How is Confound the Big Folk supposed to work?

[Callum]

The feat Confound the Big Folk, from Races of the Wild, gives you three maneuvers. To use any of them, you must first move into a square occupied by a foe at least two size categories larger than you. You then get some benefit on the next round. However, only Underfoot Defense specifies that you must remain in the foe's square (and gives you its benefit on every succeeding round that you do so). The other two (Knee Striker and Unsteady Footing) just state that they give you their benefit "on the next round", and don't say anything about remaining in the foe's square.

A) To get the benefit of Knee Striker on successive rounds, must you keep moving into a square occupied by the foe (ie will staying put mean you don't get the benefit)? If so, would a five-foot-step from one of the foe's squares to another suffice?

B) Does the benefit of Knee Striker apply even if you are no longer in the foe's square on the next round (eg you or the foe have moved away)?

C) Does the benefit of Knee Striker apply to ranged attacks (it only mentions "attacks" in its description)?

Finally, do you think the feat ought to work the way your answers indicate, or could it do with some rewriting?

[Darrin]

A) To get the benefit of Knee Striker on successive rounds, must you keep moving into a square occupied by the foe (ie will staying put mean you don't get the benefit)?


No. So long as you satisfy the triggering condition, Knee Striker works on the next round regardless of where you or your opponent moves.



If so, would a five-foot-step from one of the foe's squares to another suffice?


Knee Striker has no restrictions on your own movement. If you want to take a 5' step, or if your opponent moves away and you need to move back into melee range, it still works.



B) Does the benefit of Knee Striker apply even if you are no longer in the foe's square on the next round (eg you or the foe have moved away)?


Yes.



C) Does the benefit of Knee Striker apply to ranged attacks (it only mentions "attacks" in its description)?


Yes, by RAW it works with ranged attacks. Since your opponent is flat-footed with regard to your attacks, it looks like making a ranged attack doesn't provoke an AoO (but you might want to run that by the DM to make sure). However, if you do something that provokes and is not an attack (such as casting a spell), your opponent may get an AoO.



Finally, do you think the feat ought to work the way your answers indicate, or could it do with some rewriting?

What boils my blood is the 10 ranks of Tumble requirement, which generally doesn't happen at a level where you get a feat (7th). Underfoot Combat has the same requirement, so it's extremely difficult to get Confound the Big Folk before ECL 12. Very, very sloppy design.

[Curmudgeon]

What boils my blood is the 10 ranks of Tumble requirement, which generally doesn't happen at a level where you get a feat (7th). Underfoot Combat has the same requirement, so it's extremely difficult to get Confound the Big Folk before ECL 12. Very, very sloppy design.
I agree with you. If I'm playing a Small character I'll generally work as a Ranger or sometimes a Scout, and save my money. At level 7 I can pay for the Dark Chaos Shuffle to swap out bonus feats (like the Ranger's Track and Endurance) with about 1/8th WbL for each spell cast, gaining Confound the Big Folk when it's still useful. It's not only expensive but also risky to keep half of the character's adventuring gains as coin rather than useful equipment, but still a superior alternative to waiting 5 more levels.

[Callum]

Thanks very much for your replies, Darrin! However, I didn't explain my question A very well. What I was trying to get at was the situation where you move into the foe's square, on the next round get the benefit of Knee Striker, and then would like to have that benefit again on the following round (the third round, if you like). To do that, do you need to move into a square occupied by the foe again? If so, does a five-foot-step count as doing so?

[Darrin]

Thanks very much for your replies, Darrin! However, I didn't explain my question A very well. What I was trying to get at was the situation where you move into the foe's square, on the next round get the benefit of Knee Striker, and then would like to have that benefit again on the following round (the third round, if you like). To do that, do you need to move into a square occupied by the foe again? If so, does a five-foot-step count as doing so?

Ah, I see the problem. Yes, if we go by strict RAW, you would have to enter a new square. The 5' step should work.