Can a spell like Silent Image or Major Image create a "Flanking" situation?
For example, If your fighter buddy is fighting an orc and you cast a figment type spell like the above mentioned ones.
It is the illusion of a swordsman joining the fight and moving to a flanking position.
Assume the illusionary swordsman is just posturing, feinting and making inaccurate attacks that don't contact so as to only appear to be a threat.
Obviously it is moot if the orc figures out that the swordsman is an illusion but if he does not, could it allow the fighter to get a flanking bonus?
Only with Threatening Illusion
Nice pickup on the feat.
Shame it's Gnome only. Seriously, who plays gnomes?
Mr Welch plays gnomes...
I can't believe I've linked that page twice today.
Gnomes make the best illusionists. There are several awesome gnome only illusion feats.
I think there is a feat that lets Humans take feats of other races. Maybe racial heritage is the name.
Seriously, who plays gnomes?
Been playing a Gnome Illusionist since February 1985 thank you very much!
They really do make great illusionists, however, I would rather they have a +2 to Intelligence than Charisma as I prefer the Illusion casting wizards rather than Sorcerers.
Thanks folks!
Here is a follow up question.
Could a figment type illusion of the same earlier mentioned swordsman cause an opponent to waste an Attack of Opportunity by having it move through a threatened square?
The illusion would be a bust if the enemy hits, but it would still waste an AoO (?)
I have a gnome illusionist and this is one of the common uses for his illusions. Now that you mention it, I don't know any specific rules for it off hand, but I have run this technique under many different GMs and none of us have ever given it a second thought. It makes sense that it would work this way. We count this as interacting with and therefore gives a chance to disbelieve.
To be honest, I feel sad they made a feat for that. I would have make it legal, at least for illusions that ask you to concentrate to direct them.
But I would give a saving throw too, because you begin to interact by melee fighting with the illusion.
Because if you believe there is a creature that threatening you, it's silly you don't get flanked.
I know we left pure RAW (RAW asks a creature that is threatening you, period) for at least RAI to plain houserule, but I can't stop portraying how the "flanked" character just ignoring the illu, while he believes it's real.
Rules for flanking, for reference:
Flanking
When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another enemy character or creature on its opposite border or opposite corner.
When in doubt about whether two characters flank an opponent in the middle, trace an imaginary line between the two attackers' centers. If the line passes through opposite borders of the opponent's space (including corners of those borders), then the opponent is flanked.
Exception: If a flanker takes up more than 1 square, it gets the flanking bonus if any square it occupies counts for flanking.
Only a creature or character that threatens the defender can help an attacker get a flanking bonus.
Creatures with a reach of 0 feet can't flank an opponent.
I am not fond of it either really. It doesn't make sense for the reasons you state, and it also doesn't make sense that they get an extra save to see if they believe it is a flanking threat.
I think this was designed more for balance than verisimilitude.
Actually, in normal cases I don't know that it would break balance that much either. But if normal illusions flanked all the time, that would make this feat even more of an ass kicker.
TBH, I'm not fond of Companions book for a lot of reasons, but I won't expend.
For the save, when you interact with an illusion, you gain a saving throw. I imagine trying to cross the blades with an illu is an interaction... And a factor of distraction.
Still, as I said, it would be my houserule, no point discussing it in a rule forum :)
Frankly, the rules for illusions depend at the table you're at. The infinitely wide variety of effects each single spell can generate makes all but the loosest rules useless. At my table, I don't usually use anything beyond the chance for a saving throw when interacting.