[XPH} Flanker ability from the ELOCATER PrC...

[RigaMortus]

I don't know if this is just poorly written or if I am simply not understanding what they are trying to explain here. Can someone please clarify for me?

Flanker (Ex): An elocater of 4th level or higher can flank enemies from seemingly impossible angles. She can designate any adjacent square as the square from which flanking against an ally is determined (including the square where she stands, as normal). She can designate the square at the beginning of her turn or at any time during her turn. The designated square remains her effective square for flanking until she is no longer adjacent to it or until she chooses a different square (at the start of one of her turns). The character can even choose a square that is impassable or occupied.

The italic is what confuses me. By "adjacent", to whom are they referring? Are they saying I need to designate a space that is adjacent to me, to the enemy, or to my ally?

This may be asking too much, but if someone could post an picture or example of how this would look, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Sejs]

Adjacent to the Elocater.

It basically lets the character off-set their presence by one space for the purposes of setting up flanking. The ability is also listed in the Miniatures Handbook, I believe under the Tactical Soldier PrC entry.

 

[RigaMortus]

So wouldn't that make it possible for the Elocater to be flanking twice? Like such:

AAX
XFX
XE*

A = Ally
X = Empty Space
F = Foe
E = Elocater
* = Flanker ability

The Elocater would be flanking vertically across from his ally, and the "flanker ability" would be flanking diagnonally across from the ally. Is that right?

Note: I am aware that flanking twice doesn't give much of a benefit, but if one of the allies move, the other will still grant flanking (either because of the Flanker ability or to the Elocater himself), right?

 

[James McMurray]

That appears to be correct according to the wording you posted above.

 

[Sejs]

Nope, it wouldn't actually. When the Elocater moves his presence one to the right, that means it's not in the square he occupies. It can be in the square he occupies, but if it's been moved, his presence comes from the square it's moved to, not his square and the designated square also.


12X
XFX
XE*

1 and E have flanking due to the placement of *.
2 and E do not have flanking, to do so the * would have to be in the same space as E.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Nope, it wouldn't actually. When the Elocater moves his presence one to the right, that means it's not in the square he occupies.

Right. He still only provides flanking bonuses from one square, which may or may not be the square he's in.

-Hyp.

 

[James McMurray]

Ah. On rereading it I can see I was misinterpreting the part about including the original square.