Are You Considered Flat-Footed When You Are Prone?

[Olaf the Stout]

Yeah, you threaten when prone.

The craziest use of going prone I've seen was just 2 sessions ago, when the dwarf crusader got shot by an archer. He charged up to the archer, but missed, so he... dropped prone. The archer is at -4 for attacking a prone target, unless he's adjacent, in which case the dwarf gets an AoO on him (also at -4). In retrospect, I should have just kept the archer there and let the dwarf have his AoO.

How did the dwarf charge, attack and drop to the ground in one turn? Wouldn't the archer have got at least one attack on the dwarf before he could drop to the ground?

And your example is a case where I think the rules don't really work in the way that they were intended to. I think that the archer should be able to ignore the -4 to hit the dwarf provided he is within x feet. I would probably make x = 10-15 feet. But that's just me.

Olaf the Stout

 

[hong]

How did the dwarf charge, attack and drop to the ground in one turn? Wouldn't the archer have got at least one attack on the dwarf before he could drop to the ground?

It was like this:

1. Archer attacks dwarf, does big damage with a critical
2. Dwarf closes with archer, swings but misses, drops prone

The dwarf would have been dead if he got hit again, hence dropping prone to minimise the chance of being hit.

Apropos of nothing, that seems a disadvantage of the crusader (relatively speaking, anyway) -- they have funky ways to heal damage, but they have to close with the enemy to use them. You can't back off and heal while under cover, like with a cleric.

 

[mvincent]

False: Loss of dex to AC -> Flat Footed

Yeah, but you still use your "flat-footed AC" in such cases. Plus, many D&D writers have used the term the same way (i.e. made the same 'mistake').
Semantically: you are technically correct.
Common usage-wise: it's not worth correcting... kinda like when someone uses the term "ironically" incorrectly. We know what they mean, and (through mis-use) it has now become an established, viable, acceptable usage.

 

[mvincent]

Do you threaten while prone?

Absolutely

He charged up to the archer, but missed, so he... dropped prone.

Nice. "Dwarven kneecapping technique". I'll have to try that sometime.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The archer is at -4 for attacking a prone target, unless he's adjacent...

Where's that exception stated? I can't find it... +4 AC vs ranged attacks is the only reference I can find...?

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Where's that exception stated? I can't find it... +4 AC vs ranged attacks is the only reference I can find...?

-Hyp.

Oops, I think that was something we decided on the spot.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Oops, I think that was something we decided on the spot.

Cool.

-Hyp.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

It was like this:

1. Archer attacks dwarf, does big damage with a critical
2. Dwarf closes with archer, swings but misses, drops prone

The dwarf would have been dead if he got hit again, hence dropping prone to minimise the chance of being hit.

Apropos of nothing, that seems a disadvantage of the crusader (relatively speaking, anyway) -- they have funky ways to heal damage, but they have to close with the enemy to use them. You can't back off and heal while under cover, like with a cleric.

Is it a free action to drop prone?

Olaf the Stout

 

[mvincent]

Is it a free action to drop prone?

Yup. It's on the free action table.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Yup. It's on the free action table.

Cool. Thanks for that mvincent.

That's what I like about the Rules forum. I pick up so many little rules here and there that I haven't seem to come across before, despite how often I am looking things up in the core books.

Olaf the Stout