Flyby Attack Monster Feat Needs Errata

Based on comments by Jason Bulmahn HERE I thought I would make a thread so we can all hit the FAQ button and hopefully get this fixed / errated

The Flyby Attack monster feat says:

Flyby Attack
This creature can make an attack before and after it moves while flying.
Prerequisite: Fly speed.
Benefit: When flying, the creature can take a move action and another standard action at any point during the move. The creature cannot take a second move action during a round when it makes a flyby attack.
Normal: Without this feat, the creature takes a standard action either before or after its move.

This feat is supposed to allow a creature to move-attack-move, similar to Ride-By Attack (minus the charge bit)

However, Flyby Attack's wording (both the flavor text and the benefit text) clearly implies attack-move-attack. The flavor text clearly needs fixed and the wording of the Benefit could be improved as well - replacing the word 'another' with 'a' would probably do it (can take a move action and a standard action at any point during the move)!

This definitely needs fixed so please click the FAQ button!

Thanks :)

Heh, I also wonder why Flyby Attack isn't spelled Fly-By Attack like Ride-By Attack, but that's a different discussion ... :)

The first part is flavor text. The benefit section are the mechanics.

Mechanics are rules. Flavor text is not.

Every feat has the flavor directly below the feat name.

As an example:

Penetrating Strike (Combat)

Your attacks are capable of penetrating the defenses of some creatures.

Prerequisites: Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +1, 12th-level fighter, proficiency with weapon.

Benefit: Your attacks with weapons selected with Weapon Focus ignore up to 5 points of damage reduction. This feat does not apply to damage reduction without a type (such as DR 10/—).

Let's suppose the flavor text are rules. Does "Your attacks are capable of penetrating the defenses of some creatures." mean you can bypass miss chance also? Does it mean you can hit touch AC instead of normal AC? It could mean a lot of things?

For fly-by attack the feat will generally be used to attack, but they gave you the option of a standard action so you are not restricted to attacks. Don't let the name and flavor text fool you.

However, Flyby Attack's wording (both the flavor text and the benefit text) clearly implies attack-move-attack. The flavor text clearly needs fixed and the wording of the Benefit could be improved as well - replacing the word 'another' with 'a' would probably do it (can

The benefit is clear. You can take a move action. At some point in that move action, you can take a standard action. You can then finish the move action.

Flavor text is meh, doesn't matter, isn't crunch.

Interestingly, this means you could fly-by attack and vital strike, since flyby grants specifically a standard action. Unlike spring attack.

Thanks wraithstrike - I understand the difference between a feat's flavor text and the benefit/rules text. The fact remains that a) Jason himself agreed that the 'flavor text is in error' and b) the benefit text is misleading as well "the creature can take a move action and another standard action at any point during the move.

Tarantula, the benefit is actually not clear. It says "the creature can take a move action and another standard action at any point during the move." The word 'another' clearly is a mistake. It should say something like "can take a move action and a standard action at any point during the move"

The point of this thread is not to explain or debate the value of flavor text vs rules text, although I'm sure it's something a few people might need reminded of ... this is simply following the rules FAQ process the Paizo staff has requested in order to help them get needed rules fixes taken care of efficiently.

More than a FAQ it require an errata, but one will lead to the other (hopefully). So FAQed.

The intent is clear, but an errata for future editions is a good idea.

I never noticed the word "another" before. I do agree that should be removed.

I never noticed the word "another" before. I do agree that should be removed.

Me either. I also agree.

The only thing that needs fixing is Spring Attack to work more like Flyby Attack. The "another" is unnecessary and a little confusing, I agree. I don't think it needs to be removed, but it wouldn't hurt.