Flexible Flanker Questions

[Guppy7]

Our gm decided that he wanted to continue our 3.5 campaign in pathfinder so I'm converting my 3.5 polearm fighter to a pathfinder fighter.

While reading the polearm master archtype so questions arose about how flexible flanker works.

FF states:

a polearm master may choose any square adjacent to him and treat that square as his location for determining who he is flanking

If I consider the following sketch

123 R
4F5M
678

Where F is the polearm master, M is a monster, R is the party rogue and 1 to 8 are the possible squares for FF.

If the pm attacks the monster what a valid squares to determine flanking?

If the reach of the polearm is figured only 2 and 7 would be valid a the pm could not attack M if he was standing on the other squares. This seems to be what FF states. It also would make FF of severely limited applicability as there is now no way for F to flank with R. So am I interpreting this correctly?

Also does the position only count for the pm's attack or also for others? Or can R benefit from F's FF as wel?

[graywulfe]

123RY
4F5MX
678_Z

I believe you are misinterpreting things. Using the diagram above, assuming F does not have flexible flanker but is wield a reach weapon that threates, he only flanks with the rogue if the rogue is in position X. This is because his flanking is determined from his square through position 5.

The flexible flanker ability gives him more options. Using the same diagram above, now if the rogue is in position Y or Z he is also considered flanking because you can declare yourself to be determining flank from position 3 or 8. The ability does not change where you are attacking from, merely where you determine flanking from.

I hope this helps

[AvalonXQ]

I think Guppy7's problem is that, if the polarm master's location were 3 or 8 and he's weilding a reach weapon, he wouldn't be flanking M because he doesn't threaten M in those positions.

That's a significant problem; the easiest solution is probably just to wear armor spikes (or have Improved Unarmed Strike) to make better use of the ability.

[Guppy7]

graywulfe wrote:

I believe you are misinterpreting things. Using the diagram above, assuming F does not have flexible flanker but is wield a reach weapon that threates, he only flanks with the rogue if the rogue is in position X. This is because his flanking is determined from his square through position 5.

Possibly, I'm quite new at pathfinder. I always assumed flanking was determined by drawing a line from the center of square F to the center of of the other player square. Your way certainly seems easier as it is never in doubt which edge the line enter and leaves even with sloppy drawing.

graywulfe wrote:

The flexible flanker ability gives him more options. Using the same diagram above, now if the rogue is in position Y or Z he is also considered flanking because you can declare yourself to be determining flank from position 3 or 8. The ability does not change where you are attacking from, merely where you determine flanking from.

Does that raise the question as to when you designate the location you are flanking from? I mean if both square Y and Z contain a rogue could you change de designated location between their turns?

[Betsuni]

Since there is no timing on this ability so I would imagine you could adjust your flanking position on a whim.