Can barbarian Fight Defensively when raging? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can barbarian Fight Defensively when raging? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
antsu
05-29-07, 05:01 AM Simple question: can barbarian Fight Defensively when raging? What about Total Defense? I know that Combat Expertice is not allowed and thus the question...
runestar
05-29-07, 06:48 AM Should be okay. I see nothing expressly prohibiting it.:)
Kursk
05-29-07, 05:41 PM Simple question: can barbarian Fight Defensively when raging? What about Total Defense? I know that Combat Expertice is not allowed and thus the question...

Would seem to be no if looking at it logically. They are dropping AC because they can't be cautious and are, well, raging. I wouldn't allow it as it makes no sense. By RAW, maybe.
sirkently
05-29-07, 05:49 PM I see nothing against it, but I would rule no in my game.
DaidojiTaidoru
05-29-07, 05:50 PM Hm... This one's touchy. Rage allows Dodge, but not Combat Expertise.

I'd say it should be allowed simply because I think of fighting defensively more in line with Dodge then CE, and because the Barbarian can still fight to the best of their tactical ability. The thought that a Barbarian might fight defensively one round to draw an opponent into a strike isn't too far fetched.
Goreg Skullcrusher
05-29-07, 07:00 PM I'll toss my vote towards disallowing it. The others are correct in that it is permitted RAW, but mechanically Fighting Defensively and Combat Expertise work very similarly (trading to-hit in exchange for AC).
antsu
05-30-07, 03:07 AM Thanks for replies. I have always imagined Fighting Defensively to be something like untrained 'cautious attacking' and Combat Expertice to be same thing with actually having some combat training background in the area... On the other hand FD and CE do stack which I interpret so that they are not the same thing.

Then again does raging mean that you have to attack continuosly or just that you are really ****** off for a while...
wizarddog
05-30-07, 03:16 AM It should be noted that combat expertise has a INT 13 requirement which implies it is a mental strategy which is prohibited by the rage.

However fighting defensively and total defense do not have an INT requirement.

If you disallowed it when you rage then you would have to disallow any animal from fighting defensively or using total defense. ;)
antsu
05-30-07, 03:45 AM Good point. Thanks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
antsu 05-29-07, 05:01 AM	Simple question: can barbarian Fight Defensively when raging? What about Total Defense? I know that Combat Expertice is not allowed and thus the question...
runestar 05-29-07, 06:48 AM	Should be okay. I see nothing expressly prohibiting it.:)
Kursk 05-29-07, 05:41 PM	Simple question: can barbarian Fight Defensively when raging? What about Total Defense? I know that Combat Expertice is not allowed and thus the question... Would seem to be no if looking at it logically. They are dropping AC because they can't be cautious and are, well, raging. I wouldn't allow it as it makes no sense. By RAW, maybe.
sirkently 05-29-07, 05:49 PM	I see nothing against it, but I would rule no in my game.
DaidojiTaidoru 05-29-07, 05:50 PM	Hm... This one's touchy. Rage allows Dodge, but not Combat Expertise. I'd say it should be allowed simply because I think of fighting defensively more in line with Dodge then CE, and because the Barbarian can still fight to the best of their tactical ability. The thought that a Barbarian might fight defensively one round to draw an opponent into a strike isn't too far fetched.
Goreg Skullcrusher 05-29-07, 07:00 PM	I'll toss my vote towards disallowing it. The others are correct in that it is permitted RAW, but mechanically Fighting Defensively and Combat Expertise work very similarly (trading to-hit in exchange for AC).
antsu 05-30-07, 03:07 AM	Thanks for replies. I have always imagined Fighting Defensively to be something like untrained 'cautious attacking' and Combat Expertice to be same thing with actually having some combat training background in the area... On the other hand FD and CE do stack which I interpret so that they are not the same thing. Then again does raging mean that you have to attack continuosly or just that you are really ****** off for a while...
wizarddog 05-30-07, 03:16 AM	It should be noted that combat expertise has a INT 13 requirement which implies it is a mental strategy which is prohibited by the rage. However fighting defensively and total defense do not have an INT requirement. If you disallowed it when you rage then you would have to disallow any animal from fighting defensively or using total defense. ;)
antsu 05-30-07, 03:45 AM	Good point. Thanks.