[3.5] Flanking from inside an enemy's sapce

[HaikenEdge]

How does flanking function if one moves into an enemy's space, say via Underfoot Combat?

[eggynack]

I don't think it does. Flanking occurs when, in drawing a line from the center of your square to the center of your relevant ally's square, said line crosses opposite ends of the opponent's square. Obviously, if you're in the opponent's square, this is physically impossible.

[sideswipe]

i would allow it with underfoot combat if you were flanking with someone flying above the opponents head. you could draw a line through them.

[Thurbane]

I once started a thread about flanking with yourself (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?129769-3-5-Flanking-with-myself)...there might be some tricks and tactics from there that are relevant.

[Elkad]

Pretty sure it's in the DMG somewhere, but if you are legally sharing the square (3 sizes smaller, etc), you count as flanking from all sides.

[Dalebert]

I had plans to have a bunch of tiny creatures to help with flanking and I was told that they simply don't provide flanking at all. Which is it?

[HaikenEdge]

I think Tiny creatures don't provide flanking because they have no reach, so they can't threaten creatures outside their square. I'm trying to do a situation with a Small creature (which as reach) that's in the space of a Large creature (due to the Underfoot Combat feat.)

[Elkad]

Yup, DMG 29, big and little creatures in combat.

"If a creature occupies part of an opponent’s space, it provides flanking to all allied creatures outside the opponent’s space"

Incidentally, that same page is one of the places that says tiny creatures "may carry reach weapons that do threaten adjacent squares", counteracting the 2x0=0 typical reach ruling nonsense.

[HaikenEdge]

Which begs the question regarding diminutive and fine creatures: can they carry reach weapons and threaten too?

[Elkad]

Which begs the question regarding diminutive and fine creatures: can they carry reach weapons and threaten too?

Same paragraph covers them as well.

Very Small Creatures
Tiny, Diminutive, and Fine creatures have no natural reach. They must enter an opponent’s square (and thus be subject to an attack of opportunity) in order to attack that opponent in melee unless they are armed with weapons that give them at least 5 feet of reach.
Because Tiny, Diminutive, and Fine creatures have no natural reach, they do not normally get attacks of opportunity. Specific creatures may be exceptions, and some may carry reach weapons that do threaten adjacent squares."

It just says 'some'. My houserule is it takes 1 "step" of reach per size class below small. (Divide reach by 2 for tiny, 3 for dim, 4 for fine)

[Dalebert]

I'm so grateful that you corrected me on this. People had convinced me to abandon my plan to have a bag full of tiny bloody skeleton creatures to attack and give flanking and sneak attack opportunities.