Spells that make creatures flat-footed

[Morph Bark]

My upcoming character is going to be a Ranger 1/Paladin 2/Fighter 2/Battledancer 1/Iaijutsu Master 5, the new party face who stays back in combat while chucking Iaijutsu Focused hammers at enemies.

He will have Leadership, which in our campaign either grants a cohort or followers, but not both. I plan for his follower to mostly be a buffer/healer and preferably also with some spells that make targets flat-footed. Grease is a natural choice of course, but are there any others?

[DogbertLinc]

Distract Assailant, from the Spell Compendium. Swift action to cast, there might be a save involved.

[ericgrau]

So the cohort is level 9? Having him tag you with greater invisibility is your best option by far. Others methods are pretty much ok to have as backups. I'll add glitterdust. Since I doubt you plan on swapping his spell list often, I'd make him a sorcerer so he can spend his spell slots on whatever you happen to need that moment without any planning. Adding in metamagic allows more spell slot versatility. For example heighten spell means any spell slot may be used effectively for glitterdust.

If you really want to get abusive you could give him other spells that work well with your character. Like next level he could get wall of force to divide an encounter into more easily manageable chunks. He could haste you and the party. He could greater magic weapon your hammers each morning. Etc. The problem with all this is that it makes the cohort less of a background character and it isn't very plausible that you just met this guy perfectly tuned to your character. What might be more plausible would be to give him some kind of theme that includes greater invisibility. Or a wizard and then you buy him spells tailor made to your preferences out of your own money. Still not a background character though. Are there any cleric domains that grant greater invisibility?

[Slipperychicken]

Just have your cohort (or just an Unseen Servant) spread Marbles (2sp, A&EG pg24) under your enemy's feet. Forces Balance checks, just like Grease, but are cheap as dirt and don't cost spell slots.


If you're going to rely on getting someone to fail a Will save against a Mind-Affecting Enchantment anyway, just cast Hold Person (or Monster) and CDG, or use a Will save-or-die. Saves you a lot of time and rolling.


If you can squeeze a level of Swordsage (or Warblade, if you want better refreshing but fewer maneuvers) into your build, a lot of maneuvers let you count enemies as Flat-Footed in melee, should that situation ever come up.

[Morph Bark]

If you can squeeze a level of Swordsage (or Warblade, if you want better refreshing but fewer maneuvers) into your build, a lot of maneuvers let you count enemies as Flat-Footed in melee, should that situation ever come up.

Wouldn't work, as those maneuvers specify melee attacks.


The cohort is level 10, I took Improved Cohort as well. I first gave up on making her a buffer (thought of doing either a Chameleon or a Cleric/Sorcerer/Mystic Theurge) and made her a Bard instead, but that just ended up in too much damage output, which the DM will likely counter. Since I am the only one who had two characters die this campaign (one from a critical fumble while near-death, one because he stayed behind to hold off a devil of a CR 7 above his level), I'd like this one to be survivable, which will require some AC buffs among other things.

A Cleric domain with greater invisibility would be just plain gravy. :smallbiggrin:

[ericgrau]

I can't believe I didn't think of bard already. They get greater invisibility, haste, glitterdust, grease, cure spells and buffs. At level 10 he has 4th level spells. Try a buffer bard instead of a damage bard. If you mean your damage got too hard not the cohort's, then try status effect buffs like the above rather than hit & damage bonuses.

For survivability he can stay out of melee, buff, heal and greater invis himself if things get hairy. For your personal survivability the greater invis he tags you with helps that too. Displacement is a possible backup that defeats see invisibility but not true seeing. Or when you've given up on fighting dimension door is a possible oh $#()*# escape spell. For AC I generally use equipment since it's cheap and thus scales faster than most buff spells. Especially when you spread it out. Armor, shield, ring of protection, amulet of natural armor, dusty rose prism ioun stone.