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There are some text that say "if you have the ability of X, then Y". My question is what counts as having the ability of X?
As a more specific example, this came up when I was looking at the feat Dirty Fighting.
Benefit(s): When you attempt a combat maneuver check against a foe you are flanking, you can forgo the +2 bonus on your attack roll for flanking to instead have the combat maneuver not provoke an attack of opportunity. If you have a feat or ability that allows you to attempt the combat maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity, you can instead increase the bonus on your attack roll for flanking to +4 for the combat maneuver check.
Of course if you have one of the "Improved (insert favorite combat maneuver)" feats then it counts. However, what if you had a weapon or random piece of equipment that lets you not provoke? A specific example of this is the Tekko-Kagi.
Benefit: A tekko-kagi can be used... to disarm an opponent’s weapon without provoking an attack of opportunity.
While using this weapon to disarm does my character "have" the ability and therefore get the extra +2 from Dirty Fighting, or must the ability come directly from my character himself? My gut reaction says that this counts since Dirty Fighting calls out a difference between feats and abilities and I don't see many ways to gain this "ability" other than through feats, meaning this was meant to work.
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Sure seems like that would work. Reach weapon would work for the same reason assuming your opponent wasn't threatening you as well.
Tekko-kagi would work, reach weapon doesn't. Reach weapon doesn't inherently prevent you provoking. Being in a position so that you don't provoke is different from having an ability that says you don't provoke.
That would work, yes. The weapon is a mundane piece of equipment that nevertheless grants you the ability to not provoke while using it.
With this wording I read it as the literal dictionary definition of the word "ability", as in "to be able". If you are able to make the check without provoking, then you qualify as having the ability to make the check without provoking, and hence it is fair game.
The biggest misconception of reach, threatening, and AoO is that if you're not threatened you don't provoke.
This is not true, provoking actions ALWAYS provoke. It's just there are times when enemies wont be in range to take an AoO on you provoking.