For an upcoming campaign I am going to be playing a defensive fighting halfling similar to the one found in this thread: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pejb?Full-Defense-Halfling
My question is what exactly counts as the defensive fighting bonus? Cautious fighter, acrobatics, crane style, and dizzying defense all seem like they would add to the defensive fighting bonus.
Osyluth's guile or Active defense I am less certain on. Both give dodge bonuses and both only work while you are fighting defensively. If they do work I should be able to work out some sweet blundering defense bonuses.
Osyluth's Guile:
Benefit: While you are fighting defensively or using the total defense action, select one opponent. Add your Charisma bonus to your AC as a dodge bonus against that opponent's melee attacks until your next turn. You cannot use this feat if you cannot see the selected opponent.
Active Defense (Ex)
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.
:(
|
:|
The concept of a "defensive fighting bonus" does not exist in Pathfinder.
The abilities you referred to key off of using the Fighting Defensively action or the Full Defense action.
Unless the ability says that it requires an additional action or that it cannot be combined with something else, they should be able to be used together.
So, I see no reason why Osyluth's Guile and Active Defense could not be used with other similar abilities as long as you fulfill the requirements (ie seeing your opponent and using a shield). However, if you are thinking you can share your entire 'defensive fighting bonus' using Active Defense, you would be incorrect. You can only share the Active Defense bonus.
Dodge bonuses always stack, so unless any of the feats say they don't srack, you should be ok.
I understand that the dodge bonuses stack and that I could add active defense, Osyluth's Guile, etc.
The main question is what the bonus is for blundering defense:
Prerequisites: Cautious Fighter, halfling.
Benefit: Whenever you fight defensively or use the total defense action, allies gain a luck bonus to AC and CMD equal to 1/2 the dodge bonus you gain from the action you are taking. Allies only gain this bonus while they are adjacent to you.
In the example of Osyluth's guile while Defensive fighting what bonus gets added to my allies? I.E. Do guile count towards the 1/2 of my defensive bonus taht allies receive.
|
|
...allies gain a luck bonus to AC and CMD equal to 1/2 the dodge bonus you gain from the action you are taking.
What is the dodge bonus you gain from the action you are taking? OK, give your allies 1/2 of that as bonus to their AC/CMD if they are adjacent.
Osyluth's Guile gives a Dodge Bonus and neither Osyluth's Guile or Blundering Defense have any language that indicates that they do not work together; so strictly speaking, they are compatible. However, I would run it that the dodge bonus your allies gain from Osyluth's Guile is only applicable against the one opponent selected for Osyluth's Guile.
Blundering Defense does seem to be written rather permissively, based on the wording in the post.
"The action you're taking" is either "Fight Defensively" or "Total Defense". The bonus you're giving is half the bonus you're getting from the action. So, if Blundering Defense stood alone, the bonus would always be (half of) either +2 or +4.
Active Defense and Osylyth Guile are both abilities that give you a Dodge bonus in certain circumstances. Both those are additional bonuses from a different source. They are not "the bonus you gain from the [full defense or fighting defensively] action you're taking".
Acrobatics skill makes your bonus from FD/TD +3/+6 instead of +2/+4. That would count. Dizzying Defense and Cautious Fighter also "increase" or add "instead of". So that should work.
Crane Style and Crane Wing, if the information on d20pfsrd.com is up to date, adds a Dodge bonus. A separate bonus.