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Are you flat-footed while in the area of a grease spell?
Grease specifically calls out that if a creature doesn’t move during their turn while in the area of effect then they are not flat-footed, but the Acrobatics rules only state that a creature is flat-footed while balancing on a narrow surfaces or uneven ground, neither of which the spell creates, so there is no reason for a creature to be flat-footed anyway. The way the spell is worded leads me to believe that the intent of the spell is to make moving targets flat-footed, because while the Acrobatics skill doesn’t specifically call out balancing on slippery surfaces past increasing the DC of narrow surfaces or uneven ground, it covers a somewhat similar situation. If you supposed to be flat-footed due to the grease spell; when and for how long? Is it only while moving within the area of effect (basically only against attacks of opportunity)? Until the start of your next turn (or as long as you remain in the area until the start of your next turn)? Finally, due to a similar interaction with the Acrobatics skill I’m unsure as to whether a character who takes damage while within the area of effect of a grease spell is supposed to make a new skill check every time they are damaged or not, and whether or not if they moved during their round factors into that.
Thank you.
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Generally if a spell doesn't specifically say it has a certain effect, it does not have that effect. However, if Grease says that a creature that does not move is not flat-footed, that logically implies that a creature that does move is flat-footed (this is the original meaning of the expression "the exception proves the rule"). As you noted, this is consistent with the rules for Acrobatics, which Grease references.
The details feel like interpretation, but I'd guess:
If you supposed to be flat-footed due to the grease spell; when and for how long? Is it only while moving within the area of effect (basically only against attacks of opportunity)? Until the start of your next turn (or as long as you remain in the area until the start of your next turn)?
Acrobatics only makes you flat-footed while you're moving, so this would probably only work during the move action. If one interprets the character to be "using Acrobatics" for the duration of any round in which they move on Grease, it would be until start of their next turn, but this seems inconsistent with the rules for spellcasting. Namely, the action of spellcasting, which makes you vulnerable, only does so for the length of the action you are using to cast. By analogy, moving on Grease should only make you vulnerable for the duration of the move action in which Acrobatics is used. You would definitely stop being flat-footed as soon as you step off the Grease, because you stop using Acrobatics at that point.
Finally, due to a similar interaction with the Acrobatics skill I’m unsure as to whether a character who takes damage while within the area of effect of a grease spell is supposed to make a new skill check every time they are damaged or not, and whether or not if they moved during their round factors into that.
It sounds reasonable given the description of Acrobatics that a creature taking damage while flat-footed due to Grease (as determined above) will have to make another check. A creature who does not move does not have to make an Acrobatics check and is not flat-footed, so they should not be subject to the rules for taking damage while using Acrobatics.
Summary: based on the rules for Acrobatics, which Grease invokes, I would assume that a creature moving through Grease is flat-footed for the duration of any move action as long as the creature remains on Grease, and that if the creature takes damage during this move action he/she/it needs to make a new check. This means it's a valid tactic to have a spellcaster cast grease under a creature and have other players ready ranged attacks for when it moves. Not sure what this does for balance, as this is a potent tactic for a 1st level spell.
Going to have to raise this thread from the great beyond... Its been coming up a lot lately now that we are playing low level characters again. When does Grease make something flat footed? When entering/exiting a square with grease or at any time while within a Grease effect? Is this affected by making a successful Acrobatics check or passing the initial save against the spell? The party Rogue and I would love a ruling on the matter.
For reference:
The acrobatics skill..The relevant part of grease
A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
If someone on a grease spell doesn't move they are not flat footed due to the spell. The last sentence of the quote makes that clear.
The acrobatics checks are in no way related to the reflex save in any way. If something fails it's save, it ends up prone and from then on the spell behaves identically regardless of success or failure on the save. This is because the rules text creates no link between the acrobatics check and the reflex save (and the saving throw line says "see text").
As for when a creature is flat footed during/after using an acrobatics check, this is a little ambiguous.
If a creature tries to move but fails it's acrobatics check, it doesn't move and is thus not flat footed as per the text(although possibly prone). If the creature passes it's acrobatics check, it can move at half speed while flat footed.
When it stops becoming flat footed is the tricky question. The spell just states creatures that don't move are not flat footed, which implies that creatures that do move are in fact flat footed. When they stop being flat footed isn't clear. It seems reasonable that the movement would work identically to "cross narrow surfaces/uneven ground" under acrobatics, which would imply that the creature is only flat footed while it is moving (your rogue could SA on aoos and readied actions). This is also the way I have always seen it run. Of course, the spell doesn't actually say this, so YMMV.
The important thing to notice: A rogue with a ranged weapon within 30ft could ready an action to shoot after the opponent in the grease area makes his second step.
By doing so the target has already moved and is flatfooted, meaning the rogue can deal sneak attack damage.