Fan Dancer Dedication: 10ft Stride when using Feint doesn't seem to actually work

[Astacat]

Fan Dancer Dedication states: "Whenever you Feint while holding a fan, you can give your Feint the air trait. If you do, you can Stride 10 feet before or after as part of the same action."

However, the requirement for Feint reads "You are within melee reach of the target you attempt to Feint."

Reading this, it seems that a fan dancer cannot feint if they start 10ft away from a target, as you have to be within melee reach in order to take the feint action, which is what allows them to stride 10ft. This seems to make the 10ft stride in fan dancer dedication almost pointless, I can't really think of a use case for it outside of some very niche flanking situations.

Is this reading correct, and if so is it intended?

[Baarogue]

I think you're reading the requirement of Feint too strictly in a vacuum. If you're 10' away, use the bonus 10' Stride beforehand and voila! You're w/i melee reach

It's not like your character can't take actions from a distance that renders that action ineffective, which is what Feinting from 10' away WOULD be if not for the Fan Dancer Dedication's ability

[Claxon]

Yeah, I also interpret it as "if your 10ft of movement would allow you to be within melee range, you could move first and then feint".

[Astacat]

Thanks both, that's also how I think it's supposed to be read. I can't really think of any reason for it to exist if not.

[Claxon]

Astacat wrote:

Thanks both, that's also how I think it's supposed to be read. I can't really think of any reason for it to exist if not.

Right, and there's a general understanding (I even think there may even be a side bar in the core rule book that discusses, though doesn't use the exact terminology of) that is something is too good (or too bad) to be true you're probably misinterpreting it.

Reading fan dancer dedication in such a way that you already have to be standing next to the target you intend to feint is too bad to true, because aside from a niche scenario of trying to move around your target for flanking that would be very difficult to make use of.

Although, I also find it hard to imagine what scenario moving after the feint would be useful though the ability allows it. I believe there is an ability somewhere in the game (can't remember what) that allows your feint to benefit your allies. So, if I'm remembering that correctly feinting an enemy and then moving away via fan dancer may make sense.

[Finoan]

Claxon wrote:

Astacat wrote:

Thanks both, that's also how I think it's supposed to be read. I can't really think of any reason for it to exist if not.

Right, and there's a general understanding (I even think there may even be a side bar in the core rule book that discusses, though doesn't use the exact terminology of) that is something is too good (or too bad) to be true you're probably misinterpreting it.

That is the Ambiguous Rules rule.

In this case, I would also lean towards the Specific Overrides General rule from the same sidebar. Fan Dancer Dedication is a specific rule that is overriding the general rule for melee range of Feint. It lets you start the Feint process from 10 feet away as long as you use the 10 feet of movement to become within melee reach of your target.