this triggers an attack of opportunity. A creature doesn't get its normal chance to make an attack of opportunity if the creature provoking that attack of opportunity is in cover.

My question is this: If the Tiny or smaller cover has cover in a space adjacent to the creature whose space it wants to enter, is there then an attack of opportunity?

My view is that the AoO is cancelled. The AoO happens before the action that triggers it, and thus has to happen in the square the Tiny or smaller creature was occupying before it entered. And in this square it has cover; ergo no AoO. As it is very easy for such small creatures to gain cover, for example by moving between the legs of a larger ally (this cover can be debated) or using terrain too small to be even noticed by larger creatures, this would seem to negate much of the disadvantages for a Tiny creature wanting to enter melee.

Does this make sense?

 

[PurpleDragonKnight]

pretty sure soft cover (i.e. moving through allies) doesn't prevent AoOs

if you're using Tiny creatures a lot, find one that can be invisible at will and save yourself the trouble of debating this with your DM every time you want to attack... otherwise use stealth to enter battle, strike once, and pray the target forgets about you on its turn; if you can't have one that can be invisible at will, go dodge and mobility feats, and bump your AC

 

[Starfox]

Soft Cover

Creatures, even your enemies, can provide you with cover against ranged attacks, giving you a +4 bonus to AC. However, such soft cover provides no bonus on Reflex saves, nor does soft cover allow you to make a Stealth check.

[My emphasis]

Believe it or not, the part about soft cover only applying to ranged attacks was news to me. So creature cover won't work. This also makes reach weapons a hellofalot better.

So you need to use a corner or some kind of low terrain, not an ally. Well caught.

And I'm the GM, and Tiny creatures are not commonly in Melee IMC, this is a rules mastery issue to me.

 

[Koloth]

Note that up to 4 tiny critters can be in one square. So the first can attack and take the AoO from the target. The other 3 can now attack free and clear if the target doesn't have a feat or ability that allows multiple AoO. Don't forget the use of Acrobatics to avoid AoO.

 

[Starfox]

Don't forget the use of Acrobatics to avoid AoO.

you can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics

Strictly speaking, moving into an enemy's space is different than "move through a threatened square", but I think most GMs would allow this.