AC Question

[Neon Knight]

If I have a negative bonus to DEX, do I add the negative bonus to my AC?

[Bears With Lasers]

Yes. 8 Dex = -1 AC.

I hear they're calling negative bonuses "penalties" these days, though.

[Neon Knight]

Okay.

But this means that my Flat-footed AC is better than my normal AC. Weird. I'm harder to hit when I don't dodge.

[Fax Celestis]

Yup. That's called "stepping into the punch."

[Bears With Lasers]

Okay.

But this means that my Flat-footed AC is better than my normal AC. Weird. I'm harder to hit when I don't dodge.

Nah, you keep the penalty when you're flatfooted. I think.

[Neon Knight]

When you're flat-footed, you don't get you Dexterity modifier added to your AC. Whether it is a bonus or a penalty.

See, I was asking because I'm trying to make this huge insect queen monster, but realized how low her AC was because of her massive Dex penalty.

Guess I'll make up the difference in damage reduction and HP.

Thanks guys!

[Shhalahr Windrider]

As Bears with Lasers pointed out in his first post, there is a difference between a bonus and a penalty.

Bonus == Modifier above 0
Penalty == Modifier below 0

You lose your Dex Bonus when you are flat-footed. You retain your Dex penalty. They are very different things.

[Neon Knight]

Hmmm...

You're right. It does say bonus. Okay. Got the fixed up.

[Ikkitosen]

Sounds like your insect queen needs some seriously tough chitin to overcome her dex penalty. Just add a beefy natural armour bonus.

[daggaz]

huge insect queen monster? Definitely has a good natural armor rating. Damage reduction? Maybe, but not a lot of it.