The Noble Born Traits

[Rickmeister]

I don't know if it's okay to copy, so I'll hide it.

Spoiler:

Noble Born: You claim a tangential but legitimate
connection to one of Brevoy’s noble families. If you
aren’t human, you were likely adopted by one of
Brevoy’s nobles or were instead a favored servant or
even a childhood friend of a noble scion. Whatever the
cause, you’ve had a comfortable life, but one far from
the dignity and decadence your distant cousins know.
Although you are associated with an esteemed name,
your immediate family is hardly well to do, and you’ve
found your name to be more of a burden to you than a
boon in many social situations. You’ve recently decided
to test yourself, to see if you can face the world without
the aegis of a name you have little real claim or care
for. An expedition into the storied Stolen Lands seems
like just the test to see if you really are worth the title
“noble.” Choose one of the following noble families
and associated benef its.

Surtova: Your family is well known for their political agility
and scheming natures. You deal +2 damage when attacking
a flat-footed opponent while wielding a light or one-handed
weapon. Your family motto is “Ours is the Right.”

First question..

This is the same Surtova family as in the first Charter right?
So I'm guessing it's some kind of distant relative who is under pressure by the Rostlanders and is eager to make a name for himself?

And second: I have a player who likes to be a little munchkinny.. He has taken this trait together with rogue... Does it spin out of control, or do you guys think it's not that bad?

[sieylianna]

Rickmeister wrote:

And second: I have a player who likes to be a little munchkinny.. He has taken this trait together with rogue... Does it spin out of control, or do you guys think it's not that bad?

It's not a big deal because it says when flat-footed, not when denied Dexterity bonus to AC. Since someone is only falt-footed until they have acted in combat, he may be able to use it once (possibly twice with Surprise) per combat.

[Klebert L. Hall]

It's a +2... probably not a game breaking apocalypse.
-Kle.

[Diego Rossi]

sieylianna wrote:

Rickmeister wrote:

And second: I have a player who likes to be a little munchkinny.. He has taken this trait together with rogue... Does it spin out of control, or do you guys think it's not that bad?

It's not a big deal because it says when flat-footed, not when denied Dexterity bonus to AC. Since someone is only falt-footed until they have acted in combat, he may be able to use it once (possibly twice with Surprise) per combat.

Rickmeister wrote:

And second: I have a player who likes to be a little munchkinny.. He has taken this trait together with rogue... Does it spin out of control, or do you guys think it's not that bad?

Considering the above quotes you should be very clear with the player about what flat-footed mean in game terms, and that is not the same thing as having you dexterity negated or being flanked.

A munchkin will easily treat one thing as it was the other.

[Rickmeister]

Oh, I thought this happened every time you are flanking..

So only when you cannot see the attacker, and at start of the combat before he has acted.
Does that mean he can use it in the surprise round AND the first round (as long as he is faster)?

[Mr.$mith]

Rickmeister wrote:

Oh, I thought this happened every time you are flanking..

So only when you cannot see the attacker, and at start of the combat before he has acted.
Does that mean he can use it in the surprise round AND the first round (as long as he is faster)?

Yeah, if you allow for that many surprise rounds, they really don’t come up that often unless he’s holding a bow/cross bow and just shoots someone while they are talking, or constantly tries to stealth around. But if hes a munchkin he probably took the initiative traits and stuff and will usually go first, so if he runs into melee often…club him in the face, or sword him in the gut. But in general the +2 to damage for one maybe two attacks isn’t that huge of a deal.

[Rune]

I believe that the way he could more easily exploit that particular bonus is going down the Shatter Defenses feat tree, but that would still require him to spend a Standard (or a full-round with Dazzling Display) action to leave enemies demoralized and hit one attack to leave the enemy flat-footed against his further attacks.

When I built Noleski Surtova's sheet he did exactly just that.

[Frozen Forever]

Barbarians and Rogues are only flat footed when you are four levels higher than them. A bunch of other archtype classes and prestige classes get this ability as well.

I think it's fine.

Also, I seem to remember seeing that Monks can never be denied their AC bonus.... but can't find where I read that.