Devoted Defender Ques.

[Stalker0]

I have a couple of questions about the DD.

1) Can harm's way be used as many times as desired in a round? If you use it, I'm assuming you wouldn't use your dex bonus to AC, since you are trying to take the hit, but it doesn't say that specifically.

2) Can harm's way and defensive strike be used together? Can I switch me and my charge, and still make an AOO on the guy because he attempted to hit my charge?

 

[Zerth]

I have a couple of questions about the DD.

1) Can harm's way be used as many times as desired in a round? If you use it, I'm assuming you wouldn't use your dex bonus to AC, since you are trying to take the hit, but it doesn't say that specifically.

2) Can harm's way and defensive strike be used together? Can I switch me and my charge, and still make an AOO on the guy because he attempted to hit my charge?

1) It says "any time" so in theory there's no limit. But I'd say this is DM's call because at some point we are talking about pretty ridicilous scenarios. I'd say you keep dex bonus to AC. You are not trying to get hit, you just switch places with your charge so you become the target of the attack instead of your charge. Rogues would flat-out kill these daredevils if they get no dex (no dex = sneak attack) and that makes no sense, since the people after your charge are often assassins or rogues. The class also gives level-dependent dodge bonus to AC for both you and your charge and if you don't lose this, why would you lose dex? If you are meant to lose dex to AC, IMO, it certainly would have been mentioned.

2) I would allow them to be used together. Opportunity attack(s) first and then switch places. Get reach weapon and combat reflexes and they think twice before attacking your charge in melee

 

[0-hr]

I agree with Zerth.

One thing about the reach weapon idea though: the book uses the term "adjacent" for a lot of the DD abilities. The DM would have to rule that "adjacent" means "within reach" as opposed to "within 5ft".

I have a merc with a spiked chain who just hit 6th level and his first level of Devoted Defender so I really wish that they had put in a sentence about reach weapons....

 

[Zerth]

One thing about the reach weapon idea though: the book uses the term "adjacent" for a lot of the DD abilities. The DM would have to rule that "adjacent" means "within reach" as opposed to "within 5ft"

Good point. On second thought, adjacent is within 5 feet regardless of reach. There goes that strategy *sigh*.

 

[Burne]

The sequence:
Bad guy attacks charges
Harm's Way: Before the dice is rolled, and you are adjacent swap places with your charge. DD coolness ends here
the Deflected Attack, when someone hits your charge, 1/round you may try to deflect it.
The Free attack, when someone you threaten makes an attack against your charge, they provoke an attack of opportunity from you.

Basically, if you use Harm's way (which much be decided first) none of the other abilities come into play. Also of note, the Free attack power doesn't require you to be next to your charge, only that you threaten the one doing the attacking.