[3.5] Adaptable Flanker - Any Good in Practice?

[Unusual Muse]

The Adaptable Flanker feat sounds reasonably good on paper, but I've never actually played a character that has it. For those of you who've played it, how useful is it in actual gameplay?

[Curmudgeon]

I've never seen it be worthwhile. Characters can usually establish or maintain flanking positions simply by making 5' adjustments. A feat that's only rarely going to save you a move action isn't worth taking.

[Quellian-dyrae]

There's also the fact that it's strictly inferior to Martial Stance (Island of Blades), at the cost of one additional prerequisite...

[Aeryr]

I did great with it, using a pair of dvati daring outlaws with a 3 level dip of devoted defender and allied defense.

Being able to flank anything in front of you, and being able to sneak attack anything flanked was really worthwile.

[Curmudgeon]

I did great with it, using a pair of dvati daring outlaws with a 3 level dip of devoted defender and allied defense.
I assume you had help from other party members, because that's actually not legal with the Dvati alone.
flank

To be directly on the other side of a character who is being threatened by another character. A flanking attacker gains a +2 flanking bonus on attack rolls against the defender. A rogue can sneak attack a defender that she is flanking.
A dvati character is actually two separate dvati twins who share a soul. These two creatures move and act separately but have a number of restrictions based on their connection. You need another character, not just another creature; Dvati twins, as a single character, can't flank anything alone. They have significant benefits when using Echo Attack and Pair Link, but in all cases flanking requires them plus another character.

[Aeryr]

Oh... well... that sucks.

Nevermind then I used it wrong.

[GnomeGninjas]

I believe that if you have a reach weapon it lets you flank with yourself, though I might be reading it wrong.

[Ingus]

I believe that if you have a reach weapon it lets you flank with yourself, though I might be reading it wrong.

There is a good use in this. Spiked chain + adaptable flanker = you threaten all around, practically flanking with yourself.
Add in vexing flanker, a Swashbuckler-based daring outlaw and some other goodies and you'll do pretty decent.

Aside of mildly abuse, this is not this great

[Amphetryon]

If your campaign typically deals with very narrow, winding corridors where normal Flanking situations are hard to come by, AND you're playing a build with Feats to spare, the ability can have some merit. That said, there may well be more effective ways to achieve the same benefit, depending on what sources are at your disposal. All in all, that makes Adaptable Flanker an extraordinarily niche-case 'good' choice.

[Curmudgeon]

I believe that if you have a reach weapon it lets you flank with yourself, though I might be reading it wrong.
I think you are, since flanking still needs another character to work regardless of how many spaces you're considered to occupy.

[GnomeGninjas]

On the one hand I'm sad that I missed that and failed to contrubute to this thread, though on the other hand I'm glad that it doesn't work like that.

[Unusual Muse]

I believe that if you have a reach weapon it lets you flank with yourself, though I might be reading it wrong.

I thought so too for a long time, but per the FAQ you cannot:

Q: Can a character with the Adaptable Flanker feat (Player’s Handbook II, 73) and a spiked chain flank an enemy all by himself (since he can choose to count as occupying the square opposite the enemy as well as his own square)?
A: No. This feat doesn’t let you get around the basic rule of flanking, which is that you need an ally to accomplish it—it just lets you pretend to occupy an extra space when figuring out if you’re actually flanking an enemy with your ally.

[nedz]

Its a reasonably choice for mooks armed with reach weapons, at least at low-mid levels.

It might also be helpful for rogues who want to full attack and sneak, but its not great.