Can you select yourself with the Draconic Defender feat?


Rules Questions


Quote:

Draconic Defender

Prerequisite: Con 17, Toughness

Benefit: During your action, designate an ally within your reach. When you fight defensively or use Combat Expertise, your ally gains a natural armor bonus to AC equal to the dodge bonus you gain from fighting defensively or Combat Expertise. You can select a new ally on any action. Allies who move out of your reach lose this natural armor bonus.

Since you count as your own ally, I mean.


RAW sure, RAI probably not.

On the other hand, why bother? You would get an equal dodge bonus to your AC without taking this feat. Are you worried that it won't stack but the natural armor bonus will for some reason?


Drood wrote:

RAW sure, RAI probably not.

On the other hand, why bother? You would get an equal dodge bonus to your AC without taking this feat. Are you worried that it won't stack but the natural armor bonus will for some reason?

If you count as your own ally, you double the gains from Combat Expertise-- i.e., +3 dodge bonus, +3 natural armor bonus.

Personally it doesn't seem like this is a 'you are your own ally' situation, as with Butterfly Sting.


The feat itself makes as much sense as being your own ally for this feat, imo.

How does fighting defensively near someone give them a natural armor bonus?


Oh I see. I read it as they get the bonus instead of you. Because otherwise this feat makes no sense.

In that case no I'd say you can't be your own ally for this.


Personally I don't think you would qualify as your own ally for this purpose. You are already receiving the dodge bonus(es) from your action.

I see this as you interjecting yourself between the attack and the ally, using yourself (or your armor, weapon, shield, etc.) as their "natural armor" bonus. The more defense oriented your character is with feats, the better the bonus.

-Just Some Guy (who thinks about DnD too much)

Silver Crusade

RAI, probably not, RAW, yes it works. It doesn't say "you count as your own ally, except for XY,&Z", it's just "You count as your own ally"


Val'bryn2 wrote:
RAI, probably not, RAW, yes it works. It doesn't say "you count as your own ally, except for XY,&Z", it's just "You count as your own ally"

*cough* discretely points at FAQ

FAQ wrote:
You count as your own ally unless otherwise stated or if doing so would make no sense or be impossible.

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