PHB II: Fighter Alternate Class Abilities

[DwarvenDog]

All three of the fighter class abilities follow the same mechanic: Make a single attack as a full-round action and get this other benefit.

My question, from both a balance/intent perspective is... do the benefits stack? In other words, if you have taken all three alternate abilities and you make a single attack as a full-round action, do you get all three benefits? Or do you have to choose which benefit to receive?

Would this also apply to feats that have the same mechanic (one attack as full-round, get this benefit), such as "Lunging Strike" (CW)

Thanks for any input. I'm trying to think up some builds for a player who's interested in playing a balanced offense/defense fighter who will be the party's primary "tank."

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

if you have taken all three alternate abilities and you make a single attack as a full-round action, do you get all three benefits? Or do you have to choose which benefit to receive?

IMHO, you have to choose which benefit to receive.

If you look at similar mechanics where you have to do X to receive a benefit, and doing X has a number of potential benefits depending upon your class & feat choices, you almost always have to choose your benefit.

For example, there are a number of feats that allow a PC to get a benefit by keeping your psionic focus. As long as you are focused, you get all of those benefits.

However, there are also a number of feats that allow a PC to get a benefit by expending their psionic focus. In those cases, you can't stack up your benefits- you must choose.

 

[Legildur]

Don't the abilities state that they require a standard action to use? If so, then no stacking and you must choose.

 

[jaelis]

No, they are all separate full round actions, so you can't stack them any more than you could perform one of them while making a normal full attack.

 

[roguerouge]

Flavor-wise, I could see Elusive Attack and Counterattack working together, as you turtle up on defense and exploit openings. OVerpowering attack doesn't make much sense flavor-wise with Elusive Attack, but it would as an over-powering counterattack.