Low Blow

[Egg Shen]

As a full-round action, you can enter an area occupied by an opponent who is at least one size category larger than you. You can then make a single melee attack at your highest attack bonus against this creature, who is considered flat-footed against the attack. After your attack, you return to the 5-foot square from which you entered the opponent's square. Using this feat does not provoke an attack of opperunity.

If the victim is considered flat footed, then a successful attempt should be a sneak attack, no? Currently, that is not how it works. It does seem to be giving full BAB, though.

[Egg Shen]

Further testing reveals some other oddities, if anybody is interested.

While it doesn't cause the victim to be flat-footed (at least in terms of sneak attacks working as they should), the clone seems to attack more than once, at your highest BAB progression.

So, I'm guessing the "Quincie" with a purple name in my activity log is the clone, and the blue one is the real me. If so, the real me 'casts' Low Blow, and immediately after the clone of me 'uses' Low Blow. There is a roll made to see if it hits by the real me, and that roll seems to vary a bit in the Attack Bonus it uses. (I may be reversing the order of first stage...) I've seen it at my highest possible bonus, and also at something quite a bit lower. I'm always trying to make the low blow be the 5th attack in my round, so the AB on the initial Low Blow roll should be the consistent. . . but I guess that could be user error. There is also a weird bit where it deactivates my Improved Combat Expertise, and then instantly reactivates it.

On a successful hit, there is a delay, and then a flurry on numbers flash up on the screen. In trying to parse it out via the log, I've seen the clone make as many as 3 attacks. 2 normal attacks at Attack Bonus of 46 and then 40, and an attack of opportunity as well. The real me also got in on the attack of opportunity.

So the feat is working better than intended in some ways. Worse in others. The delay makes it hard to get into the flow of HIPSing, Exposing, etc.

[Theodore01]

Some days ago i tried that feat and it did allow sneak attacks on a successful hit.
Today it does never trigger sneak attacks on a hit

Has something changed ?
Am i reading the feat description wrong? (flat-footed usually allows sneak attacks)

[Valefort]

Nothing changed on low blow.

[Theodore01]

So does it allow sneak attacks or not ?

[Valefort]

Judging by the description it should allow sneak attack for the one extra attack.

[Theodore01]

I have two hins with this feat.

With hin A it is working perfectly (granting a sneak attack), with hin B it's not !
(tested in the same area: BG sewer)

A uses one weapon and has BAB 10 and two attacks.
B uses two weapons and has BAB 13 with 3 and 2 attacks. If he uses only one weapon - it still doesn't trigger sneaks for him.

Could it be related to the number of attacks ?

[Theodore01]

Today i noticed on my toon, who does not get sneaks from low blow, that on activation he gets an additional attack, then it gets decreased and decreased again

(First picture is my base attack, second to fourth while low blow is active.)

[Theodore01]

Two levels later, the issue still remains - low blow never triggers sneak attacks for my toon.

His attack is 23,18,13 - 23,18 offhand.
With low blow active it gets to 22,17,12,7 - 22,17 then decreases further to 18,13,8,3 - 18,13.

Would be very nice, if someone could figure out what's messed up here.

[Theodore01]

Any news regard that problem ?

Is anybody else using that feat and does it grant sneaks for you ?

[chad878262]

Sorry there has not been any update. I linked this thread to QC and should a dev pick this one up and take a look I will provide further feedback here.

[chad878262]

Valefort reviewed this and unfortunately there is no way to make Low Blow fire a sneak attack that we can find at this time. Impromptu Sneak Attack is hard coded so we have no way to replicate that functionality.

The in game and wiki descriptions will be updated as follows:

Type of Feat: General
Prerequisites: Base Attack Bonus +4, Mobility
Specifics: As a full-round action, you can enter an area occupied by an opponent who is at least one size category larger than you. You can then make a single melee attack at your highest attack bonus against this creature, who loses all dodge AC for that attack. After your attack, you return to the 5-foot square from which you entered the opponent's square. Using this feat does not provoke an attack of oportunity. Using this ability interrupts an ongoing attack flurry, to avoid this you have to use it at the end of your combat round, or sacrifice the remaining attacks in your flurry.
*Note that while the enemy loses dodge/dex AC against the attack, he is not considered flat footed and thus will not be susceptible to a sneak attack. However, any party members will benefit from the enemy losing their DEX/Dodge AC.
Use: Selected

[Theodore01]

Some days ago i tried that feat and it did allow sneak attacks on a successful hit.

It still does allow sneaks on this toon !



Guess it's related to that "weird attack in-/decrease mechanics here.
Base attack with current weapon is 16/11 then on activation it becomes 13/8/3 and 11/6/1

On my other toon (not granting sneaks with a low blow hit) it's
22/17/12 which becomes 21/16/11/6 - 19/14/9 - 17/12/7
Here it shows 4 attacks then 3, thats probably were the loss of the one sneak attack chance occurs. (just guessing )

[chad878262]

Not sure... Valefort would have to comment as my understanding was the impact was to the enemy AC, not the attackers Attack Bonus. I'm as confused as you are.

[Valefort]

I think the sneak attack only happen when the stand in actor is on the other side allowing you to flank.