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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gogmagog" data-source="post: 4971667" data-attributes="member: 24203">Any advice on this question would be gratefully received (or just correction of my shonky maths).I'm playing a gnoll rageblood barbarian (Hrothgar) who has just gone from 3rd to 4th level. All ability stats were on evens anyway, so chose to increase STR and CON to 19 and 17 respectively.When it came to the new feat I was going to choose Improved Rageblood Vigour because Hrothgar does tend to charge into the middle of the action because he is a) bloodthirsty and b) stupid and on AC 17 (when he was 3rd level, up to AC 18 now 4th) finds himself making a disproportionate number of death saves...But I've just seen the Hide Armour Expertise feat in Primal Power which would allow him to use his CON bonus (+3) in place of his DEX bonus (+2) for AC.But which is better? +1 AC bonus is something that is useful all the time OR the potential (but only potential) for 8 temp hps during encounter?I've usually worked on the assumption that 'always active' trumps 'sometimes active' when it comes to feats. But I'm not sure tha maths supports the theory in this case:+1 AC increase averages 1 fewer hit per 20 attacks. 20 attacks probably equals about 3 encounters. Average 9 damage per hit at 4th level. Therefore only 9 hps better off per 3 encounters.Not sure what Hrothgar's kill-rate is per encounter, but since temp hps are pretty much useless when they come at the end of a fight, let's say he averages 1 kill / encounter early enough in the combat for the temp hps to be of use (and since temp hps don't stack 1/encounter is probably realistic). Over 3 encounters that comes to 24 hps better off (or 24 hps less damage to be strictly accurate about it).So on that basis the Improved Rageblood Vigour is far better. Does my maths make sense or am I talking bollocks?Btw, apologies for the shamelessly wanky power-gaming tone of the entire question. There's not a whole heap of characterisation difference between these two particular options is my excuse (and I'm sticking to it).</blockquote>

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