Post/Author/DateTime	Post
shadowflamedancer 04-01-05, 08:07 PM	Using the Combat Expertise feat you can add 5 to your armor class if you are willing to sutract 5 from your attack roll. I recall reading in a Sage Adive collum(sp?) that you don't actually have to attack, but you can instead just declare an attack without actually attacking. I was wondering if anyone has used this, or if anyone understands how it would work. I assume that the opponent would have to be visible and that the PC would need to be aware of the threat, so they could continually "declare attacks" to raise their AC against traps and such. However, would this "declaration of attack" take up a standard action? Would it be considered an attack for other purposes, some kind of counterattacking ability the defendant had for instance? Please consider these questions, and thank you.
Borris 04-01-05, 08:35 PM	Well, the feat's description does begin with "When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee". Since this dodge bonus applies to everything (and not just the creature you just attacked), I'd say you could attack an empty square and still benefit from the bonus.
Marros 04-01-05, 08:38 PM	Part of the Combat Expertise Description, as quoted from the Players Handbook: When you use the attack action or 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. You can only use the attack or full attack action when it is your turn. You basically have to wait until your turn in the initiative order before you can activate this feat. This rules out the possibility of using it against traps, because traps don't attack using initiative. They just activate and make an attack roll. Nobody gets a combat turn, so the character does not have time to activate Combat Expertise. The questions of visibility and awareness are more complicated. If the foe is invisible or hidden, and the combat hasn't begun, they cannot use combat expertise. However, after combat begins and initiative is rolled, combat expertise may be employed. Even is their opponet stays invisible, they are still aware of the threat and may use combat expertise. But now that I think about it, this isn't wise because they lose any dodge bonuses against an invisible attacker... The most I have seen done with it is to use the attack action with combat expertise to gain +x to their AC, and then moving a short distance (no greater than their speed, because they have used the attack action already). Note that since you must be in melee to use this, I don't really see the point of "declaring an attack" and not actually taking one. You have already activated your attack (and lost your Standard Action) when you used the feat, so why not take that attack you are entitled too? You might get lucky, and not attacking will not enable you to do anything else. Darn, another long winded post. I hope what I've written isn't TOO confusing, and that you can make some sense of out it.
Haksaw 04-01-05, 08:44 PM	The key wording is "in melee". Initiating melee involves determining initiative. If a situation prevents the initiation of initiative, then your can't initiate melee, and can't use combat expertise. Just because you're attacking a stump (even very carefully), doesn't mean that your combat expertise will provide you with a +5 to armor class. It is just not applicable. Outside of combat, all attacks are considered successes (although hardness may prevent damage). Thus, outside of a combat situation (such as searching for traps), your can't use the ability. However, you were correct, by using a standard action in combat, you can use the combat expertise feat without actually attacking. The action is considered lost; you can not attack again or perform a full-round action, but you may still perform a move equivalent action.