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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 4982951" data-attributes="member: 82106">Well, actually I think what I'm saying about offense vs defense in 4e is more geared around group tactical concepts than individual math. I also wasn't saying anything about saves, resistance, etc. I was talking about defense numbers for the most part. Other kinds of "defenses" are a more mixed bag. Usually it doesn't require a huge resource input for a character to get some resistance or a way to get a save bonus or extra save. You could consider status condition placement to be a "defensive" concept if you want. I think its not really specifically either defensive nor offensive. Its something you do to the enemy and in that sense is offensive. However you could consider dealing damage "defensive" as well if you want to look at it as "I'm degrading the other guy's ability to hurt me" but that isn't the most enlightening way to look at what I will call offense from a standpoint of tactical analysis. In other words I'd call everything you do to the other guy "offense" and everything you do or have that helps you survive "defense". I agree that some defenses in the general sense can be quite good. I just think they come at a much lower cost than boosting your AC/NADs and that's WHY they're so good. There is also the issue of having the most flexible possible set of tools to deal with threats. Sometimes you're going to run into a monster that can dish out a crazy amount of stun and you just better have a way to do something about it or its going to be a tough fight. Ideally one way to do that would be to have a party with really good NADs, but that's just too expensive so its not a good option (or really an option at all). There are some cases where it even IS worth boosting your best NAD with a feat for some specific builds. It just isn't generally all that great an option.</blockquote>

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