Do you have to attempt a Tumble skill check for every threatened square you leave to avoid an attack of opportunity?
Was this ever clarified in any official capacity, directly or indirectly?
I know Combat Reflexes and Additional Attacks of Opportunity says that…
if the same opponent provokes two attacks of opportunity from you, you could make two separate attacks of opportunity (since each one represents a different opportunity). Moving out of more than one square threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn’t count as more than one opportunity for that opponent.
…but if the Tumble skill check is successful, the movement didn't provoke at all. It seems to me that if you don't provoke by using the Tumble skill you must tumble through every threatened square.
Sorry I should of added this from the 3.5 FAQ (I know, not always trustworthy, but should be considered):
For example, imagine Ember begins her turn 10 feet from an orc and wants to use Tumble to move through its space and end up 15 feet away on the opposite side.
• Her first square of movement wouldn’t provoke attacks of opportunity (since she’s not leaving a threatened square), so she doesn’t use Tumble or move at half speed.
• Her second and third squares of movement take her through the orc’s space, so these effectively cost twice normal (that is, they each cost 1 extra square of movement), and this movement requires a DC 25 Tumble check. (If you’re using this system, it’s much easier to think of tumbling as costing extra squares of
movement rather than actually changing your speed.) Ember has now paid a total of 5 squares of movement (out of the 8 allotted to her for her speed of 40 feet).• Assuming that check succeeds, Ember now moves from a threatened square (adjacent to the orc), which requires a DC 15 Tumble check and costs twice normal (or 1 extra square of movement). She’s now paid a total of 7 squares of movement.
• Finally, Ember moves one last square, ending up 15 feet from the orc on the opposite side from where she began. She’s not leaving a threatened square, so she doesn’t use Tumble or pay any extra movement. Ember has paid for 8 squares (40 feet) of movement, and has covered a linear distance of 5 squares (25 feet).
Emphasis mine. Doesn't this example imply tumble per threatened square. If not, all the tables I've played at have ruled incorrectly on this.
Best Answer
No.
Tumble DC 15:
You make a single check as part of your movement if there is only one opponent threatening the squares you're moving through. If two or more enemies threaten those squares, you'll make on check for each enemy (not per square traveled) with a cumulative +2 to the Tumble DC for each enemy after the first.
Example: Your character were cornered by two enemies in a 15 feet corridor with each of them close to the walls and your escape route is behind them and your move speed is 40 feet. You can make a Tumble check DC 15 to move at half your speed and avoid the AoO from the first enemy and another Tumble check DC 17 to avoid the AoO from the second and cross the distance safely with your move action if you succeed in both checks.