The redcap has this ability:
Boot Stomp (Ex) A redcap wears heavy iron boots with spiked soles that it uses to deadly effect in combat. These boots give the redcap a kick attack that it can make as a secondary attack, either as part of a full-attack action or as part of its movement just as if it had the Spring Attack feat.
Just to make sure I understand this, the choices are:
1)make a kick attack as a secondary attack combined with the regular attack
2) when making a move action, make a kick attack as if using spring attack and make no other attacks this round
3)get the spring attack feat normaly and use it for both the regular attack and the secondary
Also, the kick attack is never primary, even if no other attack is taken.
From the fluff description:
Redcaps typically stand only 3 feet tall, with twisted frames, pointed ears, and long white beards. They dress in soiled leather armor and wear oversized, iron-shod boots that make a distinctive clanging when they run.
The redcap has a +19 stealth, but the fluff describes a clanging noise is heard when running, but says nothing about a noise during a normal move. (Note the normal move of a redcap is 60'.)
The boots have no mechanical penalty in the creature description and thus do not affect the stealth roll.
The normal stealth rule that prohibits stealthing while running and gives a -5 to the roll when moving more than a 1/2 move are the only rules which apply.
Correct?
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Not sure what this means, but I think you're asking what happens if the redcap learns the real Spring Attack feat? Then the boot offers no benefit beyond any other weapon--the redcap can now move+attack+move as a full-round action, attacking once with any single melee weapon available to it (in this case, the boot or the scythe).
The kick is always secondary.
You are correct about the Stealth rules. The loud noises seem to only happen when the redcap is actually running--probably for when intimidation is more important than stealth. Even a small group of the things could sound pretty frightening if you hear them running through the forest behind you.
Yep, you are reading it the same as I did.
(though I had forgotten spring attack was a single attack- that's why the question was confusing)
Thanks for the conformation.