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So, I was kind of looking over the duelist prestige class again and I came upon and interesting point that I feel will work but seems a bit off.
The fourth level ability of the duelist class is Combat Reflexes, but it doesn't grant them the feat, just the benefits of the feat. I think that might be a significant difference. What would happen if a Duelist also had the combat reflexes feat?
If the duelist has a 20 DEX, would the character be able to make 11 AoOs per round?
If this is an old questin, I apologize. Thanks.
It seems like it would work, as it says you gain the benefit of combat reflexes. The benefit of combat reflexes is "Benefit: You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus. With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed." So if you also had combat reflexes, then you would gain double your dex bonus.
I don't think it'd stack, based on the ruling that same-type bonuses don't stack and you're getting your Dex bonus as a bonus to the number of AoOs you can make in a round.
The only reason I'm not 100% sure is because the "same-type bonuses don't stack" rule has only ever come up for me in things like to-hit/AC bonuses. I still think the rule applies: if you have Combat Reflexes, as Duelist, and then took Combat Reflexes, the feat, you would only apply your Dex bonus to your AoOs/Round once.
If it doesn't stack then this ability is kind of low on the "power" scale for some that can only be gained at 10th level. Combat Reflexes as a feat can be taken at 1st level easily. I do think it would stack, otherwise it's just kind of weak in my opinion. But I was hoping for something a little official. Thanks though for the feedback.
Take Combat Reflexes feat at level 1, take the Duelist PRC, and once you get access to the Duelist's combat reflexes you can retrain your first level Combat Reflexes feat.
The Duelist's CR is plenty strong because it frees up a feat slot- just because it comes in later doesn't mean it doesn't have any uses or is weak. And the rule is pretty clear cut:
"The important aspect of bonus types is that two bonuses of the same type don't generally stack. With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and racial bonuses, only the better bonus of a given type works. "
-From the PSRD in "Common Terms" and "Bonus"
Because specific beats general, and the duelist PRC doesn't specify its Combat Reflexes stacks with regular Combat Reflexes, general ruling applies: two bonuses of the same type don't stack.
The only issue that I personally had with it was it was weird for me to wrap my head around the concept of "Number of Attacks of Opportunity" being something that's effected by bonuses- cause I don't normally view it as a stat as such.
"You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus"
It's a "Dexterity bonus". This same kind of logic is applied to a Monk who multiclasses into Sacred Fist- they don't get Wisdom bonus to AC twice because both are Wisdom bonuses.