Combat Style Master (Combat): You can switch your style as a free action. At the start of combat, pick one of your styles. You start the combat in that style, even in the surprise round.
So let's say I have a character with the following style feats: Crane Style & Crane Wing, Pummeling Style & Pummeling Charge and Jabbing Style, Jabbing Dancer & Jabbing Master. Is this an accurate portrayal of how everything would mechanically function:
Declare that I am fighting defensively and then enter Pummeling Style as a free action before charging a foe using Pummeling Charge and taking the reduced attack penalty granted by Crane Style (since you gain that benefit without actually being in the style). Then, before the end of my turn, switch to Crane Style as a free action and on my opponent's turn enjoy the defensive benefits of Crane Wing. Then, at the beginning of my next turn switch to Jabbing Style as a free action, declare that I'm fighting defensively (to again set up Crane Style) and make a full attack action as normal, gaining the benefits of Jabbing Dancer and Jabbing Master as I attack.
Sound correct?
Everything seems correct.
Awesome, thanks for the quick response. Here's a follow-up question. If I had Snake Style with Snake Fang, could I conceivably begin combat already in the style and get the counter attacks on a miss that come with Snake Fang even though I hadn't acted in combat yet?
Well combat style master allows you to start combat in a style, so you could choose to be in Snake Style at the start of combat. If you had Snake Fang it would function normally. However, remember you must use an AoO in order to make the attack, and unless you have combat reflexes you cannot make an AoO while flat-footed, and you are normally flat-footed until you have acted in the round.
Well combat style master allows you to start combat in a style, so you could choose to be in Snake Style at the start of combat. If you had Snake Fang it would function normally. However, remember you must use an AoO in order to make the attack, and unless you have combat reflexes you cannot make an AoO while flat-footed, and you are normally flat-footed until you have acted in the round.
Yeah, you can't take Snake Fang without Combat Reflexes, so that's covered.
Thanks again. This Goblin Brawler I'm building is going to be a blast.