All About Sneak Attacks (Part Two)

[Hypersmurf]

A blinded defender gets -2 to AC, which pretty much comes to the same thing.

Not if you've got the Blind Fight feat, of course.

"An invisible attacker gets no advantages related to hitting you in melee. That is, you don’t lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, and the attacker doesn’t get the usual +2 bonus for being invisible. The invisible attacker’s bonuses do still apply for ranged attacks, however."

Now, whether or not you consider that a blinded character gets to apply this against his attackers who have total concealment (which would allow a blind character with Blind Fight to retain his Dexterity bonus to AC), the feat clearly doesn't remove the -2 AC penalty for being blind. This has been unambiguously separated from the +2 attack bonus for an invisible attacker in 3.5.

So assuming we take the view that "someone with total concealment is considered invisible", then if you're blind, all your attackers get a +2 attack bonus for being invisible, that does not apply against you (since you're blind). You also incur a -2 penalty to AC. Blind Fight prevents them using the +2 attack bonus (that doesn't apply against you since you're blind anyway)... but Blind Fight does not remove the -2 AC penalty.

So while a +2 attack bonus for the attacker is normally equivalent to a -2 AC penalty for the defender, it's not always the case.

-Hyp.

 

[DarkMaster]

Woohoo! I'm a non rule expert!

Any questions on non-rules? I'm your man.

-Hyp.

Sorry my english is broken I meant that we are not all rule expert like you

 

[jaults]

Read the hide skill description. It is surprisingly void of actual game effect information for being hidden. People assume a lot considering this skill, but the actual text is a little too vague. The SRD is certainly vague.

I realize this has little to do with D&D, but I thought it was interesting to see how game designers that I respect for their mastery of the d20 ruleset treat hidding/attacking while hidden. This is an excerpt from the Spycraft errata, v 1.5:

1. When an agent makes a successful Hide check to slip out of sight during combat, he gains the benefits of total concealment (see the Spycraft Espionage Handbook, pages 170-171).

2. To remain hidden while moving, the agent must make a successful Hide check opposed by the Spot skills of observers with line of sight to him. Further, he must make a successful Move Silently check opposed by the Listen skills of observers within 100 ft. If the agent possesses either the Gray Shadow or Silhouette feat, or both, he need only make a successful Hide check (the Move Silently check is not necessary in this case).

3. A hidden agent may be located at any time with a successful Search check, opposed by the hidden agent’s Hide skill. If the hidden agent fails this opposed check, he is considered to possess no concealment against attacks made by the character who made the successful Search check.

4. As a half action, a character who has located a hidden agent may communicate the hidden agent’s location to all teammates and allies with line of sight to both he and the hidden agent. Thereafter, the concealment bonus granted to the agent for being hidden is negated against all characters who receive this communication (though the hidden agent may still benefit from other concealment bonuses, as well as cover, as standard).

5. When a hidden agent makes a melee or unarmed attack against an opponent who is aware that enemies are present, he is considered to be flanking his target, even if no teammate or ally is located on the opposite side of the target. Note that some feats and class abilities -- such as the fixer’s uncanny dodge ability -- prevent a character from being flanked, even in this case.
Following this attack (whether the attack is successful or not), the target may, as a free action, make a Spot check opposed by the hidden agent’s Hide skill. The target gains a +10 circumstance bonus with this check. With success, the target locates the hidden agent, after which the agent is no longer considered hidden and must make another Hide check as described earlier in this section to once again become hidden.

6. When a hidden agent makes a melee or unarmed attack against an opponent who is unaware that enemies are present, the attacker is considered to be flanking his target, even if no teammate or ally is located on the opposite side of the target. Additionally, the target is considered to be flatfooted. Note that some feats and class abilities -- such as the fixer’s uncanny dodge ability -- prevent a character from being flanked, even in this case.
Following this attack (whether the attack is successful or not), the target is considered to be aware that enemies are present, though he may not make a Spot check to locate the hidden agent until and unless the hidden agent makes a second attack.

7. A character may only perform a sneak attack upon a hidden agent when he is knows the hidden agent’s location and the hidden agent is flat-footed or otherwise loses his Dexterity bonus to Defense.

The PDF of the Spycraft Errata is available from www.spycraftrpg.com.

Jason