Crane Wing's deflect limitations

[Ravingdork]

Was it ever officially clarified what EXACTLY crane wing could deflect or not deflect?

Can it be used against Combat Maneuvers, natural attacks, touch spells, and other unusual forms of attacks...or not?

[SlimGauge]

I can answer one of these. The FAQ says "If the deflected attack is a touch spell or other effect that requires "holding the charge," the charge is not expended." and as and example also says "If a shocking grasp touch attack is deflected, the attacker is still "holding the charge.""

This tends to show that touch spells can indeed be deflected.

As for natural attacks, this isn't as "official" as you probably want, but Sean says.

EDIT:speeling

[Archaeik]

Deflecting Attacks FAQ

I agree it's extremely suggestive toward intent.
The feat talks about "melee weapon attack". The touch rules define that a touch spell makes that attack armed.
So whether you consider the spell the weapon, or the hand the weapon, it should be seen as a "melee weapon attack" that it can deflect.

Maneuvers generally fall under this category as well.
There's no contest that they are attacks.
Most available means of making them require a melee weapon (this includes hands).

Spells like Hydraulic Push shouldn't be deflected (is the whole "blast of water" a melee weapon?)
Other spells I can think of use ranged touch attacks to make maneuvers, which the feat wouldn't deflect anyway.

Are there some specific examples you care to cite?

[SlimGauge]

As a clarification, MELEE touch attacks can be deflected, RANGED touch attacks cannot.

[Jiggy]

As for maneuvers, note that the feat says "weapon", and only certain maneuvers use weapons. A disarm, sunder or trip is inherently weapon-based, and certain other maneuvers can become weapon-based through unique weaponry or special abilities. Most maneuvers, however, do not use a weapon (natural or otherwise) and therefore cannot be deflected by Crane Wing because it only deflects "weapon" attacks.

[Rogue Eidolon]

Completely agree with SlimGauge and Cheapy. Basically, the only melee attacks it has been shown not to deflect are most instances of combat maneuvers other than disarm, sunder, and trip (despite my stunning ignorance a year or two ago that Grapple is bizarrely a type of Weapon for the purpose of Weapon Focus).