Dexterity Penalty to Flat-Footed Armor Class? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dexterity Penalty to Flat-Footed Armor Class? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
delugeia
09-07-07, 06:40 PM If a character has a low dexterity (9 for example), it gets a penalty (-1) to its armor class. But what about when it is flat-footed? Do they still have the penalty? To me it would seem so, but the rules seem unclear at best. They seem to indicate that you lose your dexterity modifier.

So my example 3rd level Cleric:

Dex 9 (-1)
Full Platemail (8)
Shield (2)

Normal AC: 19
Touch AC: 9
Flat-Footed: 20?!

This seems wrong to me, but my reading of the rules seems to indicate this to be the case.

Can anyone clarify? Opinions more than welcome, but if you can quote rules someplace, I'd be even happier.

Thanks!
DrMorganes
09-07-07, 06:50 PM It is wrong.

You apply your Dexterity MODIFIER to your AC, but lose your Dexterity BONUS when flat-footed. Reference the SRD here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#flatFooted).

To put a fine point on it:

You always apply a Dexterity PENALTY to your AC.
You lose your Dexterity BONUS to AC when flat-footed.
Kouk
09-08-07, 04:13 AM Yes, "bonus" always applies to a positive modifiers, while "penalty" always applies to negative modifiers.

You lose your "bonus" to AC from Dex, so if you have no bonus then it doesn't really change your AC number

But, if something says it "denies your dex bonus to AC" you don't actually need to have a bonus, you still are in that condition of being denied dexterity bonus (and can be Sneak Attacked or whatever).

Anyway, the Dex "penalties" still apply when you are Flat Footed.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
delugeia 09-07-07, 06:40 PM	If a character has a low dexterity (9 for example), it gets a penalty (-1) to its armor class. But what about when it is flat-footed? Do they still have the penalty? To me it would seem so, but the rules seem unclear at best. They seem to indicate that you lose your dexterity modifier. So my example 3rd level Cleric: Dex 9 (-1) Full Platemail (8) Shield (2) Normal AC: 19 Touch AC: 9 Flat-Footed: 20?! This seems wrong to me, but my reading of the rules seems to indicate this to be the case. Can anyone clarify? Opinions more than welcome, but if you can quote rules someplace, I'd be even happier. Thanks!
DrMorganes 09-07-07, 06:50 PM	It is wrong. You apply your Dexterity MODIFIER to your AC, but lose your Dexterity BONUS when flat-footed. Reference the SRD here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#flatFooted). To put a fine point on it: You always apply a Dexterity PENALTY to your AC. You lose your Dexterity BONUS to AC when flat-footed.
Kouk 09-08-07, 04:13 AM	Yes, "bonus" always applies to a positive modifiers, while "penalty" always applies to negative modifiers. You lose your "bonus" to AC from Dex, so if you have no bonus then it doesn't really change your AC number But, if something says it "denies your dex bonus to AC" you don't actually need to have a bonus, you still are in that condition of being denied dexterity bonus (and can be Sneak Attacked or whatever). Anyway, the Dex "penalties" still apply when you are Flat Footed.