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Many style feats seem to grant a benefit that is separate from the stance itself. Examples include boar style (the part that makes unarmed strikes slashing damage), crane style (the part that makes defensive fighting is only -2), and the elemental styles that grant extra elemental fist attacks.
In all of these examples, a separate benefit is also granted but explicitly requires you to be in the stance. Is this separation intentional? Do you only gain extra elemental fist attempts when in the style? What about the later feats in the chain that also separate things?
The general consensus on the forums seems to be that you DO get the separate benefits for the first feat in the style chains when not in the stance because the style feat section only prohibits feats that have a style feat as a prerequisite.
This is particularly important for people who want multiple style feats, but don't want to be forced into Monk of Many Styles (and opt for the combat style master feat instead)
If possible, can we get an official FAQ ruling on this issue?
While it doesn't say so directly, this line about style feats:
"Although you cannot use a style feat before combat begins, the style you are in persists until you spend a swift action to switch to a different combat style."
Seems to me to imply that the base style feat, just like it's child feats, require you to be in the stance before they can be used.
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I am pretty sure you have to be "using" the style to gain any of its benefits.
The problem here is the RAW. In the section that describes style feats it says:
"You can use a feat that has a style feat as a prerequisite only while in the stance of the associated style. For example, if you have feats associated with Mantis Style and Tiger Style, you can use a swift action to adopt Tiger Style at the start of one turn, and then can use other feats that have Tiger Style as a prerequisite. By using another swift action at the start of your next turn, you could adopt Mantis Style and use other feats that have Mantis Style as a prerequisite."
It says nothing about the first feat in the chain. furthermore, the feats themselves seem to go out of their way to separate the benefits into two groups (in stance and inherent).
example: "boar style:You can deal bludgeoning damage or slashing damage with your unarmed strikes—changing damage type is a free action. While using this style, once per round when you hit a single foe with two or more unarmed strikes, you can tear flesh. When you do, you deal 2d6 bleed damage with the attack."
The feat goes out of it's way to put the "While using this feat" line in the second line rather than the first. The same problem would apply to the second chain link if not for the line about prerequisites in the description for style feats.
However, the RAI is that style feats effectively cease to exist so long as you are not in the stance. This goes more with the whole "one stance at a time" flavor of styles, but completely wreaks style feats ability to synergize with one another. It effectively forces you to take monk of many styles or jump through hoops during combat using the "combat style master" feat.
And then we have the style feats that grant extra uses of elemental fist. these style feats grant that particular bonus when not in the stance. end of story. there is no other way to interpret "gain an additional use of elemental fist per day" as something you only get while in the stance. are these exceptions to the rule?
As for my personal take, I think the styles SHOULD give an out of stance boon in addition to the in stance one. After all,those feats are taking up a slot and it would be unfortunate to have three slots wasted because you wanted two styles but have to choose one depending on the situation.
It does say something about the first feat in the chain. It says it in the sentence before the one you quoted.
As a swift action, you can enter the stance employed by the fighting style a style feat embodies. Although you cannot use a style feat before combat begins, the style you are in persists until you spend a swift action to switch to a different combat style.
So the fist sentence that I quoted shows that you must use a swift action to enter the stance. The ability to enter the stance is given to you by the first feat in the line. The second sentence, which comes right before the one you quoted, states that you cannot be in a style until you choose the style.
As you pointed out, the ability that you want is available through the Style Master feat. That feat further solidifies the idea that you need to be in a style to use that style.
I do not think you gain any benefits unless you are in the correct style. Otherwise you can stack a lot of abilities without being in any style.
That is excluding the times per day uses of Elemental Fist. The only way to play that is as if you gain them each day no matter what.
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If you can benefit from the extra use per day of Elemental Fist wen not in your stance, why not the other abilities that are listed before the phrase "When using this style"?
I think brightshadow360 is correct that putting that phrase halfway through the feat indicates that some style feats are intended to provide minor benefits even when not in the style stance.
They are all IIRC really minor abilities. It's not OP for someone with two style feats to be able to deal slashing or piercing damage with an UAS and also get a +2 bonus to Sense Motive (Boar + Snake Style).
Styles are intended to be mostly mutually exclusive but that's why all the good abilities are behind the "When using this style" line - things like the extra damage from boar style or the ability to use Sense Motive defensively for Snake.
I'm actually curious-- is there a rules quote floating around that actually says the "one additional Elemental Fist" bit is always active?
on one hand, the implied nature of style feats says no, but then the ability includes "per day" in it which implies inherent. And if THAT is inherent, then that opens the can of worms we are dealing with for the other style feats.
