| Deviston |
At 3rd level, a shielded fighter gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC when wielding a shield and fighting defensively, using Combat Expertise, or using total defense. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 3rd. As a swift action, he may share this bonus with one adjacent ally, or half of the bonus (minimum +0) with all adjacent allies, until the beginning of his next turn.
This ability replaces Armor Training 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Question: What is "this" bonus that is being shared? Is it the total dodge bonus to AC the fighter gets from fighting defensively etc? Or is it only the +1, +2, +3, and +4 bonus that is granted by the class feature and is on TOP of the normal dodge bonus granted by fighting defensively etc?
Example: Level 5 shielded fighter fights defensively and gets a total +3 to AC for doing so. He activates Active Defense to share "this" bonus with his ally.
Does the ally get +1, or +3 dodge bonus to his AC?
| Deviston |
Next question, in regards to the same class feature. If I have ANOTHER ability that allows me to give my dodge bonus from fighting defensively to an ally, would they get the +2 or the enhanced +3?
Specifically, is the +1 dodge bonus an increase to my fighting defensive bonus, or simply an additional 1 point on top of the bonus from fighting defensive and not considered a part of it?
| Rhatahema |
Next question, in regards to the same class feature. If I have ANOTHER ability that allows me to give my dodge bonus from fighting defensively to an ally, would they get the +2 or the enhanced +3?
Specifically, is the +1 dodge bonus an increase to my fighting defensive bonus, or simply an additional 1 point on top of the bonus from fighting defensive and not considered a part of it?
Dodge bonuses stack. The +1 dodge bonus to AC is on top of the dodge bonus for fighting defensively or using combat expertise. Note that the ability doesn't say that it improves the bonus from fighting defensively to +3, or that it increases the bonus from using combat expertise by +1. It's a bonus apart from those that you benefit from when using those abilities (for better or worse).
So while providing an ally with your bonus from fighting defensively would not include the +1 dodge bonus from active defense, you could still use active defense in addition to that ability (assuming you had the action economy and suitable conditions). So the net result would provide them with a +2 dodge bonus to AC (shared from fighting defensively) and a +1 dodge bonus to AC (shared with active defense), for a total of +3.
Bonuses from the same source never stack, so I think it's doubtful that you and an ally shield fighter could double up on active defense bonuses.
| Deviston |
"Bonuses from the same source never stack, so I think it's doubtful that you and an ally shield fighter could double up on active defense bonuses."
True, but that wasn't the plan. The plan was to use Blundering Defenses for the "1/2 luck bonus to AC equal to the dodge bonus I get from using 'that' [fighting defensively] action".
Example, my Crane Style Helpful (trait that change the aid another bonus from +2 to +4) Halfling with 3 ranks in Acrobatics is fighting defensively. Under these conditions, he gets a +6 dodge bonus to AC and provides a +3 luck bonus to AC (half the amount via Blundering Defense) to all adjacent allies. As an AOO (via the Bodyguard feat) he may aid another to any adjacent ally to give a +4 bonus to AC who is attacked.
I was wondering if the bonus from Active Defense was added into the luck bonus of blundering defenses, because then (assuming fighter level 7) they would ALL get the +1 all the time as a luck bonus, AND they would get another +1 from the feature itself. I have increased my own dodge bonus by +2 (level 7) which I would give half that to allies, and then the feature itself lets me blow a swift to give them half the bonus as a dodge bonus. So in the end they get the full benefit when I spend a swift.
However! Since it's not added INTO my dodge bonus for fighting defensively, just added on top of, that little trick doesn't work. I would still get the +2, but it wouldn't count for the fighting defensive bonus obtained for Blundering Defense. It's just a +1 dodge WHEN fighting defensively, not a +1 dodge TO fighting defensively. At least that's what it seems you are telling me.