Path of War Defense conundrum?

Question

Path of War has Strike, Boost, Counter, and Stance.

Strike - usually an attack and extra damage and some effects

Boost - extra damage usually

Counter - repost, dodge, reaction

Stance - at will mods to certain aspects of combat

So my friend and I got in to a bit of a debate. Some Strikes and Boost can catch a target Flat-Footed. But if said target has a Counter,...can they counter the Strike/Boost while Flat-Footed? Specially if they don't have Uncanny Dodge?

Answer 1

General case:

The flat-footed defender cannot counter. Counters (like Flat Iron Riposte) need a immediate action to be initiated and "you also cannot use an immediate action if you are flat-footed". So if the attacker use a strike like Hunting Serpent Blow which render the target flat-footed, the defender cannot initiate a counter against this attack.

If the attacker use a boost like like Taunting Laugh, the target is rendered flat-footed before the eventual strike or regular attack, and won't be able to counter.

Note that:

• in some strikes like Pommel Bash, "the initiator makes an attack against the target’s flat-footed armor class", in which case the defender is not caught flat-footed and can initiate a counter.
• some strikes like Crushing Blow render the defender flat-footed after the attack, so they can initiate a counter before.
• some strikes like Offensive Roll have wordings that could be interpreted as "the attacker treats the defender as flat-footed (e.g. for sneak attacks, and Dex bonus to AC), but the defender isn't really flat-footed and can act (e.g. with a counter)". Also strikes that could or should be similar (like Phantom Wind Ray and Hunting Serpent Blow, or Offensive Roll and Devastation Roll) don't have the same wordings.
• some counters like Clock Watcher can be initiated even when flat-footed (although this one isn't really useful against an incoming attack).

Uncanny Dodge:

You can't be caught flat-footed, so you can initiate a counter (if you still have your immediate action).