Questions about Total Defense...

[RigaMortus]

Just wondering what conditions a person couldn't take Total Defense. Can you take Total Defense if:

1) You are blinded
2) You are deafened
3) You are sickened
4) You are nauseated
5) You are cowering
6) You are dazed
7) You are stunned
8) You are paralyzed
9) You are disabled
10) You are dead

Any other conditions I didn't mention that would disqualify you from taking Total Defense?

As an aside, this came up last night, when some enemies of ours became blinded and decided to take Total Defense. It didn't seem to make much sense. How can you be totally defensive if you can't see your opponent? But we could not find any rules about it in the PHB.

 

[Pinotage]

Presumably you can only Total Defense if you retain your Dex bonus to AC. Total Defense is a Dodge bonus, isn't it? So anytime you lose your Dex bonus, such as when blinded, you can't take Total Defense.

Pinotage

 

[AuraSeer]

Total Defense is a standard action.
If you are nauseated, cowering, dazed, stunned, paralyzed, dead or dying, or if something else prevents you from taking standard actions, you cannot use Total Defense. Also, if you are disabled, taking any standard action (including TD) will cause you to lose 1 hit point and begin dying.

As Pinotage points out, the dodge bonus from Total Defense goes away if you lose your Dex bonus to AC. If you are blinded, you can take the TD action, but its dodge bonus does not help you. Similarly, TD will not help against invisible opponents because they get to ignore your Dex bonus.

 

[Jdvn1]

Hm, didn't notice that. Good stuff.

 

[Amal Shukup]

Total Defense is a standard action.
If you are nauseated, cowering, dazed, stunned, paralyzed, dead or dying, or if something else prevents you from taking standard actions, you cannot use Total Defense. Also, if you are disabled, taking any standard action (including TD) will cause you to lose 1 hit point and begin dying.

As Pinotage points out, the dodge bonus from Total Defense goes away if you lose your Dex bonus to AC. If you are blinded, you can take the TD action, but its dodge bonus does not help you. Similarly, TD will not help against invisible opponents because they get to ignore your Dex bonus.

All true...

Making the Blind-Fight Feat and/or the Uncanny Dodge abilities REALLY appealing... From my reading of the rules, you only lose the benefits of Uncanny Dodge if actually immobilized.

A'Mal