Do you threaten while flat footed?

[Moon-Lancer]

this is a doosy isn't it?

 

[Aaron]

I disagree. A whole lot of rules are implied rather than expressed. Can you balance a piece of fruit on your head? There is no rule that says you can, but it's implied by the balance skill that you can. Is your opponent treated as flat-footed versus a hidden character? There is no rule that comes out and says it, but it's implied by various rules that you can (and the FAQ explains that). Can you make money, or at least pay 0, by crafting a set of Prayer Beads with certain beads missing? The rules seem to say you can, but the clear implication of the pricing in the text is that you cannot.

Sometimes, you have to just use the english language, logic, the context of rules, analogy, and other normal human common sense to figure out how things work with these rules. And I know that makes it more difficult to interpret rules, and makes it less objective. But, that's life! It's not a perfect set of rules, and not intended as such, and sometimes it's messy.

I could agree, but I politely invite you to answer to my question regarding the Distract Assailant spell.

 

[Asmo]

From the Enworld community, straight to the issue: welcome to the boards and happy posting.

Asmo

 

[Aaron]

From the Enworld community, straight to the issue: welcome to the boards and happy posting.

Asmo

Thanks.

 

[Mistwell]

There are spells and effects that can make you flat footed during your turn.

Being flat footed in itself doesn't prevent you from doing normal attacks.

So, if I fail the save against a readied Distract Assailant spell during my turn, do I still threaten?

Could you post the text of the spell? It's not one I am familiar with.

 

[wildstarsreach]

There you have it - no AoO's allowed. This implies no threatening.

That is unless you have combat reflexes.

"With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed."

 

[Legildur]

Combat Reflexes only allows you make an AOO when flat-footed. It says nothing about threatening surrounding squares. So I see it that when you are flat-footed, you still threaten, but can't take AOOs UNLESS you have Combat Reflexes.

 

[Hypersmurf]

So I see it that when you are flat-footed, you still threaten, but can't take AOOs UNLESS you have Combat Reflexes.

If you can't take AoOs and it's not your turn, are there any squares into which you can make a melee attack?

The text of AoOs states "If you're unarmed, you don't normally threaten any squares and thus can't make attacks of opportunity".

The text for Strike, Unarmed is silent on the matter.

The text for Unarmed Attacks states "An unarmed character can't take attacks of opportunity", and for "Armed" Unarmed Attacks states "Note that being armed counts for both offense and defense (the character can make attacks of opportunity)".

So if an unarmed character doesn't threaten squares and thus can't make AoOs, but an 'armed' unarmed character can make AoOs, then - based on the assertion that despite being unable to make AoOs, a flat-footed character threatens - do we assume that the 'armed' unarmed character, while released from the No-AoOs restriction, is still subject to the 'doesn't threaten any squares' limitation?

-Hyp.

 

[Aaron]

Could you post the text of the spell? It's not one I am familiar with.

If the target of the spells fails his save he's flat footed until his next turn.

So, what happens if I prepare this spell and cast it in the middle of his full attack?

Does he threaten with his iterative following attacks or not, in your opinion?

I'm asking cause I can't see anything in the flat footed description that negates you to threaten.

 

[Legildur]

So if an unarmed character doesn't threaten squares and thus can't make AoOs, but an 'armed' unarmed character can make AoOs, then - based on the assertion that despite being unable to make AoOs, a flat-footed character threatens - do we assume that the 'armed' unarmed character, while released from the No-AoOs restriction, is still subject to the 'doesn't threaten any squares' limitation?

My head hurts...