You can perform Free actions in the middle of a full attack. I'm not certain you can perform Swift (which Pole Fighting would count as in this case) actions in the middle of a full attack.
A swift action can be performed whenever you could perform a free action on your turn. You are limited to one a round is all. The immediate action is a swift action that can even be performed when it is not your turn, so I wouldn't see any issue with interrupting your whirlwind to change grip in this manner.
As Bizbag said:
Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally.
And
You can take a swift action anytime you would normally be allowed to take a free action.
And
Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action and counts as your swift action for that turn.
All add up to taking Free, Swift, and Immediate actions during a full attack, even a Whirlwind Attack.
Don't forget you can also take a 5'-step during a full-attack. So, you might not even need to shorten the grip - hit everyone in reach (non-adjacent), then move 5' away and hit everyone who used to be adjacent. If you can. Usually works and doesn't cause the -4 penalty.
Looks legit.
Are whirlwind attacks considered full attacks though? Dont have access to the PRD but thought they where full-round actions but not full attacks?
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Ill say this even though I know Ill get disagreements left, right, and center but here is a post I made on 5' stepping in the middle of a whirlwind attack from a previous discussion about this.
There is disagreement on whether you can 5' step in the middle of a Whirlwind attack. Ask your GM.
Against: You cannot take a 5' step and recalculate the whirlwind attack. This was dealt with in the FAQ for Cleave. Both feats start off calculating who you can hit. The FAQ for Cleave states you cannot recalculate in the middle of the sequence and since Whirlwind uses similar 'check at the start' criteria you also cannot recalculate in the middle of the sequence.
For: The FAQ on Cleave is about Cleave and not about Whirlwind Attack. Even if they both check at the beginning there is nothing in the FAQ on Cleave that states it applies to Whirlwind Attack.
Note: I am in the Against column.
Edit: When I originally posted that people ripped me for my lax wording on the disagreement line. Rather than change the quote I will amend it here (bolded text is the change):
"There is disagreement on whether you can 5' step in the middle of a Whirlwind attack to gain new targets."The same would apply to a swift or immediate action that changes your threatened space.
In short, if you check available targets at the start of the Whirlwind Attack like Cleave does then you cannot recheck them in the middle of the Whirlwind attack.
In the absence of official word on this it is up to your GM to decide if you check at the start or not.
Thanks, Gauss.
I'm inclined to think "For", as Cleave it it's own standard action while Whirlwind Attack is a full-attack modifier, and you can use immediate actions during a full-attack. But I'm not averse to a contrary ruling.
Thanks, Gauss.
I'm inclined to think "For", as Cleave it it's own standard action while Whirlwind Attack is a full-attack modifier, and you can use immediate actions during a full-attack. But I'm not averse to a contrary ruling.
You can use free (and therefore immediate) actions during most other actions, including a cleave. You can even take a 5ft-step during a cleave.
All the FAQ says is you have to check to make sure the targets are in range when you begin the cleave.Cleave is not Whirlwind attack and a FAQ for one may not apply to the other, but the difference in actions should not make a difference in this case.
Wait... so cleave 'checks for valid targets' before it allows the attack, and those targets are 'locked in'??
Wow.
This means if two wizards are adjacent to each other, and a fighter threatens them both... if they both ready an action to defensively cast dimension door if the other wizard is swung at... then what follows is this:
Wizards ready their action.
Fighter checks, both targets valid.
Goes to attack the first target, the other wizard’s readied action triggers.
The wizard dimension doors 500ft away.
The fighters first attack is resolved, he hits.
Then he cleaves the wizard who is now 500 feet away with his greatsword.
Wait... so cleave 'checks for valid targets' before it allows the attack, and those targets are 'locked in'??
Wow.
This means if two wizards are adjacent to each other, and a fighter threatens them both... if they both ready an action to defensively cast dimension door if the other wizard is swung at... then what follows is this:
Wizards ready their action.
Fighter checks, both targets valid.
Goes to attack the first target, the other wizard’s readied action triggers.
The wizard dimension doors 500ft away.
The fighters first attack is resolved, he hits.
Then he cleaves the wizard who is now 500 feet away with his greatsword.
Or....
Wizards ready their action.
Fighter checks, both targets valid.
Goes to attack the first target, the other wizard's readied action triggers.
The wizard dimension doors 500ft away.
The fighter's total attack action is void becuase he chose to use the cleave standard action and now no valid targets exist.
Fighter effectively wasted his whole turn.
Yup - this. The range check doesn't mean you automatically hit - it's just a determination whether the target is, at the moment you choose to Cleave, a valid target for Cleave.
