Impact of increasing the effect of flatfooted?

[Elder-Basilisk]

Plane-Sailing:

A quick (and weak) explanation for why low dex characters keep their dex penalty when flatfooted: Ordinarily a flatfooted character is attacked before he's aware of his attacker. Consequently the character is strolling along much as he normally would.

Now high dexterity characters stroll pretty much like normal dex characters. They can walk and chew gum at the same time. They move fairly regularly but occasionally turn to look at the companion they're conversing with, etc.

Low dex characters, on the other hand, are clumsy. If they don't pay special attention to where they're going, they'll trip and fall. Consequently, they walk cautiously and predictably--more predictably than normal dex characters. It's their method of compensating for the fact of their clumsiness and it works fairly well--they're no slower than high dex characters. However, the predictablility makes them more vulnerable when unaware since their movements are more regular and methodical.

As to barbarian levels: I'm surprised you don't see fighters taking them already. Unless a fighter is lawful, it is an excellent multiclass--if only for the ability to rage, uncanny dodge, fast movement in light or medium armor, and a few skill and hit points. A fighter gives up one feat for all that. Most fighters I've seen have a level or two of barbarian.

As to non-rogues not getting much for catching their enemies flatfooted, they get to attack first. This is quite significant since in 3e, combats rarely last more than a half dozen rounds and at any particular point in time, the party that went first will have inflicted one round more damage than the party that went second. (Even in a six round combat--which in my experience, is quite a long battle--that amounts to about 15% more damage). Not only that, but any defensive buffs cast before the enemy attacks will decrease the effectiveness of that attack. If you get a haste or shield spell off after your opponent moves, it's not nearly as effective as getting it off before your opponent attacks.

 

[Someone]

Yes, the simplest solution which would encapsulate everything would be to give a +5 bonus to hit flatfooted targets. This favours high dex people more and is worse for low dex characters - but there are very few of those around anyway.

Be sure to modify the penalties for being stunned; they follow a similar mechanism to flat-footedness.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Be sure to modify the penalties for being stunned; they follow a similar mechanism to flat-footedness.

No, I would keep stunned completely separate. They may follow mostly the same apparent mechanism at the moment, but that doesn't mean they have to in the future. They are two different conditions.

 

[Someone]

Well, they seem pretty similar, IMHO. In both cases you don´t know who´s hitting you, or can´t react properly. In both cases, dexterous characters are more penalized.

I´d find annoying if they had to follow different mechanisms.

 

[Spindel]

I'd stick with a circumstance bonus if you want to change the flat footed ruling. By fiddling with the dex score, each player/monster has to recalculate the AC just for that bonus partial action. +2 to hit someone whose flat footed (just like flanking) will probably do the trick.

I don't think dexterity should be altered because the dodging it represents is more your instincutual reaction to danger. Someone with a high dex, will still be more likely to duck any sudden movement. I'm sure we've all been in a situation where we've ducked something before were even aware there was any danger (perceived or otherwise). Besides, being flat footed is not being dumb struck (or stunned), I'm assuming here that PC's walking through a dungeon are progressing with at least a small amount of caution, it's just the monsters/players getting the drop on the other side.

Having said all this though, can you flank someone whose flat footed?