Ignoring a flanker

[diaglo]

My main problem with flanking is the ability of a dog to provide flanking bonuses for a twentieth-level rogue fighting a great wyrm dragon: even though the dog has zero chance of doing damage (a confirmed critical of max damage won't break through damage reduction), the dragon can't, by the rules, ignore it.

being threatened doesn't measure the amount of damage done. just the chance to be hit. which the dog and the rogue probably have the same chance (if the DM is good) .... 5%... a lucky natural 20....

 

[Pielorinho]

Quite literally, if a creature trying to damage you can't possibly damage you, then it doesn't threaten you. I would allow the dragon to ignore the dog for the same reason that I would allow it to ignore a piece of chewing gum: neither are going to hurt the dragon.

Daniel

 

[DarkMaster]

Quite literally, if a creature trying to damage you can't possibly damage you, then it doesn't threaten you. I would allow the dragon to ignore the dog for the same reason that I would allow it to ignore a piece of chewing gum: neither are going to hurt the dragon.

Daniel

I agree with you. IMC I allow a player to ignore a flanker. I don't understand why a 20th level fighter should split his focus between a Great Wyrm and his kobolds minions for example. The fighter knows very well that losing focus of the dragon even for a split second can be fatal. But if he wants to attack the kobold hoping to great cleave them to death then he will have to accept being flanked for one round(If any of the Kobold survived!).

 

[DarkMaster]

Of course not. It's called Aid Another.
If the bonus is caused by the active attacks of your ally, then the ally wouldn't necessarily have to be on the opposite side of the target. Besides, you don't need to actively attack to provide your ally with a flanking bonus. You just need to threaten him. In fact, you could take an action which doesn't even allow an attack, and still give a flanking bonus to your ally.

The flanking bonus comes from the fact that the defender have to keep his focus on both potential foe. If you decide to ignore one of them they should lose the flanking bonus. Obviously if you decide to ignore the caster then I would not give a AoO or any other advantage to the defender. IMC I rule that if you decide to ignore an opponent he is considered invisible to you for the rest of the round.

 

[diaglo]

Quite literally, if a creature trying to damage you can't possibly damage you, then it doesn't threaten you. I would allow the dragon to ignore the dog for the same reason that I would allow it to ignore a piece of chewing gum: neither are going to hurt the dragon.

i happen to agree with you.

but then again my hat for d02 knows no limits.