Although personally, for flavor's sake I'd probably have the Fighter still cleave the air where both Wizards were previously standing, and then spout some profanities about "robed caster nancies..."
As to Whirlwind Attack and 5' step, I think blahpers presents the most compelling argument: You cannot 5' step during a Cleave because it's technically all one standard action that can potentially allow you to make multiple attacks, but Whirlwind Attack is a modifier to a full attack (which explicitly calls out that you can 5' step during).
Wait... so cleave 'checks for valid targets' before it allows the attack, and those targets are 'locked in'??
Wow.
This means if two wizards are adjacent to each other, and a fighter threatens them both... if they both ready an action to defensively cast dimension door if the other wizard is swung at... then what follows is this:
Wizards ready their action.
Fighter checks, both targets valid.
Goes to attack the first target, the other wizard’s readied action triggers.
The wizard dimension doors 500ft away.
The fighters first attack is resolved, he hits.
Then he cleaves the wizard who is now 500 feet away with his greatsword.
Or....
Wizards ready their action.
Fighter checks, both targets valid.
Goes to attack the first target, the other wizard's readied action triggers.
The wizard dimension doors 500ft away.
The fighter's total attack action is void becuase he chose to use the cleave standard action and now no valid targets exist.
Fighter effectively wasted his whole turn.
The valid target was locked in though, and they very much still exist.
You check when you start the attack. And cannot check again.
The way this is written... no matter what happens, they are valid targets. They could plane shift, and they're still valid targets.
Valid target is checked once.
"at the moment you begin your action".
So, whatever else happens is irrelevant, per this FAQ. If it was a valid target, it necessarily still is a valid target. Since the check for validity can be checked only once, only at the moment when you start the action, and nothing can change that.
Hah, this is like the whole "you can teleport out of a grapple, but you're still grappled" scenario. At some point, the rules fail and you have to use your head.
** spoiler omitted **
You check when you start the attack. And cannot check again.
The way this is written... no matter what happens, they are valid targets. They could plane shift, and they're still valid targets.
Valid target is checked once.
"at the moment you begin your action".
So, whatever else happens is irrelevant, per this FAQ. If it was a valid target, it necessarily still is a valid target. Since the check for validity can be checked only once, only at the moment when you start the action, and nothing can change that.
"In range" to qualify for the attack does not mean that they will be "in range" when the attack actually occurs.
You're reading, "At that moment, all of the available targets are checked to make sure they adjacent to each other and within reach..." to mean that as long as they are within range, they're going to be hit. That's not what it means.
It means that they're in range and could be hit, that they are valid targets for Cleave as the targets are currently standing - assuming that you choose to hit them, and that they do not take any action that interrupts.
As Blahpers points out, at some point you have to use common sense. What you're proposing makes no sense, and therefore cannot be the valid interpretation.
In order to 'say' what you're implying, it would need to explicitly override the normal behavior of an immediate action - which, when triggered, actually occurs before the start of the triggering action. It does not do that.
That's actually exactly how I envision it working, Khrysaor:
Wizard 1: <does his action>
Wizard 2: I ready my action so that if I'm under threat of attack from the Fighter, I'll Dimension Door away.
Fighter: Okay, I Cleave Wizard 1.
Wizard 2: Since I'm adjacent to Wizard 1 and within range, that triggers my DD. <vanishes>
Fighter: <attacks Wizard 1, hits; swings through the empty space where Wizard 2 was previously> Darnit!
The Mirror Image thing is, in my opinion, a 'kludge' balance mechanic. IMO I think you should be allowed to Cleave from one image to another, but perhaps set it so that if you Cleave a Mirror Image target, that's the only target (and its images) you can Cleave that round.
In 3.5 Mirror Image was separate images in multiple squares. In Pathfinder it is more of a blurring effect where a person has multiple images in the same square constantly moving around and through the caster.
I think of it the same as 'you are knocked senseless and are seeing double'. You cannot cleave that.
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Per the PRD:
Cleave (Combat)
You can strike two adjacent foes with a single swing.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: As a standard action, you can make a single attack at your full base attack bonus against a foe within reach. If you hit, you deal damage normally and can make an additional attack (using your full base attack bonus) against a foe that is adjacent to the first and also within reach.
IMHO I would personally allow the 5' step with Cleave between strikes as long as the second target was still in reach when you attacked the first target. Maybe you have an ally on the other side of target two and taking that 5 foot step gives you a flank bonus. The second target is still adjacent to the first and the fighter could hit him
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There is a Dwarf-only feat that allows you take a 5'-foot step in the middle of a Cleave.
By RAW, both through FAQ and the existence of that feat, it's pretty clear you can't take a step during it. House rules - feel free.