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nargbop
2008-01-05, 12:42 AM
I noticed this fun-tastic effect when my Epic Dervish-Exemplar started getting ridiculously good saves.

The Exemplar (Complete Adventurer) gains INT to initiative and Reflex and CHA to Concentration and Fortitude, on top of the existing DEX and CON.
Similarly, the Iajutsu Master (Oriental Adventures) adds CHA to initiative, on top of DEX.
Several classes have the Canny Defense class feature, including Iajutsu Master and Duelist, which adds INT bonus to your AC.
What other classes have these multi-ability reinforcement features?
***
The description of "Brains over Brawn" for Factotum seemed at first to be a reinforcement idea, but on the second reading it's probably not. Factotum is a basic class, and reinforcement is a prestige- or high-level class feature.

...gain your INT bonus as a modifier on STR checks, DEX checks, and checks involving skills based on STR or DEX, such as Hide, Climb, and Jump.
The word "modifier" instead of "bonus" probably means to use INT instead of STR or DEX. Oh well.

Rachel Lorelei
2008-01-05, 12:47 AM
No, "modifier" means that you're using, well, your INT modifier (0.5*(INT - 10)). The Factotum does indeed get to add his INT bonus (since what Factotum would have an INT penalty? Their class features run off of INT!) to STR & DEX checks and skills based on those stats. This includes Initiative, since Init is a DEX check.

nargbop
2008-01-05, 11:56 PM
Thanks, RL.

Canny defense classes include :Iajutsu Master, Duelist, Swashbuckler

Draz74
2008-01-06, 12:28 AM
Check this (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=320889) out. (The X stat to Y bonus library from the Wizards Optimization forum.)

Shadow Blade (Dex to damage, without losing Strength to damage) comes to mind. (It's probably on the linked thread too.)

EDIT: Swashbuckler doesn't get Canny Defense. Instead he gets Int to damage. So yes, a Swashbuckler with Shadow Blade could add Str + Dex + Int to damage. Yay!

But when you wrote Swashbuckler, you may have been thinking of Bladesinger. Bladesinger gets Canny Defense (or a similar ability without the same name).

UserClone
2008-01-06, 12:33 AM
No, Initiative is NOT a Dex check, its an Initiative check. Improved initiative does not increase your Dex checks by 4, only your Initiative checks. Note that it says "Dex checks." Initiative is a Dex-based check. [/rant]

Draz74
2008-01-06, 12:43 AM
An initiative check is a Dexterity check.

Beginning of the Initiative section of the Combat chapter of the SRD.