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Question 1:
Can you still get a flanking bonus from your ally if you are grappled and making a melee attack?
It seems so to me:
"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."
Question 2.
If you want to initiate a grapple, with an ally on the other side of your opponent (which I guess provides a flanking bonus on melee attacks)would you get a flanking bonus on you CMB
It doesn't seem to me like the flanking bonus could apply to the CMB.
1) No, while grappled you don't threaten.
2) Yes, on the initial grapple attempt flanking provides a +2 on the attack roll. (After you successfully grapple your target, you loose that +2 because as part of the grapple you gain the grappled condition and no longer threaten).
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Actually, the grappled character WILL get a flanking bonus. Read the flanking rule (which the OP quoted) again. There is no requirement for the attacking character to threaten, only the character on the opposite border/corner must threaten.
Now when it comes to the ungrappled character's turn he will not get the flanking bonus if his flank buddy is still grappled, since he won't threaten while grappled.
Second opinion:
He's right. Think about it...or better yet. read the rules itself and try to find out why he's right. You don't learn the system by having answers handed to you. You learn the system by finding out why they are right.
Or why they are wrong...
For question 1) The grappled condition states you can not take an AoO while grappled, but I can find nothing in the rules stating that you do not threaten while grappled. Ergo, pending a specific rules citation, yes, you would still grant flanking to someone in appropriate position.
Question 2, Treefolk is right, you gain the help of bonuses to attack on your CMB checks to perform a maneuver.
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I disagree with #1, I just read the glossary of conditions and the grappled condition does not specify that having the grappled condition stops you from threatening squares, or affecting your reach.
A grappled creature is restrained by a creature, trap, or effect. Grappled creatures cannot move and take a –4 penalty to Dexterity. A grappled creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks, except those made to grapple or escape a grapple. In addition, grappled creatures can take no action that requires two hands to perform. A grappled character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler's CMB + spell level), or lose the spell. Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity.
A grappled creature cannot use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling it, even if a special ability, such as hide in plain sight, would normally allow it to do so. If a grappled creature becomes invisible, through a spell or other ability, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its CMD to avoid being grappled, but receives no other benefit.
To provide flank you must threaten the foe in a square opposite you ally.
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.
So that comes down to, do I threaten the square?
You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not your turn. Generally, that means everything in all squares adjacent to your space (including diagonally). An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from you. If you're unarmed, you don't normally threaten any squares and thus can't make attacks of opportunity.
Which boils down to if I can attack I can threaten, and the under the grapple rules in the combat section it specifically says you can:
If you are grappled, you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check (DC equal to your opponent's CMD; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity) or Escape Artist check (with a DC equal to your opponent's CMD). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Alternatively, if you succeed, you can become the grappler, grappling the other creature (meaning that the other creature cannot freely release the grapple without making a combat maneuver check, while you can). Instead of attempting to break or reverse the grapple, you can take any action that doesn't require two hands to perform, such as cast a spell or make an attack or full attack with a light or one-handed weapon against any creature within your reach, including the creature that is grappling you. See the grappled condition for additional details. If you are pinned, your actions are very limited. See the pinned condition in Conditions for additional details.
So when in a grapple you can attack a square which you can reach, your reach is not affected, so therefore you threaten all squares you can reach, and so can provide and benefit from flank.
So 1. Yes, and 2. Yes
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Or why they are wrong...
For question 1) The grappled condition states you can not take an AoO while grappled, but I can find nothing in the rules stating that you do not threaten while grappled. Ergo, pending a specific rules citation, yes, you would still grant flanking to someone in appropriate position.
It doesn't state that
edit...
It does state that...
But you still threaten, as you say.
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For reference:
Grappled:
A grappled creature is restrained by a creature, trap, or effect. Grappled creatures cannot move and take a –4 penalty to Dexterity. A grappled creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks, except those made to grapple or escape a grapple. In addition, grappled creatures can take no action that requires two hands to perform. A grappled character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler's CMB + spell level), or lose the spell. Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity
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That actually is an interesting contradiction.
Threatening is based on your ability to attack the square, not your ability to take the AoO, i.e. you still threaten and provoke even if you exceed your # of AoOs per round (don't have combat reflexes.)
You can't make an AoO but you still threaten, the AoO is provoked, but you cannot option to take it, are there teamwork feats or AoO feats that allow an ally to take an AoO when one is provoked against you, even if you don't take one?
The more you drill the stranger the rules are.
Glad I refreshed before responding, I'd have been ninja'd 8 times over!
1) Yes - you threaten, as does your ally. You are thus flanking if in the correct position. Makes complete sense as well (if the guy you've grabbed has to worry about someone stabbing him from behind, it's going to benefit you).
2) Yes - combat maneuvers are attack rolls, in addition to whatever else they may be.
I could be misremembering (I don't have my rulebook handy) but I thought when you grapple that you're considered to be in the same square as your opponent. In that case, there is no opposite square from which to gain flanking, there is just an adjacent square with an ally in it.
I could be misremembering (I don't have my rulebook handy) but I thought when you grapple that you're considered to be in the same square as your opponent. In that case, there is no opposite square from which to gain flanking, there is just an adjacent square with an ally in it.
That's 3.5. PF you're still in a square adjacent to the grappler.
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stopped reading after Bruno's answer...because Bruno