Total Defense + Flanking

[Maerimydra]

I must admit that I'm not sure if you can flank an opponent while using Total Defense, since you can't make Attacks of Opportunity in Total Defense (CRB 186). Because of that rule, my interpretation is that you don't really threaten your opponent while using Total Defense, so you cannot give flanking bonus to your allies.

Am I doing this wrong or right?

[Tom Baumbach]

Total defense removes the ability to make attacks of opportunity, but does not remove the ability to threaten squares. I'd say you can still grant an ally a flank bonus.

[Master_Drow]

Maerimydra wrote:

I must admit that I'm not sure if you can flank an opponent while using Total Defense, since you can't make Attacks of Opportunity in Total Defense (CRB 186). Because of that rule, my interpretation is that you don't really threaten your opponent while using Total Defense, so you cannot give flanking bonus to your allies.

Am I doing this wrong or right?

Since Total Defense says that you loose the ability to Attack of opportunity you need to read the Attack of Opportunity section. There it has a section on threatened squares and read as follows "You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack" Well in total defense you can't make a melee attack and therefore you are not threatening. Since Flanking reads "you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another" Well you are not threatening and therefore not able to flank with total defense.

[Maerimydra]

Tom Baumbach wrote:

Total defense removes the ability to make attacks of opportunity, but does not remove the ability to threaten squares. I'd say you can still grant an ally a flank bonus.

I think that, by RAW, you're right. Hm, now I have some new ideas about how the use the BBEG's minions against the PCs. ;)

[Maerimydra]

Master_Drow wrote:

Maerimydra wrote:

I must admit that I'm not sure if you can flank an opponent while using Total Defense, since you can't make Attacks of Opportunity in Total Defense (CRB 186). Because of that rule, my interpretation is that you don't really threaten your opponent while using Total Defense, so you cannot give flanking bonus to your allies.

Am I doing this wrong or right?

Since Total Defense says that you loose the ability to Attack of opportunity you need to read the Attack of Opportunity section. There it has a section on threatened squares and read as follows "You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack" Well in total defense you can't make a melee attack and therefore you are not threatening. Since Flanking reads "you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another" Well you are not threatening and therefore not able to flank with total defense.

That would be my interpretation of the rule. It's strange, however, that they didn't simply said : While you are using the Total Defense action, you don't threaten any squares.