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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 6505830" data-attributes="member: 82106">I don't recall that anything existed previous to the rule cited in the 2e PHB, which is as you say optional. Not only is it optional, it doesn't really work very well! The problem being that fighters pretty much exist to be a wall. It barely matters if they can do damage or not past low levels, certainly not in most challenging fights. So having the optional parry rule really sucks for them, because they're stripped of most any INTERESTING function they have in many combats since almost universally the best strategy is to parry and let the wizards and clerics do the actual killing.There were other issues. The Complete Fighter's Book had a whole OTHER way of handling parrying and defense, 2 of them in fact IIRC, which with the Combat Expertise NWP makes FOUR, and then there are other supplements like Weapons and Tactics which introduce even more ways. Honestly the interactions and issues with all these optional rules were great, and I've rarely seen a GM who even allowed any of them because they either add huge amounts to AC and slow the game down a lot or as I said above just denigrate the fighter's position in the world even more than it is already. 4e really has the first WORKABLE concept, and beyond that you can always select powers which further allow you to amplify your defense if you need.</blockquote>