Flat footed in the middle of Combat

[Nachatial]

I strongly considered to take the "Iaijutsu Master" prestige Class form Oriental Adventures.

But after reading the description of the iaijutzu focus skill, I realized that it would only be possible to gain its benefit if the opponent were FLAT FOOTED while I draw my weapon and attack.

In other words: You can use this skill only once per combat. (Or twice if you get surprise).

I decided that this would not suffice. So I tried to find "something" to make an opponent flat-footed even after he has acted.
But I the only outcome was the "Feign Weakness" Feat form Sword and Fist, which can't be combined with a katana.

So I lay this burden upon you folks. Can you help me to find "anything" that makes your opponent "Flat-Footed during Combat" ?

(feat, class ability, racial ability anything ?)

 

[Magic Slim]

For those of us without the book but with the inclination to help, could you post the basics of Iajutsu Focus?



Slim

 

[Hypersmurf]

So I lay this burden upon you folks. Can you help me to find "anything" that makes your opponent "Flat-Footed during Combat" ?

Flick of the Wrist from Song and Silence, but that wouldn't work with a Katana either.

In 3.5, you are considered flat-footed while balancing. So if you can talk someone into a fight on a tightrope, you can Iaijutsu them once a round...

'course, you provoke a bunch of AoOs for sheathing your weapon, too.

-Hyp.

 

[Nachatial]

Iaiutsu focus is a skill that you can use to deal extra damage with an attack. It bears the restriction, that you have to draw your weapon just before your attack and that your opponent has to be in the "flat-footed" condition.
The problem is to make your opponent flat footed after he has acted, so you can use this skill over and over again. This could be devastating.

I found some additional feats, that mention "flat-footed", but you'll see why they are of no use:

Flick of the Wirst form Song and Silence does it, but only with a light weapon (damn I want my katana!)

Low-Blow from Races of Faerun allows a special attack, against which your opponent is flat-footed. Unfortunaly only against larger creatures....,but well I don't want to be a halfling samurai!!!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Check with your DM whether someone caught in the area of a Grease spell is considered to be "balancing". (It requires a successful Balance check to move, but not to just stand there, so the answer might be "No".)

Oh, and forget what I said about taking an AoO every time you sheathe your weapon. If they're balancing, they're considered flat-footed, and if they're flat-footed, they can't make an AoO unless they have Combat Reflexes.

So you want to arrange as many fights on narrow beams as you can.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Check with your DM whether someone caught in the area of a Grease spell is considered to be "balancing". (It requires a successful Balance check to move, but not to just stand there, so the answer might be "No".)

Oh, and forget what I said about taking an AoO every time you sheathe your weapon. If they're balancing, they're considered flat-footed, and if they're flat-footed, they can't make an AoO unless they have Combat Reflexes.

So you want to arrange as many fights on narrow beams as you can.

-Hyp.

First, getting multiple iaijutsu strikes in one combat is pretty cheesy and goes against the spirit of the rules IMO.

That said, fights on narrow beams and other precarious situations is very wire-fu. I like it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

First, getting multiple iaijutsu strikes in one combat is pretty cheesy and goes against the spirit of the rules IMO.

Well, all it needs to fix it is a "once per combat" condition like FotW.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Well, all it needs to fix it is a "once per combat" condition like FotW.

-Hyp.

Given that you're applying 3.5 rules to a 3.0 prestige class, such a condition should go without saying.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Given that you're applying 3.5 rules to a 3.0 prestige class, such a condition should go without saying.

Well, not necessarily.

It was still possible to force the flat-footed condition - not with a katana, perhaps, but possible - more than once per combat in 3E. So the once-per-combat condition should have been applied then, if it were required.

Just because there's another way in 3.5 to consider someone flat-footed doesn't mean Iaijutsu needs to be rewritten. If there had been no way in 3E, I'd agree with you.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Well, not necessarily.

It was still possible to force the flat-footed condition - not with a katana, perhaps, but possible - more than once per combat in 3E. So the once-per-combat condition should have been applied then, if it were required.

Ah, but the ways to do it involve splatbooks that weren't around when OA was published (IIRC S&S was one of the later ones). Furthermore, the iaijutsu master is pretty specific in regards to use of weapons. Hence even if these splatbooks had been in existence when OA came out, there might have been no perceived need to make things explicit.