Does the Swashbuckler and Duelist Precise Strike stack?

[Hawktitan]

Should be fairly straight forward question -

When taking the Duelist prestige class does the precise strike ability from the Duelist stack with the Swashbuckler?

Example - If a level 12 Tengu went from Swashbuckler to Duelist would he get +12 to damage to his sword and +6 damage to his bite?

[Negative Zer0]

the discussion that brought up this question:

Negative Zer0 wrote:

Hawktitan wrote:

Quote:

Precise Strike: every point of dmg I gain from PS for duleist is a point lost on PS with swashbuckler so there is no actual gain.

There is gain. Duelist increases damage on your bite while Swashbuckler doesn't.

Swashduelist

Level 12 - 6 levels in Swash and 6 levels in duelist
+12 damage on main weapon and +6 damage on my bite.
If this was not PFS I would see it working exactly like this after a discussion with GM to confirm that RAI it makes sense to stack the 2 precise strike abilities on my sword attacks.

However by RAW (PFS) it's my understanding this would run into issues with the "same benefits not stacking" rules.
This would mean in a PFS game having to pick ONE of the precise strike abilities to apply to the attacks with my sword.

So
SB - SB+D (swashbuckler precise strike - Swash PS on sword|Duleist PS on bite)
7 - 6+1 (lvl 7 SB - lvl 6SB|lvl 1D)
8 - 6+2
9 - 6+3
10 - 6+4
11 - 6+5
12 - 6+6 (lvl 12 SB - lvl 6SB|lvl 6D)
13 - 7+7 (SD starts using duelist PS on both attacks)

Comes out to exactly the same damage except the duelist damage is on the harder to hit with beak. Its not till the bonus hits +7 that the damage surpasses a straight swashbuckler which happens to be lvl 13 at the earliest and thus of no benefit in PFS.

(Hawk - thanks for making this post)

[Rhatahema]

I would say yes, they're treated as distinct benefits, and thus the bonuses stack. The abilities share the same name and similar mechanics, but they're not identical class features. The rule on redundant class features not stacking in the ACG applies specifically to parent classes, and more importantly relies on interpretation to determine what qualifies as a "redundant" ability. I've brought it up a few times now that people are applying that rule more liberally than is necessary, though for PFS I can see where that's justified.

To expand the answer a bit, I'd likewise treat the duelist's parry and riposte class features as totally separate abilities from the swashbuckler's opportune parry and riposte. Meaning you could use both in the same round, potentially making two separate parry attempts against a single attack, but that the abilities don't otherwise cross over. For instance, you wouldn't be granted an attack of opportunity from the duelist's riposte ability by making a successful opportune parry from with the swashbuckler deed.

[Zwordsman]

yeah. they are different class abilities, and both have different rules, and apply to different weapons.
So they both work as different effects; and as noted, some apply to different things and some won't apply.

I would agree wit hthe above note that the parry repostes are different as well, and could not cross over (but I wouldn't say no to you employing both agianst an attack, if you missed wit the first attempt. but I don't think I would let you get an attack with both (i.e. use one parry and use both abilities reposts) because they are different effects and both only proctor after each respective parry.

[Shimesen]

Just so you know, there are 4 "precise strike" abilities in the game now....all 4 of which stack together and can be used on one attack....so yeah...

[Zwordsman]

Imma call it quad-cise strike.