Was this "legal"?

[the Jester]

I could see a strong argument for the position that you need to spend a full-round action lining up the shot before attacking, just like an assassin needs three rounds of study before using death strike.

I don't know that that's my position, but it has never come up imc.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Well, except for the Combat Expertise screw up, I guess I didn't have to roll to hit the wall of ice, since I took a full round action...

Can you get iterative attacks when taking the Full Round Action and "lining up the shot" in this way?

Also, can you Fight Defensively while raging? Seems silly if you can, yet not use Combat Expertise...

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Can you get iterative attacks when taking the Full Round Action and "lining up the shot" in this way?

No. If you want iterative attacks, you need to use the Full Attack action. The "lining up a single shot on an inanimate object" full-round action is not the Full Attack action.

Also, can you Fight Defensively while raging? Seems silly if you can, yet not use Combat Expertise...

That depends on whether Fighting Defensively is "[an] abilit[y] that require patience or concentration."

 

[boredgremlin]

In last night's game, I needed to break through a wooden door during combat. On my turn I used Combat Expertise (-5 to Hit, +5 to AC), Fighting Defensively (-4 to Hit, +3 to AC because of +5 Tumble) and then a +12 Two-Handed Power Attack (+12 damage, -6 to Hit). I used this on a door.

Note: We play that if you are ever able to automatically hit something (like an inanimate object or a helpless foe via CdG) that even if you would normally get a penalty to hit, you don't.

My question is more for the Combat Expertise and Fighting Defensively, because I didn't actually attack a creature when using these moves, but I was still in combat. Do you actually have to attack a creature when using them?

I was under the impression that fighting defensively and combat expertise didnt stack. Because expertise was basically the same thing, just doing it better.

 

[Saeviomagy]

No. If you want iterative attacks, you need to use the Full Attack action. The "lining up a single shot on an inanimate object" full-round action is not the Full Attack action.

It's also so badly specced out that it could potentially be take in the round prior to actually making an attack roll.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I was under the impression that fighting defensively and combat expertise didnt stack. Because expertise was basically the same thing, just doing it better.

It's a common misconception.

Look up Fighting Defensively in the PHB (not the SRD), and you'll see that they explicitly do stack.

-Hyp.

 

[boredgremlin]

See thats a problem i have with my players sometimes. Different people using different sets of the RAW. And to think some people say you can play exactly by the rules all time. Thx though i will look at that.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Different people using different sets of the RAW.

Well, strictly, the SRD is not the rules of D&D. It's a reference for the d20 System, but it's not 'the rules'.

'The rules' are found in the Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook, the Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide, etc.

The SRD is handy, but it's not 'the rules'.

-Hyp.

 

[boredgremlin]

Lol what we are playing isnt even really D&D. We are playing a game based in ravenloft, with elements of warcraft, gurps and against the shadow. Those all have thier own little twists on the rules (except gurps which is totally different) so i try to use the SRD as the basic D20 system rules for simplicity sake. Since it actually cut out a lot of the D&D isms the whole group is sick of.

 

[Tatsukun]

This is a side note, because all the real questions have been covered already. But, IMC we allow a barbarian with the "righteous wrath" feat to use combat expertise while raging.

-Tatsu