Kershek said:
So, Hypersmurf, what do you think of my original question?
Uh... wasn't that the first reply to the thread?
Artoomis said:
It's more a definitional thing - what does it mean to say you have a Dex of 13 to take a feat?
Except in cases where the effect providing a bonus contains specific exceptions - like Owl's Wisdom and bonus spells, for example - the answer to the question "What is your Dexterity score" is a single number at any given time.
If I rolled a 9 for Dex, +2 racial bonus for being an elf, improved by one point at 4th level, and wearing Gloves of Dexterity +2, my Dexterity score is 14. It isn't 9; it isn't 12; it's 14.
If I rolled a 9 for Dex, +2 racial bonus for being an elf, improved by one point at 4th level, wearing Gloves of Dexterity +2, and standing in an Antimagic Field, my Dexterity score is 12.
If I rolled a 9 for Dex, +2 racial bonus for being an elf, improved by one point at 4th level, wearing Gloves of Dexterity +2, and polymorphed into a Troll, my Dexterity score is 16.
At any given time, only one number matters, because it's the answer to the question "What is your Dexterity score?"
To qualify for Dodge, that number must be 13 or higher. If at any time the answer to that question is not 13 or higher, I lose the benefits of the feat. But that doesn't prevent me qualifying for the feat if the answer to the question is 14 when I want to take it.
-Hyp.