Two-Weapon Defense

[Anthelios]

Are the bonuses from Two-Weapon Defense and Improved Two-Weapon Defense( Greater Two-Weapon Defense) stackable?

If not, they seem to be very expensive for the bonus they give.

I'm guessing they do, like Greater Weapon Focus and Weapon Focus works. I just can't find a specific ruling on it. Anyone able to help me out here?

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

IMO, they don't stack. In the Greater Weapon Focus feat description, it specifically states that the feat stacks with Weapon Focus, ditto with Spell Focus / Greater Spell Focus.

In Improved/Greater Two-Weapon defense, there is no such clause.

AR

 

[Anthelios]

Seems like a waste of a feat, especially with all the requirements for Greater.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Indeed, you're bettor off investing in some Tumble ranks and weapons of Defending.

AR

 

[Liquidsabre]

Those feats provide shield bonuses to defense and shield bonuses don't stack. TWD is a prereq for ITWD, etc. it's not a waste but a progression. Instead of thinking of as dropping the previous feat it's just adding to the total shield bonus that TWF provides for you. Not a waste at all.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

It's still a lot, IMO for a single point of AC.

AR

 

[monboesen]

So the question is whether a character with all those feats have a +6 dodge bonus to AC when wielding two weapons or a +3 dodge bonus. I've read as +3 so far and think that +6 would be a bit much. Thats easily about what a shield will provide and you get to attack with both weapons as well.

IMO one of the better part of the feats is that they can sort of simulate expertise as well. By going on the defensive the dodge bonus increases by +1, +2 or +3. So effectively you take a -4 penalty to hit for a +3, +4 or +5 bonus to your AC.

If the feats stacked you would get a +3, +5 or +8 bonus to your AC for a -4 to hit, that would be pretty damn good.

I have a player going on this rute too. He would like to take expertise and be considered "defensive" when using it. Im waffling on this for right now. Thats -1 to hit for a potential +6 AC (in my interpretation of the feats). Any opinions ?

 

[Liquidsabre]

Not if you're looking at the whole picture. You are getting a shield bonus to your AC that stacks with your armor all the while you get to wield two weapons for an extra attack each round. So you get the benefit of having a shield while still getting to make extra attacks.

Not to mention the huge bonuses to AC you get for fighting defensively, a +4 shield bonus to AC with ITWD is pretty nice.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

You are only "defensive" when you are actually using the "Fighting Defensively" option - -4 to Hit, +2 Dodge to AC (+3 if you've 5 or more ranks in Tumble).

Note that you can combine this with Combat Expertise.

Thus, someone could benefit from ITWD, Fighting Defensively, *and* Combat Expertise at the same time, and then take a Full Attack. You'll have a number of penalties, but your AC will go somewhere through the roof.

 

[Judas]

I would just opt for Improved Combat Expertise to remove the 5 point limit. 1 for 1 is much better than 2 for 1.