Inspire Recklessness and Allied Defense.

[Aaron]

Hi there.

I was thinking about this combo for a group of NPCs.

For those who don't know, the Inspire Recklessness feature of the War Chanter (CWar) allows to subtract a number up to your bab as a bonus to your attacks, reducing your AC by the same amount.
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So, +1 to attacks, -1 to AC.

The Allied Defense feat grants the bonus to your AC obtained via Combat Expertise to your adjacent allies.

If you have the Improved Combat Expertise this bonus can be equal to your bab.

So, here's the question: can I use Inspire Recklessness to get, for example, a -15 to AC and a +15 to my attacks, and then use Imp. Combat Expertise to get a +15 to AC and a -15 to my attacks?

In this way my allies would benefit from a +15 to AC, while I wouldn't suffer any penalty to my AC or attack bonus.

 

[Dandu]

Probably.

 

[udalrich]

Unless there are rules that you did not mention, it would work.

It does sound like a strong combination, although it also requires 4 feats on a character who gets no direct benefit from it.

As a GM, I would probably see how it worked but probably house rule that it didn't work (or had a lesser affect).

 

[Dandu]

Unless there are rules that you did not mention, it would work.

It does sound like a strong combination, although it also requires 4 feats on a character who gets no direct benefit from it.

As a GM, I would probably see how it worked but probably house rule that it didn't work (or had a lesser affect).

Yes, +15 AC to allies in return for four feats at level 20? Totally broken.

 

[Aaron]

It does sound like a strong combination, although it also requires 4 feats on a character who gets no direct benefit from it.

Why 4 feats?

You only need 3: CE, Imp CE and Allied Defense.

Yes, +15 AC to allies in return for four feats at level 20? Totally broken.

Well, the bonus at 20th lv could be +19 to the AC of all of your adjacent allies: not bad IMHO.

 

[Dandu]

Why 4 feats?

If the prestige class requires a feat to enter, he may be factoring that into the equation.

Well, the bonus at 20th lv could be +19 to the AC of all of your adjacent allies: not bad IMHO.

I don't see it as overpowered considering the investment.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I don't see it as overpowered considering the investment.

Not to mention it's only adjacent allies. Limited benefit and really..by later levels, dispersing a bit is generally a better idea.

Also don't see it as overpowered.

 

[Aaron]

Well, the Warchanter could apply the I.R. effect on one ally, giving him the AC bonus via A.D.

In this way the ally could benefit from a +20 bonus to his attacks: not bad IMHO.

 

[Dandu]

Ok, so we've established that Warchanter tricks are not bad.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Slight threadjack, but while there's a topic on Warchanter...

IIRC, Complete Warrior came out right around the switch from 3.0 to 3.5. In 3.0, Bards sucked even worse than in 3.5, having fewer skill points and notably for what I'm asking, Inspire Courage stayed at a flat +1. Now, I always found it curious Warchanter required Inspire Courage for entry and was a far more martial-oriented class than Bard (complete lack of spellcasting advancement, higher HD, full BAB, etc...) and yet did not stack with Bard for the Inspire Courage bonus. I'd like ot think that detail was a caualty of the edition transition. In either case...How many of you houserule or would houserule Warchanter to advance Inspire Courage? Am I the only one?