Question on the KoS Characters

[Nikodemus]

The defenses don't line up at all.

Take the halfling. His reflex and his AC are identical. He's wearing armor. The +1 racial reflex is also nowhere to be found.

I didn't think halflings got a racial reflex bonus.

+4 Dex, +2 for leather armor, AC = 16
+4 Dex, +2 for Rogue, Reflex = 16

Those numbers look right to me.

 

[Verys Arkon]

PrRC's Longsword as a +3 weapon is 'because' of this KotS dragonborn, so unfortunately it is a somewhat circular argument. It was suggested to me in the PrRC thread that all defenders have +1 attack, but that makes some weapons, like the javelin, a +1 weapon, which seems low to me.

The halfling's +1 reflex racial bonus is missing from the KotS rogue, OR the Paladin is missing +1 reflex from class and the halfling doesn't get a reflex race bonus at all, OR Corrin had an error, OR something is working in the background that we don't know about (seeming more likely the closer we get to launch date). Each new data point creates more confusion, not clarity, in some cases. Gah these books can't get here soon enough!

The reasoning behind the halfling's bonus to reflex was from Corrin, the halfling paladin. He has +1 bonus to each of his defenses. Originally, it was thought that all three were coming from his Paladin class, but as more information was revealed a pattern formed, where each class either granted a +2 to one save or +1 to two saves, and the Paladin was the 'odd man out'. Also, it seems that the Eladrin was getting a +1 Will (instead of the ranger providing +1 to all defenses once the ranger page was revealed), and the humans were getting racial bonuses to defenses, so there was precidence for race granting defense bonuses. It was suggested by several people that +1 from the Paladin to reflex was less likely then +1 reflex from the halfling, and so the change was made in PrRC in more recent versions. It is speculative still.

 

[Peter LaCara]

I wonder whether they're purposely throwing us off, they're incompetent, or there's something in the rules they just haven't told us yet...

Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence.

 

[That One Guy]

Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence.

I do so love that quote.

Thanks Verys for speaking up about the PrRC. The +1 for Defenders does make sense... the ramifications would be interesting... Shortsword'd be only prof 2, Throwing Hammer would be 1 as well... it'd affect a lot of things. I prefer to believe that the Shortsword is 3, and that the Paladin should have weapon focus: Longsword. Also, I couldn't find the Range on the Javelin when thrown. I'd assume the spear's throwing range... any guesses?

 

[Colmarr]

The +1 for Defenders does make sense... the ramifications would be interesting... Shortsword'd be only prof 2, Throwing Hammer would be 1 as well... it'd affect a lot of things. I prefer to believe that the Shortsword is 3, and that the Paladin should have weapon focus: Longsword. Also, I couldn't find the Range on the Javelin when thrown. I'd assume the spear's throwing range... any guesses?

I thought I recalled reading somewhere that the fighter bonus to attacks (and by extension the suspected "Defender bonus to attacks") was only with melee weapons. Could be wrong of course, but if it's correct it might explain the gap between longsword and javelin.

 

[That One Guy]

I thought I recalled reading somewhere that the fighter bonus to attacks (and by extension the suspected "Defender bonus to attacks") was only with melee weapons. Could be wrong of course, but if it's correct it might explain the gap between longsword and javelin.

That is a good point. Assuming the hammer the halfling paladin has is a heavy thrown weapon, and prof 1, then that would add up... it would also add up for the longsword on the Paladin. Nice thinking. I was about to suggest it might be a paladin 'build'-thing, but the defenders get +1 to melee attacks makes more sense (Alas, the shortsword would be reduced to prof 2).