Simple Q&A 28: Revenge of the Monktopus

[brujon]

Q133: Is a Cowering or Stunned character considered Flat Footed? They lose their dexterity bonus to AC and even take a penalty to AC. It seems like an even more extreme condition than flat footed. Can a target affected by those conditions be affected by Iaijutsu Focus, for instance?

[Garryl]

Q133: Is a Cowering or Stunned character considered Flat Footed? They lose their dexterity bonus to AC and even take a penalty to AC. It seems like an even more extreme condition than flat footed. Can a target affected by those conditions be affected by Iaijutsu Focus, for instance?

A133: No. Denied Dex to AC is a distinct and separate state from flat-footed. While being flat-footed (usually) causes a character to be denied Dex to AC, the reverse is not true.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 134: Suppose a character has been drenched with a highly flammable liquid (170 proof alcohol, lamp oil, or gasoline) and someone throws a flask of alchemist's fire or a molotov cocktail at him.  There is a DC 15 Reflex save to keep from catching on fire (and only on a direct hit, not with splash damage).  What kind of penalty should be imposed to the Ref save due to being soaked in flammable liquids?

[PhaedrusXY]

Q 134: Suppose a character has been drenched with a highly flammable liquid (170 proof alcohol, lamp oil, or gasoline) and someone throws a flask of alchemist's fire or a molotov cocktail at him.  There is a DC 15 Reflex save to keep from catching on fire (and only on a direct hit, not with splash damage).  What kind of penalty should be imposed to the Ref save due to being soaked in flammable liquids?

Hit = autofail. If he's only caught in the splash, give him the DC 15 reflex save... Of course, that's pulled straight from my ass...

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 134: Suppose a character has been drenched with a highly flammable liquid (170 proof alcohol, lamp oil, or gasoline) and someone throws a flask of alchemist's fire or a molotov cocktail at him.  There is a DC 15 Reflex save to keep from catching on fire (and only on a direct hit, not with splash damage).  What kind of penalty should be imposed to the Ref save due to being soaked in flammable liquids?

Hit = autofail. If he's only caught in the splash, give him the DC 15 reflex save... Of course, that's pulled straight from my ass...

Yes, but I like the way your ass thinks...

Of course, the target should still get to makes saves to put himself out in subsequent rounds.  Maybe start round 2 at DC 20, and drop the DC by 1 each round until it's back to 15, as the liquid burns itself off...

[brujon]

Q 135: I suppose this is not exactly a simple question, but what the hell. I'm brainstorming here for a factotum Iaijutsu Focus build, and i came across the Hidden Blade skill trick and the Gnome Quickrazor. Well, the Hidden Blade skill tricks only requires that the weapon is hidden, and you can hide the weapon as a free action if you take a -20 penalty to your sleight of hand check. Combine this with the fact that you draw and stow your gnome quickrazor as a free action too, and you can use the Hidden Blade skill trick multiple times in one round(Provided that you have a high enough modifier to offset the -20 penalty). Problem is, the wording of Hidden Blade says "the first attack you make that turn", not "next attack you make after drawing the hidden weapon". Is it much of a stretch to interpret it as "the first attack you make that turn after you draw the weapon" ? I'm not sure if this is RAW or RAI, but before suggesting it to any DM i need to confirm if it's at least plausible and not too stretching of an interpretation. I'm leaning towards that interpretation partially because of TWF builds. You can hide both weapons and then draw them both, but only one will benefit from hidden blade, even though you attacked with them at the same time?

[PhaedrusXY]

A135: You can only use a skill trick once per encounter, IIRC.

[kevin_video]

A135: You can only use a skill trick once per encounter, IIRC.

Or once per minute. Whichever happens first.

[brujon]

A135: You can only use a skill trick once per encounter, IIRC.

I love how i keep missing the fine print... Sigh... Guess i'm off to find other ways to do stuff.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

A135: You can only use a skill trick once per encounter, IIRC.

I love how i keep missing the fine print... Sigh... Guess i'm off to find other ways to do stuff.

There's a combat manuever in Kalamar that lets you make an enemy flatfooted.

[weenog]

There's also the Surprising Riposte feat in Drow of the Underdark, if you can come up with a way to feint as a swift or free action

EDIT: Or not, since you're a factotum and can come up with extra actions to feint without it having to be a free action. derp

[Anarchy_Kanya]

Q136: When I'm using a spiked chain can I initiate Wolf Fang Strike maneuver to hit with the chain and an unarmed strike? Because I can strike with an unarmed strike even when my hands are full (Battle Dancer and Unarmed Swordsage levels) so I should technically be able to wield a two-handed weapon and make an unarmed strike using Wolf Fang Strike.

