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View Full Version : [PF] (and others) Change in Flanking Rules?



Barstro
2013-05-30, 09:50 AM
Would a change in Flanking rules help or hurt?
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Flanking

123
4X6
789 0

Currently
if someone is at 2 and 8, both have flanking because "X's concentration is split between 2 and 8" (my explanation for the rules)

But, if someone is at 2, 8, and 4, 4 does not get flanking because X is somehow able to concentrate on 4.

1, 3, 7, 9 all get flanking. But if 7 leaves, 3 loses it (see above). If 7 leaves and 9 moves to 8 in order to "surround" X, they all lose it.

No matter how distracted X is, 0 never gets flanking.

WOULD IT MAKE MORE SENSE if instead of "flanking" the rule was "flanked" as a condition, and so long as X was flanked by anyone, everyone receives a +2 (or at least rogues get sneak attack). This would certainly help out the forgotten archers who never get to join in flanking games.

In response to 1, 3, and 8, I think that if the shape made from the center point of all (melee?) attackers covers the center of the target, target should be flanked. (1,3,8 make a triangle that contains X's center)

As as additional rule, I think X should be allowed to pick one opponent as the person being watched, and that opponent does not get to flank. (1 and 3 can stab X in the kidneys all they want, X is busy blocking 8 from doing anything sneaky)

zilonox
2013-05-31, 09:12 AM
It's my opinion that the 3.X/PF design philosophy is, "What is good for the goose is good for the gander." How that applies in this case is that flanking would affect both the PC's and NPC's equally. Would you or your players be okay with those flanking rules if it was a PC surrounded by a horde of kobolds / goblins / house cats / etc?

I personally don't see a problem with your suggestions, especially given that there are feat/class options that do pretty much the same thing - you would just be granting the ability to everyone/everything in your world. You might want to think about offering an alternative ability to anyone who pursues/pursued those original options, however.

But I say if your/your players feel that the shoe fits just as well on the other foot, then go for it! :smallsmile:

Barstro
2013-05-31, 09:40 AM
Would you or your players be okay with those flanking rules if it was a PC surrounded by a horde of kobolds / goblins / house cats / etc?

Sure; fair's fair.

Sadly, I am not a player. I'm just a reader and thinker. That's why I posed the question; I figured other people out there would have a better idea on if such a rule would hurt the game for some reason I cannot come up with.