When wearing light or no armor and not using a shield, a duelist adds 1 point of Intelligence bonus (if any) per duelist class level to her Dexterity bonus to modify Armor Class while wielding a melee weapon. If a duelist is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied her Dexterity bonus, she also loses this bonus.
My confusion is with the (if any) part. From what I read, if you have at least a +1 int bonus, you would get a +1 AC bonus added to their dex bonus to calculate their AC.
so with a 12 Int
1st lvl = +1 AC
2nd lvl = +2 AC
ect
or is their a max bonus based on the total Int bonus?
12 Int
1st lvl = +1 AC
2nd lvl = nothing
ect
I'm looking to generate a character with a kensai magus dip and I'm trying to determine if a High Int is necessary
The AC bonus to Dex from Int is Int bonus or Duelist level, whichever is less.
or is their a max bonus based on the total Int bonus?
I think it was intended to get IntBonus to AC, capped by duelist level.
Example: 16 Int character takes a level of Duelist, and gains +1 AC.
When she takes a second level of Duelist, +2 AC.
Third level: +3 AC.
Fourth level: Still +3 AC. But if she cast Fox's Cunning (resulting in 20 Int), it would be +4 AC.
Fifth level, Still +3 AC, or +5 with Fox's. Etc.
Reading it otherwise you have a 16-Int level 3 duelist with +9 AC from canny defense, which I suspect is not intended.
A high int would be necessary.
A duelist with an INT 12, would gain his +1 at 1st level and nothing for the rest of the class levels. One with an INT 20 on the other hand would gain +1 for every level up through level five, which at that point he'd have gained he full +5 bonus his INT bonus would provide.
Does that make sense?
The "if any" part is to explain that negative modifiers don't apply.
The second option (max AC bonus) is the correct one.
thanks for the responses. I was hoping it would be the first example as it would offset the inability to wear higher AC type armors.
Seeing the comments however would make the ability way to good if it kept going and going.