Attacking from behind

[Akashic Soldier]

What are the rules for attacking from behind?

One of my players recently got an ability that allows him to inflict double damage whenever he attacks someone from behind and I noticed that the next boss they're prepping to fight (A Splugorth Slaver) cannot be attacked from behind. So I was just wondering what are normally the rules flanking attacks and where can I find them?

Do I use common sense? Can people being attacked from behind spend an action to face their enemy? Is there anything else I should know before the next game session?

[drewkitty ~..~]

As to the damage mods from an h2h...they only count when using a melee weapon.

If you count a sneak attack which you count as doing an auto-critical hit, then it would do double damage.
Because the main component of the "strike from behind" is that it is basically a for of sneak attack.

[The Beast]

As to the damage mods from an h2h...they only count when using a melee weapon.

I'd like to see what book and page you got that from.

[Killer Cyborg]

So I was just wondering what are normally the rules flanking attacks and where can I find them?

Don't really know of any.
You might try Ninjas & Superspies.

Do I use common sense?

Yup.

Can people being attacked from behind spend an action to face their enemy? Is there anything else I should know before the next game session?

I wouldn't make them use up an action just to turn around. I'd let them do it as part of any other action.
So if they're clubbed on the head, they can turn around to face their attacker as part of a Roll With Impact.
IF they stab and kill the guy in front of them, they can then whirl around to face an opponent behind them.
Or they can turn around on their initiative, then use their attack to attack their attacker.
And so on.

[Prysus]

What are the rules for attacking from behind?

Greetings and Salutations. There are a few questions here, so I'll answer them one at a time. To this one, the answer is found in the "Combat Terms" section (at least one answer, there may be different answers somewhere else).

PF2, page 46; "Sneak Attacks or Attacks from Behind." It has its own heading.
R:UE, page 347; "Sneak Attacks." Attacks from behind isn't listed in the heading anymore, but it is still found in the first sentence.

So I was just wondering what are normally the rules flanking attacks and where can I find them?

Flanking is a slightly different topic. I have some personal thoughts on the matter, but that's for a project I'm working on and would rather not get into the details here.

In the books, we don't have much information on that yet. SamtheDagger probably answered this one the best. We have the rules for "Two against one" in R:UE on page 342. The fact you can only parry up to 3 is also listed on page 346 (Combat Terms; "Multiple Attackers"). I don't know if I ever saw a reference in a book, but as Sam said, I always believed the reasoning behind parrying only 3 (and not the 4th) is that you can't parry attacks from behind.

With that said ... unless there are 4 of them, an opponent will usually move and position to try and avoid one of the attackers getting behind him/her. This will involve moving with them, adjusting position, etc. to keep the opponents on your sides and in front of you. As they move in, you adjust your body to keep the others in your peripherals and front vision (it's rather hard to avoid getting behind someone with only 3 people if the person is trying to prevent it ... this will usually happen if the person isn't paying attention).

Do I use common sense? Can people being attacked from behind spend an action to face their enemy? Is there anything else I should know before the next game session?

I'd actually suggest that it does cost an action to turn all the way around. But that's mostly an opinion (with very minor book support). Trying to get into that discussion is a bit much for me right now (I'm tired and need sleep soon). However, if you really want to know, I can try to address this in a bit more detail later. Otherwise I'll just leave it at: "I, personally, would make turning all the way around an action."

Anyways, that's the highlights for now. Hope some of that helped. Thank you for your time and patience, pleae have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.

[dragonfett]

IMO, to turn all the way around to completely face your attacker would use an action, however turning enough to attack could (and IMHO should) be part of the attack action.