Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mandarbgrim 11-13-05, 11:13 AM	I read through the PHB..and am a bit confused about what my Marshall/Fighter cohort can do exactly with some defensive opportunities... Fighting Defensively: -4 Attack & +2<or 3> AC Total Defense: Standard Action & +4<or 6.> AC Combat Expertise: Trade BAB for AC up to 5. Tower Shield: +4 AC and can use it for Cover by giving up attacks? Does the Tower Shield being used for Cover stack with Total Defense? It just says give up your attacks, but doesn't say it costs a standard action.. Does a Tower Shield used as Cover provide +4 AC from the shielding and +4 from the Cover, as well? Can I stack using Tower Shield for Cover with Fighting Defensively & Combat Expertise? What are the Best AC combo's? What is the best combo if I want to attack? What stacks with what? Thanks. I may have to just send these questions in and get a more official answer, because if they turn out really good then someone will argue about it.
Rhomphaia 11-13-05, 11:20 AM	First of all, Combat Expertise replaces fighting defensively. I believe that is stated either in the feat description or in the section detailing fighting defensively. Total defense gives up all your actions in a round to try and keep yourself from being hit. Therefore, would not stack with either of the above. In either case, they would not be compatible with using a tower shield as cover, since they involve moving around and using something as cover usually means ducking down and/or scrunching up behind it, not moving much. As for the other questions, I will have to look them up.
ShinAkuma2 11-13-05, 11:40 AM	Nowhere does Combat Expertise state that it replaces the fight defensively option. It only gives that option as something one could normally do. Total Defense: You can defend yourself as a standard action. You get a +4 dodge bonus to your AC for 1 round. Your AC improves at the start of this action. You can’t combine total defense with fighting defensively or with the benefit of the Combat Expertise feat (since both of those require you to declare an attack or full attack). You can’t make attacks of opportunity while using total defense. Tower Shields as Full Cover: However, you can instead use it as total cover, though you must give up your attacks to do so. Note that it says, "give up your ATTACKS". This is different from losing an action. If you claim total cover, you may not attack, but you still get a move and a standard action, as normal. Thus, you CAN claim full cover AND take Total Defense, AND still take a move action.
nonsi 11-13-05, 12:09 PM	1. Combat Expertise: apply hit penalty to gain AC. BAB remains the same, so no reduction to #Att. 2. Combat Expertise & fighting defensively stack. check it out in PHB. >> Can I stack using Tower Shield for Cover with Fighting Defensively & Combat Expertise? maybe if the shield is transparant - Fighting Defensively & Combat Expertise require orientation. if your head is behind the shield, you can't exactly calculate.
Far_Traveler 11-13-05, 12:19 PM	it's irrevelant, total cover eliminates most of the need for AC, but yes, i would say that you can myself, f it matters, you just could not take a double move, only a single
Outla 11-13-05, 01:56 PM	Fighting Defensively stacks with Combat Expertise. In general this provides the best AC, especially if you get a feat called Improved Combat Expertise. The catch is... if you do this the bad guy is likely to just ignore you and go attack someone who's easier to hit. If you use Total Defense, you don't get to use either of those. It specifically mentions them in the description of Total Defense, so there can be no doubt. If you're using the tower shield as a normal shield (+4), it can be used during any of the above. Using a tower shield as cover is totally different though. There are several different versions of the tower shield as cover rules depending on whether you use 3.0, 3.0 FAQ, 3.5, or 3.5 FAQ. I'm going to assume you ask about 3.5 with FAQ because that's the most current version. The 3.5 FAQ explains that using a tower shield for cover is a standard action. Because of this, you can't use any of the above things at the same time as they all use a standard action too (or full-round action). The tower shield provides total cover in one direction (unhittable, or if you like, +7million AC), and cover (essentially +4 AC) at the diagonals. But I'd conclude that you do not get the +4 shield bonus in addition to the cover because you're not using it as a shield, it's busy being a wall. I hate the ruling that it takes a standard action, but that's what it says.
bs91db 11-13-05, 02:11 PM	I play the 'tank' in our adventuring party with an AC of 26 which can rise to 34 if need be. My combo is.. 10 7 +2 Breastplate (Armour Bonus) 6 +2 Towershield (Shield Bonus) 1 +1 Ring of Protection (Deflection Bonus) 2 +2 Dex (Dodge Bonus) 5 +5 Full Combat Expertise 4 Fighting defensivley 1 Dodge Feat =34 AC (if i have to fight a giant this increases to 38) =24 Flat Footed AC = 21 Touch I also scrolls of mage armour and can cast shield, etc with some levels of cleric basically i can't hit anything becase of the negtive modifiers i get but it keeps the big creature busy while the rest of the party pummel it with arrows. Am currently saving up for some mythril full plate for amonter armour bonus and perhaps a better ring of protection Man my character is a sissy!