having ranks in acrobatics. 3 ranks increase fighting defensively to +3 and total defense to +6.
crane style if you can leave an empty hand will net you, for all 3 feats a penalty of only -1 when fighting defensively (with the 3rd feat. the first feat has the same words as madu so it won't stack as they both change the -4 to a -2). +1 more ac, +4 more against melee (unless hit that reset in your next turn) and in case of total defense an auto-cancel of one melee attack per round (which goes nice with deflect arrows to also negate one ranged attack per round.) also a free aoo in case of negating the attack\the +4 vs melee.
crane style also ask for dodge as requirement so the total dodge ac is high.
Dueling Dagger increases the bonus from Combat Expertise/Fighting Defensively by 1 as long as you have it equipped.
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It's not a direct numerical bonus, but the STALWART feat turns the AC bonus from either Fighting Defensively or Combat Expertise (or both) into Damage Reduction instead of AC (and IMPROVED STALWART doubles the DR bonus).
I know you said you didn't want specific class feats, but getting Improved Stalwart and Crane Style (for example) is a LOT of feats, so dipping 1 level into UNBREAKABLE FIGHTER or GREEN KNIGHT CAVALIER really helps get this online faster, and dipping a level or 2 in Monk can really help you get Crane-Style online faster as well.
Also, this might be obvious to most but I didn't realise you could use Fighhting Defenwively and Combat Expertise together until fairly recently. Yes it's double the penalty to attacks, but if you're just holding the line while your party deals damage (or accomplishes some pther objective) then stacking AC bonuses for a round or 2 could save you a world of hurt.
The blade tutor's spirit spell negates the penalty.
Stick fighting counter gives you an AoO when you're fighting defensively and your opponent misses you, likewise elven battle torrent.
Draconic defender lets you share your bonus for fighting defensively with an adjacent ally.
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Dueling Dagger increases the bonus from Combat Expertise/Fighting Defensively by 1 as long as you have it equipped.
Does it give you +2 if you are both fighting defensively and using combat expertise?
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Combat Expertise, Crane Style/Wing/Riposte, 1 level Scaled Fist, 2 levels Paladin, Fight Defensively + 3 Ranks Acrobatics = pretty formidable AC/Saves. 1 level of Swashbuckler for OP&R is pretty attractive too.
If you want, you can additionally capitalize on having super high AC/Saves by debuffing their Attack bonus with -4 Shaken/Sicken combo from PA/Cornugon Smash + Cruel Enchant.
If you're willing to turn this character into an absolute Chimera of dips, you can turn this attack penalty into -8 with 13 Str w/ Max Dex/Cha --> Power Attack/Cornugon Smash/Shatter Defenses + 4 levels of URogue + Cruel Weapon Enchant = Every ShatterDefense/SnA target is Shaken/Sicken/DebilitatingInjury Debuffed for -8 to hit you (-6 to Attack your allies). You don't need Cleave or Great Cleave to make this work, but you can add this if you want to debuff -8 to hit w/ Shatter Defenses/SnA vs. multiple targets at a time.
Also, the Aldori Swordlord level 4 ability is pretty slick if you're trying to maximize Combat Expertise + Fight Defensively.
Adaptive Tactics (Ex): At 4th level, an Aldori swordlord learns to adapt his fighting style to counter his enemy’s strengths. An Aldori swordlord reduces the attack roll penalty for fighting defensively or using Combat Expertise by 1 at 4th level and by 2 at 8th level. In addition, after an Aldori swordlord uses his Aldori dueling sword to attack a creature he attacked during the previous round, as a swift action he can attempt a Sense Motive check (DC = 10 + the opponent’s base attack bonus). If successful, the swordlord gains a +2 circumstance bonus either on attack rolls or to his AC against that creature until the beginning of his next turn.
Does it give you +2 if you are both fighting defensively and using combat expertise?
Does the bonus stack with multiple daggers?
We just don't know.
Combat Expertise, Crane Style/Wing/Riposte, 1 level Scaled Fist, 2 levels Paladin, Fight Defensively + 3 Ranks Acrobatics = pretty formidable AC/Saves. 1 level of Swashbuckler for OP&R is pretty attractive too.
Opportune Parry really wants your offensive stats to be as high as possible. Combat Expertise and Fighting Defensively (even with Crane Riposte) will lower your attack rolls and make your parries less valuable. It's not terrible but it's not going to he as useful as it would be on a high-attack/low-defence character.
Instead you could go Paladin/Monk into STALWART DEFENDER for more bonuses to defending. If you take the Fatigued mercy you can also ignore the penalties for leaving your Defensive Stance.