Flat-Footed

A character who has not yet acted during a combat due to his or her Initiative is Flat-Footed, meaning the character is unprepared and can't react as well as when an attack is expected.

A Flat-Footed character...


 * loses his Dexterity bonus (if he has one) to AC and to Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD).
 * cannot make Attacks of Opportunity (AoO), unless he has the Combat Reflexes feat or Uncanny Dodge class ability.
 * can be subject to Sneak Attacks.

The game may regard someone as being Flat-Footed also in other situations than in the beginning of a combat. For example the same penalties may apply when a web is inflicting the grappled condition on someone.