Flurry of Blows Question

[Shampoohorn]

Can a monk use his flurry of blows to hit more than one opponent? If so is it limited by the monks threatened area, by a 5' step, or something else?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Yes, the monk can hit more than one opponent during the flurry.

Since Flurry of blows is a full round action, the monk can take only one 5 feet step in conjonction with it.

He can make this movement before, after or between his attacks.

 

[Seule]

Between? I understood that, while a free action doesn't take any time, it can't be done in the middle of another action. Thus Supreme Cleave letting you take your 5' step in between an attack and a cleave is a very powerful ability, as it lets you mess with trhe order in which you do things.

Basically, I don't think you can take a 5' step in the middle of a full attack, but must do it before or after.
Can anyone find anything definitive on either side of this? It'd change our tactics quite a bit if this is possible.

--Seule

 

[Zhure]

From the SRD: "Full-Round Action: A full-round action consumes all a combatant's effort during a round. The only movement a combatant can take during a full- round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. A combatant can also perform free actions. Some full-round actions do not allow a 5-foot step. "

It's in the PHB, too.

Greg

 

[Christian]

Between? I understood that, while a free action doesn't take any time, it can't be done in the middle of another action. Thus Supreme Cleave letting you take your 5' step in between an attack and a cleave is a very powerful ability, as it lets you mess with trhe order in which you do things.

Greg has the rule and the cite. For the record, the power of Supreme Cleave is that it lets you take your 5' step between the attack that dropped the opponent and the extra attack from the Cleave, which (per the feat description) you ordinarily can't do. Some examples:

XXGXX
XGXXG
XXFXX

G=Goblin, F=Fighter (with Greater Cleave), X=empty space

Legal: Fighter steps directly up, attacks left-hand goblin and
drops it, Cleaves top-hand goblin.

Legal: Fighter attacks left-hand goblin, steps up-and-right, attacks right-hand goblin with secondary attack and drops it, Cleaves top-hand goblin. (Last two attacks at -5 for secondary attack.)

Illegal: Fighter attacks left-hand goblin, drops it, steps up-and-right, Cleaves right-hand goblin, drops it, Cleaves top-hand goblin-all with primary attack at full BAB. Nope. But he can do that with Supreme Cleave.

OK?

 

[Shampoohorn]

Thanks!

Thanks for the answers. I thought this was the case.

 

[Don21584]

If you reach 10th level and use Flurry of Blows, is your 4th attack at -1 since the 3rd is at +1?

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Thus Supreme Cleave letting you take your 5' step in between an attack and a cleave is a very powerful ability, as it lets you mess with trhe order in which you do things.

Supreme Cleave doesn't let you "mess with the order in which you do things".

PHB 80
Cleave
If you deal a creature enough damage to make it drop, you get an immediate, extra melee attack against another creature in the immediate vicinity. You cannot take a 5-foot step before making this extra attack.

Supreme cleave lift this restriction, that's all. And that's not the same thing as moving between the normal attacks you can do in a full attack.

 

[Christian]

Already got that, Mal, with examples and everything. Thanks for playing, though!

Don, if you're looking at it the way I think you are, yes, you're right. When using FoB, you add an additional attack at your highest BAB, but take a -2 to every attack. A 10th level monk's attacks are +7/+4/+1, so he flurries at +5/+5/+2/-1. It's still a good deal, believe me!

 

[Seule]

Well I'll be hornswoggled. I didn't think there were many rules in the PH that I didn't know about by now, playing ~3 times a week with different groups. You can take a 5' step during a full attack. Neat. That does lower the effect of Supreme Cleave somewhat, but not a whole lot.

Oh, and when I was referring to messing with the order in which you do things, I meant taking your 5' step at any time during your attack sequence, which I thought you couldn't do. This will change our tactics somewhat, and no mistake.

--Seule