By normal rules only the attack that breaks Stealth attacks Flatfooted AC. All subsequent ones are treated as normal attacks.
This isn't a chage as far as I know, it's how it's always been.
By normal rules only the attack that breaks Stealth attacks Flatfooted AC. All subsequent ones are treated as normal attacks.
This isn't a chage as far as I know, it's how it's always been.
The way I look at the rule in Unchained is written for all levels below 19 after your first sneak attack they are no longer flat footed, otherwise why the did they write the rule?
It is another poorly written Paizo rule. To me it sets up a contradiction with all the other rules for attacking out of stealth.
...But it's not a contradiction. Attacking out of Stealth has NEVER meant they were denied Dexterity for a full round.
Other matters might indicate that's the case (you initiated combat, so they were Flatfooted in the Surprise or first round), but attacking from Stealth has never meant more than one attack's worth of Denied Dex status.
Stealth ends once you make an attack roll. They're only surprised for that first attack, after which the normal combat rules take over.
If you, for example, use Hide in Plain Sight in the middle of combat and shank a dude three times, only the first denies him his Dexterity bonus to AC.
Unchained Stealth changes that at 20th, essentially making Stealth work like Greater Invisibility.
Its not poorly written.
Normally what happens is this.
Surprise round
Rogue: Sneak attack! surprise round. Gank.
Round 1 Rogue wins initiative, sneak attacks. Goes into hiding.
round 2 Rogue steps out of the shadows, sneak attacks.. ONCE. After that they are no longer flat footed (because its round two) and no longer denied their dex bonus (because stealth breaks after your attack)
With this talent though, when the rogue steps out of the shadows the person is denied their dex bonus for ALL of the attacks, not just the one. So when the 20th level 2 weapon fighting rogue steps out nowhere with hide in plain sight, he goes to poundtown with EVERY attack
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The way that we have ruled it is that the rogue gets their full attack out of sneak, just like flanking. If you have a dual wielding rogue they should get both attacks in from sneaking (full round attack)
I don't know what to tell you then. The game can't really be built around a house rule, and thats what that is. Stealth breaks when you attack. Once someone has stuck a sword in your kidney they're not really hiding anymore.