Hello forum.
I have a question regarding Surprise spell:
Surprise Spells: At 10th level, an arcane trickster can add
her sneak attack damage to any spell that deals damage,
if the targets are flat-footed. This additional damage
only applies to spells that deal hit point damage, and the
additional damage is of the same type as the spell. If the
spell allows a saving throw to negate or halve the damage,
it also negates or halves the sneak attack damage.
Flat-Footed: A character who has not yet acted during
a combat is flat-footed, unable to react normally to the
situation.
A flat-footed character loses his Dexterity bonus
to AC (if any) and cannot make attacks of opportunity.
Then the Shadowdancer mentions this:
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, a shadowdancer cannot
be caught flat-footed, even if the attacker is invisible. He
still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A
shadowdancer with this ability can still lose his Dexterity
bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint
action against him.
If a shadowdancer already has uncanny dodge from a
different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny
dodge instead (see page 393).
I am confused, does negating dexterity bonus to AC considered flat footed, or is flat footed considered when you haven't acted yet in a round?
Uncanny Dodge prevents you from being flat footed. As such if you have uncanny dodge (and your opponent doesn't have something to prevent it from working) you cannot be caught flat footed and will be protected from surprise spell.
Uncanny Dodge prevents you from being flat footed. As such if you have uncanny dodge (and your opponent doesn't have something to prevent it from working) you cannot be caught flat footed and will be protected from surprise spell.
Bah so basically surprise spells works only in the first round of combat and assuming you go first?, if so it seems a rather limited capstone.
I thought it would work on an sneak-attackable target...
Uncanny Dodge prevents you from being flat footed. As such if you have uncanny dodge (and your opponent doesn't have something to prevent it from working) you cannot be caught flat footed and will be protected from surprise spell.Bah so basically surprise spells works only in the first round of combat and assuming you go first?, if so it seems a rather limited capstone.
I thought it would work on an sneak-attackable target...
How do people keep getting to that?
NO it works anytime your opponent is flat footed to you. Invisibility does this -- it makes them flat footed. Greater Feint works as does Shatter Defenses (a good reason to take dazzling display).
Basically put it works in almost any situation where you could get a ranged sneak attack but with spells that don't require an attack roll.
Uncanny Dodge prevents you from being flat footed. As such if you have uncanny dodge (and your opponent doesn't have something to prevent it from working) you cannot be caught flat footed and will be protected from surprise spell.Bah so basically surprise spells works only in the first round of combat and assuming you go first?, if so it seems a rather limited capstone.
I thought it would work on an sneak-attackable target...
How do people keep getting to that?
NO it works anytime your opponent is flat footed to you. Invisibility does this -- it makes them flat footed. Greater Feint works as does Shatter Defenses (a good reason to take dazzling display).
Basically put it works in almost any situation where you could get a ranged sneak attack but with spells that don't require an attack roll.
Yes I thought it worked like that at first, then I read what the flat-footed definition said, it only said if a character hasn't acted before it is considered flat-footed, but the description doesn't mention it is also flat-footed if its denied its dexterity bonus to AC. Thank you for the clarification!