Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SpoonyBard 06-14-07, 01:21 AM	Are these the same thing? That is, when you have Tumble ranks, do you get a +1 AC bonus when using Combat Expertise? Does Einhander work with Combat Expertise?
Kouk 06-14-07, 01:23 AM	Combat Expertise is a feat, Fighting Defensively is a Standard or Full Round action that is available to anyone. Since they are not the same, Tumble only works if you use Fighting Defensively. Combat Expertise and Fighting Defensively DO stack however.
SpoonyBard 06-14-07, 01:24 AM	Combat Expertise is a feat, Fighting Defensively is a Standard or Full Round action that is available to anyone. Under Combat Expertise, it says "Normal" is fighting defensively, and this is a special option. What I'm asking is if I take a penalty to hit for CE, does that trigger things that say "When fighting defensively"
Kouk 06-14-07, 01:34 AM	No, because they are not the same action. In the Normal: part, they are just saying that you only have the option to Fight Defensively if you do not have that feat. If you take Combat Expertise, you have access to both methods of boosting your armor class. If you just have to choose one or the other, then Combat Expertise gives you less attack penalties for the same amount of armor boost, so it is better than the default armor-boost-for-attack-penalties. If an ability says it boosts Fighting Defensively, it only applies to when you use that action unless it also gives the option that it can work when using Combat Expertise. I think a few feats say "When Fighting Defensively or using Combat Expertise" but that is quite rare.
StevenO 06-14-07, 04:32 PM	Generally most of the bonuses you can get while Fighting Defensively do not apply when using Combat Expertise. Some of the newer abilities do include the clause "or when using Combat Expertise at 2 or greater" or something like that; effectively you need to be getting the same AC bonus that fighting Defensively would normally provide.