Can you drop your defenses?

[Family]

If Shadow McStabby a 30th level rogue wanted to drop his defenses as a free action at the start of his turn during combat...could he, and by how much?

AC: 43 (+9 armor, +9 dex, +15 lvl)
Fort: 34 (+1 con, +15 lvl, +2 feat, +6 item)
Ref: 44 (+2 class, +9 dex, +15 lvl, +2 feat, +6 item)
Will: 40 (+7 cha, +15 lvl, +2 feat, +6 item)

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

I'd say yes. He can drop ability, level, class and feat bonuses but not item or armour bonuses. It would have to be a standard action to get them back up or something similar however - else it would be abusable for area effects from his allies that he might get caught in.

 

[Runestar]

I suppose I could allow one to drop and raise his defenses as free actions, but why would you want to do something like that? Some new combo I am not aware of?

 

[DracoSuave]

Maybe he's got a minor quest to have the chieftain of a village test his mettle by seeing if he can take a heavy punch like a champ.

In such an instance, lowering one's AC increases the chance of getting tasty XP.

 

[Herald of I]

Potentially useful for forced movement powers. Maybe too useful in fact. A wizard can thunderwave you into position.

 

[Runestar]

Potentially useful for forced movement powers. Maybe too useful in fact. A wizard can thunderwave you into position.

Now that I certainly did not anticipate...

 

[Hellzon]

There's also Hellish Rebuke cheese (let a henchman stab you with a rusty knife to inflict the extra damage if you take damage).

 

[Runestar]

There's also Hellish Rebuke cheese (let a henchman stab you with a rusty knife to inflict the extra damage if you take damage).

What action is it to stab yourself. Seems needlessly complex.

 

[darkadelphia]

Abilities based on taking damage never ever trigger from you or your friends hurting yourself--it has to be from a legitimate threat (a bad guy).

As far as thunderwaving into position--yes, very useful at times. The wizard I DM for does it all the time. I still assert that Wizards and their companions must learn to love friendly fire to tap into the true control power of the class.