Sneak Attack Help

[Johnboy]

Hey there guys thanks for checking this out and I apologize ahead of time for answering a simple question. I read the Sneak Attack section in the PhB 3.5 w/errata but i don't completely understand its meaning.

I'm in Gestalt campaign right now and 'Im running a Wizard 5 | Swashbuckler 3 | Monk 2. On my way to Swiftblade next. Current situation is the level 1 spell "Critical Strike." It only works when my opponent is denied their dex bonus or if they are flanked. So my question is a simple one. "Is a foe whose dexterity bonus is reduced to zero from other spells considered denied his dex bonus?"

If he is then please reference something for me so that I can write it down.

Thanks again for the help guys!

[Piggy Knowles]

I am on my phone and can't provide a link, but someone with a Dex of zero is paralyzed and thus vulnerable in this case. I'll edit in a link from the SRD this afternoon if no one beats me to the punch.

[eggynack]

No, they still have a dexterity bonus being applied. It's just zero. Characters with 11 or less dexterity aren't always open to sneak attacks. For a quote, see the rogue's sneak attack ability. There it says, "The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not)."

[Amphetryon]

Hey there guys thanks for checking this out and I apologize ahead of time for answering a simple question. I read the Sneak Attack section in the PhB 3.5 w/errata but i don't completely understand its meaning.

I'm in Gestalt campaign right now and 'Im running a Wizard 5 | Swashbuckler 3 | Monk 2. On my way to Swiftblade next. Current situation is the level 1 spell "Critical Strike." It only works when my opponent is denied their dex bonus or if they are flanked. So my question is a simple one. "Is a foe whose dexterity bonus is reduced to zero from other spells considered denied his dex bonus?"

If he is then please reference something for me so that I can write it down.

Thanks again for the help guys!
AFAIK, not having a DEX bonus is not the same thing as being denied a DEX bonus. If it were, then any Character with a negative DEX modifier would constantly be 'denied a DEX bonus,' which is not supported by the rules to my knowledge.

That said, a combatant with any stat besides CON reduced to 0 is unable to move, and subject to CdG rules.

[Piggy Knowles]

eggynack, the description of paralysis specifically calls the target out as helpless and therefore vulnerable to SA.

[eggynack]

eggynack, the description of paralysis specifically calls the target out as helpless and therefore vulnerable to SA.
True, though that's rather an extreme case. It's less a function of lacking a dexterity bonus, and more a function of having that condition applied as a result of various things, including zero dexterity. The OP asked about a dex bonus reduced to zero, which would do nothing on this count, but if he reduced the actual dexterity to zero, that would mean success. It'd probably mean success anyway, cause the enemy is helpless, but it is what it is.

[Piggy Knowles]

My mistake. I read the OP as reducing Dexterity to zero, not reducing the bonus to zero. Sorry about that - yes, eggynack & co. are correct in this case. Just reducing the bonus to zero is not sufficient to trigger sneak attack.

EDIT: Gah, blasted typos. You'd think autocorrect would be used to D&D terms by now.

[Johnboy]

I wasnt suggesting their score hitting zero. Just the bonus they received. Ill be using a lot of stat altering abilities. "Shivering Touch" for instance reduces the Dex of a foe by 3D6. ^__^

But if it doesnt allow a sneak attack like when using critical strike it doesnt really matter. Perhaps Ill just grab improved Feint so that I can do all my actions in a single turn.

Oh! Real quick before I forget. A character who has failed his sense motive to a feint, is he denied his dex bonus for the round, or just to my next attack?

[eggynack]

Oh! Real quick before I forget. A character who has failed his sense motive to a feint, is he denied his dex bonus for the round, or just to my next attack?
It only applies on the next attack. To quote the rules on feinting, "The next melee attack you make against the target does not allow him to use his Dexterity bonus to AC."