Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bleyn 03-12-07, 01:07 AM	Canny Defense (Ex) When not wearing armor or 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. I first read this as +int bonus per level, so a 5th level Duelist with an int of 18 would get +20 AC. That seems ridiculous, so I'm guessing I should read this as +int bonus OR +level, whichever is lower. So the 5th level duelist with 18 int would only get +4 AC. Am I correct?
calronmoonflower 03-12-07, 01:22 AM	The max bonus you add is equal to your duelist level. A 5th level duelist could add up to 5 points of the Int bonus to AC.
Stardust 03-12-07, 01:39 AM	The max bonus you add is equal to your duelist level. A 5th level duelist could add up to 5 points of the Int bonus to AC. Indeed, but only if they had an Int of 20 or more. Basically think of the duelist level as a limiting factor on how much Int bonus you can add. A character with 16 Int would need three levels of the PrC. 1st level - +1 AC 2nd level - +2 AC 3rd level - +3 AC 4th level - +3 AC After 3rd level, the duelist level is higher than the total int bonus so no further benefit is received to AC.
Jaime_Wolf 03-12-07, 02:08 AM	It mainly functions as a limit, stopping you from just dipping in for one level to get full int bonus to AC. The limit may seem like it hurts your total AC, but if you look at the rest of the class, it can actually be used to build one of the highest ACs in the game (especially later on when large amounts of gold allow for magic items to take the place of traditional armour without making you lose class-based bonsuses, like bracers of armour for monks). Actually, if you plan to play a duelist, going the main gauche style route works well. That is to say, fight with two weapons, a one-handed and a light, but don't attack with the light. You still get everything from the duelist class as long as you don't attack with the off-hand weapon. And yes, you should still be able to deflect arrows. Clearly, the final ability is suggesting that you deflect them with the weapon, otherwise there would be no need to say "as long as you wield a light or one-handed weapon", instead it would say "as long as you have an open hand" or it would simply say "recieves deflect arrows as a bonus feat". The dagger of defense is a particularly nice weapon in that it prevents flanking as long as you wield it (regardless of whether you attack with it). The point of this being that you can take the expanded two-weapon defense tree (Complete Warrior) if you take fighter levels to qualify for duelist. Depending on your DM, you may or many not be able to get away with using a defending magical item without actually attacking with it. I wouldn't allow it.
Ranger REG 03-12-07, 03:34 AM	I first read this as +int bonus per level, so a 5th level Duelist with an int of 18 would get +20 AC. That seems ridiculous, so I'm guessing I should read this as +int bonus OR +level, whichever is lower. So the 5th level duelist with 18 int would only get +4 AC. Am I correct? Correct, unless you increase your Int score to 20 (and gain Int bonus of +5). The duelist's Int bonus determines the maximum bonus his canny defense can give him.