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Subject: combat question. PLS i nead answear

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Bijan Ajamlou
Sneak
Sneak

91 Posts

04/30/2006 5:48 AM
When you are grabbling you get no dexterity bonus to AC (page 156 players handbook) against the opponent you are grabbling. I wonder if this do imply that you also lose any deflection bonuses (such as from the item "ring of protection") and is it possible to fight defensible while grabbling or combat expertise? My comon sense say no but my players say otherwise so a help here would be very usuful before we turn on each others throuts[:(]

griffrat
Commander

3507 Posts

04/30/2006 9:58 AM
Situational judgement here. I see this as a swirling of melee where two peopl have grabbed each other. The dexterity comes from the idea that you would still be able to use the person that you are gappled with as a shield. Hence you loose the Dex against him but frineds are less likely to actually shoot into or hack into a friend in the midddle of a wrestling match. Just because the figures are standing so stoically on the battle mat, doesn't mean that the combat is static. Just wanted to spell that out so folks would know the point of origin. Now, as to the queestion of getting defelection bonus from a ring or what not. I would say yes, it would still apply. Rationale behind it would be that as the combatants are swirling around the magical properties are still in effect. Hard fast reason based on a rule is that defelection bonus and a dexterity bonus are two different types of bonuses. From the SRD, "Deflection Bonus: Magical deflection effects ward off attacks and improve your AC." So, looking at it this way I would side with the players...Hope this helps and the fun continues!!! [:D]

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kestrel.ca
Underboss

1687 Posts

04/30/2006 11:56 AM
To add to griffrat -- I agree with his interpretation of loss of dex bonus (only) against foe you are grappling but not others. (There's other mofidiers IIRC in the manuals on how grappling affects your AC or others' chances to hit you.) As for grappling defensively or combat expertise, I would also allow it. You aren't grappling all-out but holding back just in case your opponent does something crazy. To me, fighting defensively/combat expertise is simply putting more attention on defense than on offense and can be used here.

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scruffydude7
Underboss

1196 Posts

Rock Hill, SC

04/30/2006 12:58 PM
A deflection bonus is a passive effect (as opposed to something a character does actively.) I am pretty sure you retain deflection bonus while grappling. When I think of a deflection bonus, I imagine it being a sort of invisible, magical energy field projected around the body of the character. It's sort of like a second skin of pure magical energy.

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Shoe
Sergeant

804 Posts

04/30/2006 5:27 PM
There's an assumption here that isn't correct. Reread page 156, under No Dexterity Bonus. quote: You lose your Dexterity bonus to AC against opponents you aren't grappling. (You can still use it against opponents you are grappling.) When you lose your Dex bonus, you also lose any Dodge bonus to AC, but retain armor, deflection, shield, natural armor, monk AC bonus, and any other bonus that doesn't say it goes away when you lose Dex. Fighting Defensively and Total Defense both provide Dodge bonuses to AC, so a character doing either while grappled would not gain the +2 or +4 AC bonus against any attacks made by creature he isn't grappling (but would gain the bonus against creatures he is grappling). Note that a Rogue or Barbarian's Uncanny Dodge ability does not help him retain his Dex bonus when he is grappled. Also, a creature with the Improved Grab special ability can take a -20 penalty on grapple checks to avoid losing its Dex bonus and threatened area.

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