Dumb question regarding Max Dex Bonus of armors...

[Midnight_Angel]

Wearing an armor is limiting the maximum Dex Bonus I can employ to my AC, not effecting other Dex-related abilities.

Prize question: Do I get my full Dex bonus to CMD (as CMD != AC), or was it the Dex bonus to AC that was part of the CMD calculation, rather than the Dex Bonus?

[TOZ]

As far as I can tell, you get full Dex bonus to CMD. Max Dex Bonus only affects Dex bonus to AC.

[Anguish]

Mmmm. This is likely a RAW vs RAI thing, but I don't agree TOZ. CMD is pretty obviously AC minus armor and natural, with the inverted size bonus, plus your Strength modifier. At my table I would apply MaxDex to the contribution Dexterity makes to CMD.

[TOZ]

That may be the intent, but not what it says.

[Axl]

Hmm, both interpretations are reasonable. (RAW, the answer is yes, you get the full Dex bonus to CMD. Although this statement is open to interpretation: "Any penalties to a creature's AC also apply to its CMD.")

I have tagged the first post for FAQ.

[45ur4]

From d20pfsrd wrote:

Maximum Dex Bonus

This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to Armor Class that this type of armor allows. Dexterity bonuses in excess of this number are reduced to this number for the purposes of determining the wearer's Armor Class. Heavier armors limit mobility, reducing the wearer's ability to dodge blows. This restriction doesn't affect any other Dexterity-related abilities.

Also, maximum dexterity bonus is not a penalty...

EDIT: the word 'ability' in this text is used in the word meaning, not the game term, as the wording suggests (any other refered to the use of dexterity in AC calculations).

[oneplus999]

If your table is run by RAW. yes you keep dex to CMD because only penalties to AC are transferred, and max dex isn't technically a penalty.

If your table is run by RAI, I'm sure you lose dex to cmd.

[Archaeik]

Honestly, I think that depends on how 3.x RAI you're running things...

I haven't seen any official clarification on this, and the only reason to impose this limitation on CMD is that maneuvers used to rely on touch attacks... (which AC is limited by your max dex)

[TriOmegaZero]

Honestly, if you're going to limit Dex to CMD based on Max Dex Bonus, you should do it to Reflex saves, Initiatives, etc. as well.

[StabbittyDoom]

TriOmegaZero wrote:

Honestly, if you're going to limit Dex to CMD based on Max Dex Bonus, you should do it to Reflex saves, Initiatives, etc. as well.

While I agree it would make sense to apply max dex reflex saves, initiative and the rest, they do NOT have a parallel with AC, while CMD does. There's a reason why many bonuses to AC boost CMD, and all penalties to AC apply to CMD.

However, by RAW, max dex to AC would not apply to CMD simply because it is not a "penalty" by the game definition of the term. I believe that it is likely simply an oversight that max dex is not listed to apply to CMD.

[Grizzly the Archer]

Wouldn't this also cause issue, hypothetically, with cmb users, who use ranged weapons/agile maneuvers/Dex= str for their CMB roll? If we assume that it is a penalty and not strictly an AC limit.

[Bredwyr]

The answer is supposed to be in the FAQ but I can't find it, could someone help me?

[Lincoln Cross]

I am not seeing this answered in the FAQ either. Can anyone direct me to where it is listed? Thank you.