Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mrpink213 04-05-04, 04:25 PM	TWO-WEAPON DEFENSE [GENERAL] Prerequisites: Dex 15, Two-Weapon Fighting. Benefit: When wielding a double weapon or two weapons (not including natural weapons or unarmed strikes), you gain a +1 shield bonus to your AC. When you are fighting defensively or using the total defense action, this shield bonus increases to +2. Special: A fighter may select Two-Weapon Defense as one of his fighter bonus feats. COMBAT EXPERTISE [GENERAL] Prerequisite: Int 13. Benefit: When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty of as much as -5 on your attack roll and add the same number (+5 or less) as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The changes to attack rolls and Armor Class last until your next action. Normal: A character without the Combat Expertise feat can fight defensively while using the attack or full attack action to take a -4 penalty on attack rolls and gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class. Special: A fighter may select Combat Expertise as one of his fighter bonus feats. My question- Do you benefit from the additional +1 shield bonus granted by 2-weapon defense for fighting defensively while using combat expertise? eg- when attacking with 2 shortswords, and using an expetise of one, would my ac be increased by 3(+2 shield from 2-weap def., and +1 dodge from using expertise) ?
RobTzu 04-05-04, 10:41 PM	Yes, the bonus of different types so they do indeed stack.
mrpink213 04-06-04, 02:35 PM	i think you missed the question, two weapon defense give you an Addition al +1 ac when fighting defensively, is using combat expertise considered fighting defensively? i didn't even mention the word "stack"
Ranger REG 04-07-04, 04:28 AM	No. Using Combat Expertise (a feat) is separate from using Fighting Defensively (standard/full attack option). Until you declare your PC will be Fighting Defensively, you don't get the better bonus from TWD.
mrpink213 04-07-04, 07:51 PM	allrigh, thank you, just wanted to be sure cuz expertise is basically the same thing as fighting defensively, lowering attack for more ac, now i know that it does indeed, need to be houseruled :)
Ranger REG 04-08-04, 02:43 AM	Well, initially a lot of gamers thought they're one and the same, so they choose one or the other. But the game designers have responded that they CAN stack. But if you're going to houserule that CE modifies the Fighting Defenively attack option, go ahead and disallow stacking between the two.
Sydd 04-08-04, 03:10 AM	Yeah, they would stack, but they're two different sources, so you would have to utilize both. I.E. you would have to take off from your attack bonus once for fighting defensively (-4) and again for Combat Expertise. Just to clarify. :b:
UZI 04-08-04, 09:57 AM	Or in other words: -5 ATK => +5 Dodge AC (Combat Expertise) +1 Shield AC (TWD) ------------ -5 ATK => +6 AC (Total) or -4 ATK => +2 Dodge AC (Fighting Defensively) +2 Shield AC (TWD) ------------- -4 ATK => +4 AC (Total) and stacking -5 ATK => +5 Dodge AC (Combat Expertise) -4 ATK => +2 Dodge AC (Fighting Defensively) +2 Shield AC (TWD) -------------- -9 ATK => +9 AC (Total) The confusing text in the feat description for Combat Expertise is in the "Normal" section which states the -4 ATK/+2 AC defensive fighting rule. This can lead one to believe that Combat Expertise is the "Improved Defensive Fighting" feat, but that apparently is not so. The simple addition of the word "still" at the right spot could change it to: A character without the Combat Expertise feat can still fight defensively....