Simple RAW for Pathfinder Thread VI: Return of the Red Die

[Rynjin]

Some questions that have come up in a game I'm currently playing in.

Q 349: In Pathfinder, do all Large creatures take up a 10x10 space? Or are some of them 5x10. My DM insists many Large creatures are 5x10, but I can't find anything to that effect on d20PFSRD.org, and I'm suspicious he's just stuck in 3.0. Either way, can you point me to a quote?

A349: Yes, sizes are standardized in Pathfinder entirely based on size category. However, the Reach does change depending on whether you are Large (Long) or Large (Tall) even though they both take up a 10 ft. space; specifically Large (Long) does not by default have Reach (unless specified in their stablock) while Large (Tall) is assumed to have Reach by default unless otherwise specified). Source.

Q 350: In Pathfinder, is Knowledge (Local) one skill or many? That is, if I'm from the Material Plane, and I find myself in the Feywilds (exactly the situation I'm in), would Knowledge (Local) ranks I gained back home help me know prominent Feywilds figures? The DM's been asking us if we have ranks in Knowledge (Local) since we got here, and I just don't see why any of us would have the relevant training. Though I guess I could put some ranks in next level-up.

A350: Yes, Local is one skill. It is used to know "legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, humanoids" (Source.). However, I would say there's a strong argument to be made that knowing anything about how things go on in the Feywilds is a Nature or Planes check depending. Still, if your GM is being merciful and taking the skill entirely at face value, I wouldn't complain much. It ultimately is of minimal impact, and I would assume they're ruling for that because it's just simpler that way.

Q 351: In Pathfinder, are enemies flat-footed (and thus Sneak-Attack-able) before they take their first turn? Or are they only flat-footed in a surprise round? On one occasion, the Rogue in the party went before an enemy, and I suggested this would allow him to use Sneak Attack, but the DM said that would only be true if we'd gotten a surprise round.

A351: Yes, creatures are ALWAYS flatfooted before their first action in a combat, barring some sepcial ability (eg. Uncanny Dodge).

At the start of a battle, before you have had a chance to act (specifically, before your first regular turn in the initiative order), you are flat-footed. You can’t use your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) while flat-footed. Barbarians and rogues of high enough level have the uncanny dodge extraordinary ability, which means that they cannot be caught flat-footed. Characters with uncanny dodge retain their Dexterity bonus to their AC and can make attacks of opportunity before they have acted in the first round of combat. A flat-footed character can’t make attacks of opportunity, unless he has the Combat Reflexes feat.

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