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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 367605" data-attributes="member: 3146">Yes, bracers of armor do stack with a buckler even though mage armor does not. (Oops). Bracers of armor grant an armor bonus "just as though he [their wearer] were wearing armor." Since armor bonusses provided by armor stack with a shield (such as a buckler) and bracers of armor provide a bonus "just as though" they were armor, it logically follows that they would stack.Technically, since mage armor does not have that prhase, the armor bonus it provides will not stack with the armor bonus provided by a shield. Permitting such stacking is a common house rule though.Re: Expertise--I think it would work even better against tank-fighters.An 8th level 18 strength fighter with masterwork weapon and weapon focus would attack at +14/+9. If your AC were 33 as was supposed in the previous example, he would need a 19 to hit you. Supposing an AC of 24 (quite good really--I assume the fighter is using a shield) your +6 attack would hit on a roll of an 18. So you have the advantage. But it gets better. You're spring attacking (5 foot step then move 25 feet away) so that he has to charge you in order to be able to attack. Consequently, you have two attacks for each attack he has (and he hits on a 17 and you hit on a 16 because of the charge bonus/penalties). And since you have precise strike and he has a one-handed weapon, you actually do more damage than him. If you stop fighting defensively, he still needs a 14 to hit you and you only need a 12 to hit him. Remove expertise from the equation and now he's hitting on a 9 and you're hitting on a 7. Not nearly so much of an advantage. (Of course since this tank is a fighter, he's not going to run out of rage so stalling doesn't get you much. Also you'll have to worry about things like sunder and readied trip attacks (and the improved trip feat)). OTOH, the whole fight plays out differently if you get one or two points more AC. In that case, your foe needs a 19 or 20 to hit you and you can afford to go toe to toe hitting on a 16. You'll dish out the damage quicker than your foe will.In any case, expertise can be used if you need to plug a hole in the party line or stand over a front line fighter's body while a cleric heals him. Alternately, expertise can be used to negate the AC penalty if you want to charge but you don't want the AC penalty.As to the character being more suited to one on one duels than party v. party fights, that's why the class is called a duellist <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />. There's not really a whole lot you can do about that. (Although spring attack is great for getting a flank for a sneak attack on your foes without putting yourself at undue risk--you could contribute a lot of damage that way). You can also always try challenging enemies to a duel every now and then just to show off. (Duellist "Hey you. Yeah, you--the ugly, hairy brute whose mother was a bear. I challenge you to a duel--just you and me. My skill against your stupidity. If I win you and your tribe of ignorant barbarians leave us all in peace." Barbarian "Me carve you like elk, little man. You have sword or you die with that little thing?")</blockquote>

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