Flat-Footed and Dex Penalty ?!?

[RiTz21]

Greetings,

The PHB says (P137):

"You can't use your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) while flat-footed"

What happends if the Character has a low Dexterity - hence a Penalty to his AC ?! Should this penalty be ADDED in the Flat-Footed AC !? Is there any rule about this ? I did not find any reference in the official FAQ - HELP !!

RiTz21

 

[Goobermunch]

I remember reading an answer to this a long time ago. I can't remember my source, so, for all intents and purposes you're just going to have to take my word on it.

The rule says you don't add your dex bonus to your AC when flat-footed. If you have a low dex, you don't have a dex bonus, you have a dex penalty.

Thus, under the RAW, you still apply the penalty, just not the bonus.

--G

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Goobermunch is right. Being flat-footed does not make the character less of a klutz, so the penalty still applies. The main difference for a character with a low Dex is that being flat-footed also means he's subject to sneak attacks and cannot make AOO's.

 

[Scion]

when surprised low dex characters have an annoying tendency to jump in just the wrong direction

 

[Len]

If you want an official reference, here's a quote from the SRD. (Similar text is found on p. 134, 136 of the PHB.)

ARMOR CLASS
Your Armor Class (AC) represents how hard it is for opponents to land a solid, damaging blow on you. It’s the attack roll result that an opponent needs to achieve to hit you. Your AC is equal to the following:

10 + armor bonus + shield bonus + Dexterity modifier + size modifier

Note that armor limits your Dexterity bonus, so if you’re wearing armor, you might not be able to apply your whole Dexterity bonus to your AC.

Sometimes you can’t use your Dexterity bonus (if you have one). If you can’t react to a blow, you can’t use your Dexterity bonus to AC. (If you don’t have a Dexterity bonus, nothing happens.)

Note how they carefully use the phrases "dexterity modifier" and "dexterity bonus" - a bonus is a positive modifier. If you have a penalty, you don't have a bonus, and losing your "bonus" has no effect. So you can lose your dex bonus, but you can't lose a dex penalty. (The official definitions of "modifier", "bonus" and "penalty" are in the Glossary.)

 

[Ranger REG]

The PHB says (P137):

"You can't use your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) while flat-footed"

What happends if the Character has a low Dexterity - hence a Penalty to his AC ?! Should this penalty be ADDED in the Flat-Footed AC !? Is there any rule about this ? I did not find any reference in the official FAQ - HELP !!

According to the quoted rules text above, if you have a Dexterity BONUS (e.g., +2), you cannot apply it to your Armor Class if you're flat-footed. Therefore, if you have a Dexterity PENALTY (e.g., -2), you must apply it to your Armor Class if you're flat-footed.

Flat-Footed with Dex Bonus +2: AC 10 + 0 = 10
Flat-Footed with Dex Penalty -2: AC 10 - 2 = 8

Positive Modifier = Bonus.
Negative Modifier = Penalty.

 

[Sejs]

"You can't use your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) while flat-footed"

If you have a low dexterity, you don't have a dex bonus you have a dex penalty. The distinction between not geting your dex bonus vs not getting your dex modifier. Modifier is any adjustment, positive or negative. Bonus is only positive.

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

Agree with all others said when you are flatfooted you don't aply Dex bonus if your dex bonus is a penalty you must aply

 

[Kae'Yoss]

As they all said. It also falls under the "no benefits for low ability scores" header.