Question on Fighting Defensively

[Scorpions__]

If you choose to fight defensively, do you have to attack using an attack that utilizes your attack bonus?

Could a Dragonfire Adept attack defensively while using her breath weapon just to gain the +2 dodge bonus to AC?







DM[F]R

[Allanimal]

From the Rules Compendium:


You can choose to fight defensively when attacking as a standard action or a full-round action. If you do so, you take a –4 penalty on attack rolls until your next turn to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC during the same time.

Sounds to me, as long as what you are doing is a standard action or full-round action, it should work. One may argue that the action must require an attack roll, leaving out breath weapons, but I would probably allow it as a DM. +2 to AC isn't that great.

I may just have to charge defensively sometime... :smallbiggrin: