Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Vintar 03-14-07, 10:37 AM	I know the answer should be obvious and I'm overlooking something stupid. However, I will ask it anyway. When the PHB states that combat expertise and defensive fighting stack, does this mean that with a -5 to attack you get a +7 AC, or would you need to take a -9 to attack to get the +7 to AC?
Cruhand 03-14-07, 10:42 AM	The latter (-9 to attack to gain +7 (or +8 with Tumble 5 ranks)). At least, that has always been my understanding of it :) One interesting thing though is that a combat expertise tumbler will gain +8 AC and still get off an attack, while a tumbler using total defense only gets +6 to his AC but without any attacks... - Cru
Dheran 03-14-07, 10:47 AM	When the PHB states that combat expertise and defensive fighting stack, does this mean that with a -5 to attack you get a +7 AC, or would you need to take a -9 to attack to get the +7 to AC? It's the latter (the part I bolded). Stacking just means you add up the numbers: -5 and -4 for the attack = -9; +5 and +2 for the AC = +7. You really should also consider investing in Tumble, because 5 ranks changes the fighting defensively bonus from +2 to +3; or 25 ranks makes it +5 (and by interpolation 15 ranks makes it +4).
Nezkrul 03-14-07, 12:27 PM	(and by interpolation 15 ranks makes it +4). Unless that is printed in a WOTC book, its a houserule. But feel free to do what you want with your game :D