HR: Combat Expertise ... -1 TH = +2 AC

[Swiftbrook]

This question/poll is based on a thread I can't find any more. Basically, the thread asked what are your top three house rules. One interesting item that came up conserned Combat Expertise.
One opinion that was expressed was that since power attack is 2-1, Combat Expertise should be 2-1 also for the "sword and board" fighters. I was just wondering your experiences with this house rule. Also, if you use it, how have you written your new Combat Expertise feat? (pre-req, benifits, restrictions, etc.)

Thanks for your opinion.

-Swiftbrook

 

[babomb]

So you're proposing something like the following?

COMBAT EXPERTISE [GENERAL]

Prerequisite: Int 13.

Benefit: When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty of as much as –5 on your attack roll and add the same number (+5 or less) as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The changes to attack rolls and Armor Class last until your next action.

Normal: A character without the Combat Expertise feat can fight defensively while using the attack or full attack action to take a –4 penalty on attack rolls and gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class.

Special: If you are using a shield, instead add twice the number subtracted from your attack rolls.

A fighter may select Combat Expertise as one of his fighter bonus feats.

I don't know. On one hand, I'd like to give a little bonus to the sword and boarders.

On the other hand, with Power Attack, the penalty to hit reduces the chance that you'll get to use the bonus to damage. With Combat Expertise, the penalty to hit doesn't affect the chance you'll use the extra AC (at least, not directly).

 

[Squire James]

It seems to work fine. It makes the sword-and-boarder IMC nearly invincible to "mook" attacks, and even the big boys hit only about half the time. Unless the character is fighting a foe with low AC or uses Smite Evil, the enemies tend to be pretty hard to hit (though not impossible).

I consider it as good a mechanic as Power Attacking with a 2-handed weapon: a bit strong, but not "broken".

 

[Crothian]

I've tried it and it does not work well. It is too easy to get a high AC in the game as it is, and this just makes it so that people can really make it hard to be hit even by the big bads.

 

[Enkhidu]

I can see a super synergy issue with Improved Combat Relexes, I know that my PC who's on his way toward being an AC machine and damage sponge could (given this feat) crank his AC well above 40 at level 13. Sure, he wouldn't be able to hit the bad guys, but his partners the two weapon sneak attacker and Power Attacking fighter would lay the smack down while the meat shield kept served as bait.

 

[hong]

I can see a super synergy issue with Improved Combat Relexes, I know that my PC who's on his way toward being an AC machine and damage sponge could (given this feat) crank his AC well above 40 at level 13. Sure, he wouldn't be able to hit the bad guys, but his partners the two weapon sneak attacker and Power Attacking fighter would lay the smack down while the meat shield kept served as bait.

What's to keep the bad guys crunching the sneak attacker and PA'ing fighter, instead of the meat shield...?

 

[Enkhidu]

What's to keep the bad guys crunching the sneak attacker and PA'ing fighter, instead of the meat shield...?

Spring Attack. That and the fact that the meat shield has some levels in a homebrew PrC based off of FFG Commander class, which means he's giving orders the entire time, and thus drawing fire.

That won't stop me from running it by the DM though - that PC has a pretty dang big target on him both in and out of combat, and I figure I'll take any edge I can get.

 

[Psion]

Sounds like it would potentially yield invulnerable characters.

My thought is not to spread the infection and contribute to power creep. Nerf power attack, don't pump up CE.

 

[Scion]

Sword and board needs a few reasons to be taken chances are pretty good that the character is already behind in damage anyway by quite a bit at that point and the extra feat for this one. Giving some extra benefit to them doesnt seem like a bad thing. The bonus only comes with the penalty to attack anyway, which further hurts their damage dealing.

Sure, they could take lots of attacks in all likelyhood, but their damage dealing has sunk to new lows.