Author Topic: Iaijutsu Focus Guide (How to make your opponent flat-footed)  (Read 31461 times)

Offline bruceleeroy

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Iaijutsu Focus Guide (How to make your opponent flat-footed)
« on: February 02, 2013, 03:30:05 PM »
I often see threads on Iaijutsu strike wherein someone asks for a list of the myriad ways of making an opponent flat-footed. I compiled this list on 339 a couple years ago for an Iaijutsu marrulurk build I had going at the time. I figured archiving it here would be a good way to get the list added to as well as making it an easy to find resource.



Please remember: Flat-footed is a different condition than Dex-denied. You are dex-denied when you are flat-footed.

Being denied your dex does NOT make you flat-footed.

This is an important distinction if you’re trying to stack Iaijutsu Focus with Sneak Attack or Sudden Strike damage.



Sneak attack requires an opponent to be denied their dexterity bonus, or for the sneak-attacker to be flanking. 
Sudden-Strike requires an opponent to be denied their dexterity bonus. It does not work with flanking.
If your opponent is flat-footed, they are almost always denied their dexterity bonus. Uncanny Dodge is an exception, there may be others. Note that Uncanny Dodge does nothing against Iaijutsu Strike.

So, generally, if you can Iaijutsu Strike an opponent, you can Sudden Strike and/or Sneak Attack them.



Ways to get Iaijutsu Focus:
Factotum (Dungeonscape)
Ardent Dilettante (Planar Handbook)
Samurai (OA)
Sohei (OA)
Human Paragon (UA, SRD)
Skill Focus Feat (UA, SRD)
Expert (DMG, SRD)
Aereni Focus feat (PGtE 20)


So, here they are.

An opponent is flat-footed when they:
Have not yet acted in the initiative order during the first round of combat.
Are paralyzed.
Are balancing, if they have less than 5 ranks in Balance. (Use the spell Grease (PH) or if you’re cheap, some Marbles from Arms and Equipment Guide to force balance checks.)
Cannot see you. (Invisibility, hide checks, ridiculous distance, total cover, opponent is blind, etc.) “If you’re successfully hidden with respect to another creature, that creature is flat-footed with respect to you. That creature treats you as if you were invisible.”(Rules Compendium, p. 92)


FEATS

Flick of the Wrist (Feat, CW) - FF vs. one attack after drawing weapon 1/round and 1 per opponent/encounter.
GiantBane (Tactical Feat, CW) - Tumble through an opponents square as a free action, make immediate attack, opponent FF.
Gloom Razor (Tactical Feat, ToB) - Injure enemy, move 10', next turn enemy FF vs. first melee attack.
Confound the Big Folk (Tactical Feat, RotW) Move into space of creature at least two sizes larger than you, next round that creature is flat-footed vs your attacks.
Surprising Riposte (Feat, DotU) - Renders a foe Flat-Footed for one round after you successfully feint against him and hit him with a melee attack.
Mercurial Strike (Feat, Dragon Compendium) - Anytime an opponent provokes an AoO from you and you are unarmed, you may draw a weapon and take your AoO with it. Your opponent is Flat-footed against this attack.
Low Blow (Feat, Races of Faerun) - Full round action to enter the square of an enemy at least 1 size larger than you and make a single attack, to which they are flat-footed. Provokes an AoO.
Low Blow, Improved (Feat, Races of Faerun) As Low Blow, but doesn't provoke.


SKILL TRICKS

Hidden Blade (Skill Trick, CS) - FF vs. one attack after drawing weapon, 1 use/encounter.
Sudden Draw (Skill Trick, CS) - FF vs. one AoO after drawing a weapon, 1 use/encounter.
Acrobatic Backstab (Skill Trick, CS) - Tumble through opponent's space, FF vs. next melee attack that turn.


SPELLS

Distract Assailant (SpC, Assassin 1) - FF until beginning of next turn.


MANEUVERS

Sapphire Nightmare Blade (Lv. 1 Maneuver) - Concentration vs. enemy ac, treat enemy FF for one melee attack.
Strike of the Broken Shield (Lv.4 Maneuver) -  enemy must make reflex save or be FF until next turn, +4d6.
Ghost Blade (Lv. 6 Maneuver) - Enemy is FF vs one melee attack (that's it, really. for a lv. 6 maneuver.)
Shadow Garrote (lv. 3 Maneuver) - Ranged touch, +5d6, enemy must make fort save or be FF until next turn.
Death From Above (Lv. 4 Maneuver) - Jump check vs enemy AC, +4d6, enemy treated as FF.
Feral Death Blow (Lv. 9 maneuver) - Jump check vs ac, enemy treated as FF, Fort save vs death or +20d6.
White Raven Strike (Lv. 4 Maneuver) - Enemy treated as FF until next turn, +4d6.


CLASS FEATURES


Cloaked Dancer - Suprise Strike (Class ability, CS) - While dancing, melee attack with light weapon, enemy is FF.


ITEMS

Umbral Awn (Legacy Weapon, ToB) - If unarmed, draw Umbral Awn as immediate action for an AoO, enemy treated as FF.
Blurstrike (Weapon enhancement) - ten times per day, activate to make opponent FF vs first attack that round (+2 equivalent).
« Last Edit: March 21, 2013, 05:22:13 AM by bruceleeroy »
Normally, I would be reading this, open the reply box, decide what I had to say didn't need said, and close out. But this is just too ridiculous.



Offline bruceleeroy

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Re: Iaijutsu Focus Guide (How to make your opponent flat-footed)
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2013, 03:30:17 PM »
Reserved.
Normally, I would be reading this, open the reply box, decide what I had to say didn't need said, and close out. But this is just too ridiculous.



Offline bruceleeroy

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Re: Iaijutsu Focus Guide (How to make your opponent flat-footed)
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2013, 03:30:40 PM »
If you can think of something I've missed, please let me know in the Handbook Discussion thread. http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=8742.0
« Last Edit: February 04, 2013, 09:03:59 PM by bruceleeroy »
Normally, I would be reading this, open the reply box, decide what I had to say didn't need said, and close out. But this is just too ridiculous.