Two little questions

[marune]

1) Can you stack the effects of the Combat Exerpertise and the fighting defensivly ? (Not total defense.)

2) Does an assassin suffer from arcane % failure while wearing light armor?

 

[Infiniti2000]

1. Yes.

2. Yes, for spells with somatic components.

 

[Hypersmurf]

2. Yes, for spells with somatic components.

Well, it's debatable.

An assassin casts spells just as a bard does.

and

Because the somatic components required for bard spells are relatively simple, a bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a bard wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass bard still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Now, it could be argued that an assassin casts bard spells in light armor without incurring ASF, but arcane spells from other classes (like assassin) still suffer.

It could also be argued that since the bard's ability to cast in light armor without ASF is detailed in the Weapon and Armor Proficiency section instead of the Spells section, it's inapplicable to the assassin.

But it can certainly also be argued that the assassin casts assassin spells in light armor like a bard casts bard spells in light armor - that is, with no ASF.

-Hyp.

 

[marune]

It's why I asked the question

Also what would be the result of a stacked Combat Expertise (-5 to bab) while fighting defensively) ?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Also what would be the result of a stacked Combat Expertise (-5 to bab) while fighting defensively) ?

Well, Combat Expertise gives -5/+5, and Fighting Defensively gives -4/+2 (or +3 with 5 ranks in Tumble).

So the total is -9/+7 (or +8 with 5 ranks in Tumble).

-Hyp.

 

[orbitalfreak]

Bards are designed as a light-armor wearing class that uses spells to complement his abilities. Since the assassin is designed as a light-armor wearing that uses spells to complement his abilities, I believe that the intent of the rules is for assassins to cast spells while wearing light armor.

Going by RAW, how does a bard cast spells? He casts arcane spells which suffer no ASF% while wearing light armor, so an assassin that casts spells "as a bard" would be the same. If it were intended that assassins suffer ASF%, then I believe they would be labeled as casting spells "as a sorcerer," who casts spells spontaneously and whose spells do suffer the arcane spell failure chance. The only differences between ASN and BRD spellcasting that are listed is that assassins use Int instead of Cha, and that their spell lists are different.

 

[Jack Simth]

... which then makes things slightly awkward, as the assasin can't make use of the Silent Spell feat....

 

[Hypersmurf]

... which then makes things slightly awkward, as the assasin can't make use of the Silent Spell feat....

Well, it's not that bards can't use Silent Spell. Bards can use Silent Spell just fine. It's just that Bard spells can't be enhanced by the feat. An assasin, who casts spells as a bard, nevertheless casts assassin spells, not bard spells...

-Hyp.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I've always figured that it meant the line meant the Asn casts spells w/o ASF.

But I also nix the alignment requirements, so playing by the rules might not be my strong suite.

--fje

 

[Geoff Watson]

It means that assassins have to sing and play music to casts spells. (Makes as much sense as the 'no ASF in light armour' ruling.)

Geoff.