[snakeman830]

Q136: When I'm using a spiked chain can I initiate Wolf Fang Strike maneuver to hit with the chain and an unarmed strike? Because I can strike with an unarmed strike even when my hands are full (Battle Dancer and Unarmed Swordsage levels) so I should technically be able to wield a two-handed weapon and make an unarmed strike using Wolf Fang Strike.

Yes you may, although your target would still have to be withing your Unarmed Strike reach.

[McPoyo]

Q136: When I'm using a spiked chain can I initiate Wolf Fang Strike maneuver to hit with the chain and an unarmed strike? Because I can strike with an unarmed strike even when my hands are full (Battle Dancer and Unarmed Swordsage levels) so I should technically be able to wield a two-handed weapon and make an unarmed strike using Wolf Fang Strike.

Correct

edit: Gah, swordsaged.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 137: Interesting question came up tonight regarding an incorporeal shadow, and movement into and out of the ground.
The shadow will provoke an AoO for dropping down into the ground while standing next to someone.  The question was if it would provoke when it moved up out of the ground next to someone.

I say no it does not, because the square he is leaving provides the shadow with cover vs the PC.
Another player said yes it will, because a shadow is only good maneuverability, and so it costs double movement for it to go up.
I think this is wrong, because looking at the 3D movement table (DMG p.20), it doesn't say that it costs the good maneuverability creature double movement to go up, rather, it only moves up at half speed.

Q 138: Tangential question.  Suppose the PC's are fighting amongst ruins in an ancient forest.  All squares have undergrowth and cost two squares of movement.
A: Approaching a foe provokes an AoO because of the double movement?  ie- There is one square between you and the foe, and you approach; you can't 5-ft step because of the terrain.

B: Same situation (ruins in undergrowth terrain), but the two individuals are in diagonal squares around a hard corner.  The hard corner gives cover to both individuals.  One of them steps five feet (costing 10 ft of movement) to stand right next to the other, removing the cover.  Is an AoO provoked?

[Maat_Mons]

B: Same situation (ruins in undergrowth terrain), but the two individuals are in diagonal squares around a hard corner.  The hard corner gives cover to both individuals.  One of them steps five feet (costing 10 ft of movement) to stand right next to the other, removing the cover.  Is an AoO provoked?

An attack of opportunity is resolved before the action that provoked it.  In this case, any attack of opportunity would be resolved when the creature had cover.  The other creature could only make an attack of opportunity if it has an ability that allows it to make attacks of opportunity against creatures with cover (such as exotic weapons master's exotic reach ability). 

[PhaedrusXY]

Q 137: Interesting question came up tonight regarding an incorporeal shadow, and movement into and out of the ground.
The shadow will provoke an AoO for dropping down into the ground while standing next to someone.  The question was if it would provoke when it moved up out of the ground next to someone.

I say no it does not, because the square he is leaving provides the shadow with cover vs the PC.
Another player said yes it will, because a shadow is only good maneuverability, and so it costs double movement for it to go up.
I think this is wrong, because looking at the 3D movement table (DMG p.20), it doesn't say that it costs the good maneuverability creature double movement to go up, rather, it only moves up at half speed.

Of course you're right on this one. It had total cover in the square it left. Leaving a threatened square is what provokes, and they certainly weren't threatening it then.

Q 138: Tangential question.  Suppose the PC's are fighting amongst ruins in an ancient forest.  All squares have undergrowth and cost two squares of movement.
A: Approaching a foe provokes an AoO because of the double movement?  ie- There is one square between you and the foe, and you approach; you can't 5-ft step because of the terrain.

Does the foe I'm approaching have a reach weapon? If not, then how are they threatening the square I left? If I were diagonally adjacent to them or they had reach, then yes, I'd provoke.

[brujon]

There's also the Surprising Riposte feat in Drow of the Underdark, if you can come up with a way to feint as a swift or free action

EDIT: Or not, since you're a factotum and can come up with extra actions to feint without it having to be a free action. derp

Yeah, which would be fine, if it wasn't 3 points of inspiration, and didn't require 3 feats(including surprising riposte), which could be used to be getting fonts of inspiration. =\ It seems the best way to make an enemy flat-footed is use Distract Assailant.


Edit: I'm an idiot. Of course feinting does not make flat-footed on it's own.

[kevin_video]

Q 138 Is there any way for a 1st level cleric to use a 5th level spell without needing to buy a scroll or staff? Looking to get Earth Hammer. Wands stupidly stop at 4th level.

Q 139 PC just gained the Air subtype through a template. It says that "Air creatures always have fly speeds and usually have perfect maneuverability." However, the template doesn't say anything at all about gaining a fly speed, or the ability to fly. So how does this work then? All it got was "all movement abilities are now double speed, and gains the air subtype."

[Mushroom]

Q140:Are there any templates that can be added to a Construct?