Hi all, just wanted to check I had all the ruling correct for how to use this.
I'm designing a Holy Tactician with a 1 level dip in Sohei so that I can take advantage of the Lookout Feat.
I'll highlight the important parts as I can see them.
LOOKOUT (Combat, Teamwork)
Your allies help you avoid being surprised.
Benefit: Whenever you are adjacent to an ally who also has this feat, you may act in the surprise round as long as your ally would normally be able to act in the surprise round. If you would normally be denied the ability to act in the surprise round, your initiative is equal to your initiative roll or the roll of your ally –1, whichever is lower. If both you and your ally would be able to act in the surprise round without the aid of this feat, you may take both a standard and a move action (or a full-round action) during the surprise round.
DEVOTED GUARDIAN (Ex)
At 1st level, a sohei can always act in a surprise round even if he does not notice his enemies, though he remains flat-footed until he acts. In addition, a sohei gains a bonus on initiative rolls equal to 1/2 his monk level. At 20th level, a sohei’s initiative roll is automatically a natural 20.
BATTLEFIELD PRESENCE (Su)
At 3rd level, a tactician can direct her allies in battle, granting each ally within 30 feet one teamwork feat she possesses as a bonus feat as a standard action. All allies must receive the same feat, but do not need to meet the prerequisites of this bonus feat. This ability does not function if the paladin is flat-footed or unconscious. Allies must be able to see and hear the holy tactician in order to gain this benefit. Changing the bonus feat granted is a swift action.
This ability replaces aura of courage.
So the way I see it:
1. Combat begins, and the paladin is flat footed, therefore he cannot grant a bonus feat to his allies until his turn in the surprise round.2. On his turn, he takes a standard action and uses Battlefield Presence to grant his allies the Lookout Feat.
3. Any allies who previously couldn't act in the surprise round now roll Initiative and either act 1 Initiative count after the Paladin, or later if their Initiative roll was lower.
4.a) Any allies who could act in the surprise round anyway, but who's Initiative was lower than the Paladin's can now take a Full Round Action instead of a Move/Standard Action in the surprise round.
4.b) Any allies who could act in the surprise round anyway, and who's Initaitive was higher than the Paladin's get no benefit from this feat, unless they delay their action till after the Paladin's turn.
Does that seem right to everyone?
Have I missed anything?
Anything else anyone wants to add?
Thanks for checking out my post
Why not skip the confusion and just keep Lookout up on your team permanently before combat? There's no duration listed, so it should last throughout. Just switch as needed in combat.
Because Battlefield Presence specifically says it doesn't work if I'm flat footed, and Devoted Guardian specifies that I'm flat footed before I act in the surprise round.
If I make my perception check that works fine and dandy (and you could argue that even if I'm relying on Devoted Guardian I might be fine if I roll highest for Initiative), but if I miss my perception roll I'm Flat-Footed & I have to re-activate Battlefield Presence.