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<blockquote data-quote="Man in the Funny Hat" data-source="post: 2780117" data-attributes="member: 32740">My point, ultimately, is that if you are going to allow something like this at all it should be as a feat.&nbsp; Look at Improved Uncanny Dodge which prevents a character from being flanked.&nbsp; It is an ability that barbarians don't get until 5th level and rogues don't get until 8th, either of which can then still be sneak attacked by a rogue that is 4 levels higher.&nbsp; It makes no attempt to explain how/why it works other than the name - an improved dodging ability.&nbsp; It does not savagely mistreat the concept of maintaining a basic minimal defense against all attackers at all times.&nbsp; Note also that it still does not provide an absolute elimination of penalties to being flanked as it can be overcome by the right opponent - and the type of opponent most able and most reliant upon the sort of advantage that flanking gives you.While I would be HIGHLY reluctant to allow all characters access to what ought to be a protected class ability (I am personally a big believer in maintaining a strong distinction between classes by doing so) if you wanted to allow access to all you could do a lot worse than to use that as your basis and NOT the notion of &quot;Ignoring&quot; an attacker which continues to be unrealistic and ruthlessly destroys my own suspension of disbelief.&nbsp; For that I would still aver that the penalty ought to be rather more severe than merely being flat-footed.&nbsp; Being subject to coup de gras is still far more reasonable given the base concept of &quot;ignoring&quot; the attacker.&nbsp; Your house rule may work for you (and good on ya) but IMO its unacceptable, all the more so for the admitted rarity with which it should ever even come up.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Man in the Funny Hat, post: 2780117, member: 32740"] My point, ultimately, is that if you are going to allow something like this at all it should be as a feat. Look at Improved Uncanny Dodge which prevents a character from being flanked. It is an ability that barbarians don't get until 5th level and rogues don't get until 8th, either of which can then still be sneak attacked by a rogue that is 4 levels higher. It makes no attempt to explain how/why it works other than the name - an improved dodging ability. It does not savagely mistreat the concept of maintaining a basic minimal defense against all attackers at all times. Note also that it still does not provide an absolute elimination of penalties to being flanked as it can be overcome by the right opponent - and the type of opponent most able and most reliant upon the sort of advantage that flanking gives you. While I would be HIGHLY reluctant to allow all characters access to what ought to be a protected class ability (I am personally a big believer in maintaining a strong distinction between classes by doing so) if you wanted to allow access to all you could do a lot worse than to use that as your basis and NOT the notion of "Ignoring" an attacker which continues to be unrealistic and ruthlessly destroys my own suspension of disbelief. For that I would still aver that the penalty ought to be rather more severe than merely being flat-footed. Being subject to coup de gras is still far more reasonable given the base concept of "ignoring" the attacker. Your house rule may work for you (and good on ya) but IMO its unacceptable, all the more so for the admitted rarity with which it should ever even come up. [/QUOTE]

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