weapon defence bonus stacking question

[hipnotode]

im just wondering which off these stack with each other.

Rhythm parrying dagger
Defensive staff
Two Weapon Deffence
Encouraging Shield

my guess is that the rhythm blade and TWD wont stack.
Encouraging shield should work with rhythm blade or TWD, but thats probably WAR but not RAI.
will parrying dagger should work with rhythm blade or TWD
not sure if defensive staff will fit in with anything here, can a staff count as melee?

please shed some light for me.
-hip

 

[Saagael]

Parrying Dagger increases AC by 1 (untyped bonus), and Rhythm Blade increases shield bonus to AC and Ref by 1. So that's +2 AC and +1 Ref.

Defensive Staff is an item bonus of +1 to Fort/Ref/Will, which stacks with the above.

TWD is a shield bonus of +1 to AC and Ref. This is interesting, as the Rhythm blade says "your shield bonus increases by 1" to AC and Ref, making these two stack.

Encouraging Shield means your shield bonus applies to Will, and you've got a Shield bonus of +1 from TWD. Rhythm blade specifically increases AC and Ref, so it doesn't apply to the shield bonus to Will. At least that's how I'd rule it.

So with all of these combined, it looks like you'd have +3 AC, +1 Fort, +3 Ref, +2 Will.

Some rules issues come to mind when I'm doing this math though:

First, if you're using a staff and parrying dagger to get two-weapon defense, you're out of luck. Wielding a staff in one hand does not count as wielding it as a weapon, which is required for Two weapon defense, so you the I wouldn't allow the +1 to AC/Ref from that to apply.

This also removes Encouraging Shield, as you no longer have a base shield bonus, just a specific bonus to AC and Ref from a Rhythm Blade. this is open to more interpretation, this is just mine.

So after these rules issues, we end up with: +2 to AC, +1 to Fort, +2 to Ref +1 Will.

 

[hipnotode]

so there basicaly, how i see it is that there is two ways you can go;
with defencive staff,a rhythm shortsword and encouraging shield you get +2 to AC, +1 to Fort, +2 to Ref +1 Will
with a shortsword, rhythm parrying dagger, TWF and encouraging shield you get +3 to AC, +0 to Fort, +2 to Ref and +1 to Will
or is there a better way to go about it?

 

[Saagael]

Your first option is a bit off: Encouraging Shield does nothing without TWD, so that's useless. And a rhythm shortsword is +1 to AC, not +2. So...

Defensive Staff + Rhythm Parrying Blade = +2 AC, +1 Fort, +2 Ref, +1 Will

Rhythm Parrying Dagger + any other 1-handed weapon + TWF + Encouraging Shield = +3 AC, +2 Ref, +1 Will.

To be honest, I'd grab the Rhythm Parrying Dagger + Improved Defenses. Its the same bonuses as option 1, but Improved Defenses scales. Option 1 requires 1 feat and 2 specific magic items. Option 2 requires 3 feats, and 1 magic item. My chosen option requires 1 feat and 1 magic item, and scales pretty well.

Are you just trying to get high defenses?

 

[hipnotode]

yeah, looking at building a tank.
thinking now: tempest fighter human with parrying dagger proficiency + Improved Defenses with rhythm parrying dagger as first weapon on wishlist.
with a 17(19), 10, 14, 10, 14, 8 spread i think that lands at 19, 18, 15, 14 at level 1.

edit:with scale armor.

 

[Ferghis]

If you post the text of the properties you're referencing, you'll probably get more responses. Just a suggestion.