AD&D second edition: bladesinger conundrum

[dehro]

one of the skills of a bladesinger is that he has a defensive bonus at his AC when he's casting a spell.
this bonus is half his level (rounded down) + 1
prerequisite to the bladesinger class is that dex must be at least 15, which gives another AC bonus of 1

Spoiler

Show

3. Bladesingers have been taught from an early age to grasp the flow of magic around them and to turn it to their advantage. They can cast spells even while in the front lines. Although they cannot actually attack while casting their spells, they may defend themselves against incoming melee attacks. Their defense is equal to their level divided by 2, plus 1. All fractions are rounded down. Thus, a 6th-level Bladesinger gains a +4 to AC (6th level/2=3+1=+4 AC).
The same goes for 7th-level Bladesingers (7/2=3.5 –.5=3+1=+4 AC). This does not apply to rear or missile attacks, for it is nearly impossible to defend against those while casting a spell. Bladesingers have practiced the somatic portion of their spells well enough that they may cast their spells one-handed, suffering only a slight penalty. It adds +2 to their casting times, making it easier to disrupt their spells. Like any other spellcaster, if they are hit they lose the concentration necessary for maintaining their spells; they lose the spell. Their spells are, therefore, usually of an offensive nature with very short casting times.

say that the AC therefore normally is 20 (naked pg and the +1 dexterity bonus doesn't apply because he's casting)
with this bonus he would have, for instance, at 4th level, a bonus of 3, and therefore an AC of 17...but only during casting

does it not strike anybody as odd..that the PC should be "better protected" when distracted by casting, than he is when he's focusing on fighting?
or have I made a mess of things as usual?

[Starbuck_II]

does it not strike anybody as odd..that the PC should be "better protected" when distracted by casting, than he is when he's focusing on fighting?
or have I made a mess of things as usual?

Yes it is odd. But he only trained at being defensive when casting (which begs question why only then).

[Thane of Fife]

I believe that the Bladesinging style (earlier in the book) gives several defensive benefits which, presumably, can't be used while casting. The AC bonus is probably intended to sort of account for those.

It's also possible that they just didn't think it through, though.

[Matthew]

I think the idea is that "it is magic". Remember, though, that if the Blade-Singer was using the parry manoeuvre (forfeiting all attacks) his armour class would improve along similar lines.

It is one of the strangest kits going, and was the subject of extensive Sage Advice:

Blade Singing Fighting Style

Q. How does weapon specialization work with the eleven blade-singer kit?

A. Blade-singing is a form of weapon specialization available to elf fighter/mages. A blade-singer cannot specialize in a second weapon or double specialize in blade-singing.

Q. I’m having a hard time trying to sort out the differences between the blade-song fighting style from page 70 of the Complete Book of Elves and the blade-singer kit from page 88 of the same book. Can a blade-singer learn the blade-song style? If so, what benefits does she receive? Exactly what sort of weapon proficiencies, weapons styles, style specializations, and weapon specializations can a blade-singer learn? Can a blade-singer or character who knows the blade-song style use all the style’s benefits at once? What kind of weapons can be used with the style? Can weapons that can be used one- or two-handed (bastard swords, for example) be used with the style?

A. The blade-song style from page 70 is available to any elf warrior, rogue, or priest. Non-elves, including half-elves and drow, cannot learn the style. Blade-song is essentially an unusual version of single-weapon style specialization (see the Complete Fighter’s Handbook, page 62). The character must choose a particular type of weapon (not a class of weapons) to use with the style, and it must be a one-handed weapon. To claim any benefits from the style, the character must have one hand free. If the blade-singer holds her weapon in two hands, she loses all blade-song benefits.

A character can use only one Blade-song benefit (see CBE, page 72) during a round but can switch between them from round to round. Since blade-song is a style specialization, the character is free to learn other styles or weapon specializations if her class allows them. Prudent DMs will limit a weapon and style specialist to the best available specialization bonus rather than allowing them to accumulate. For example, if an elf fighter with specialization in the long sword and two slots of blade-song chooses to use the blade-song attack bonuses, she would gain a +2 attack bonus (from blade-song) and a +2 damage bonus (from weapon specialization). The lesser attack bonus of +1 from weapon specialization is ignored.

The blade-singer kit from page 88 is for elf fighter/mages who dedicate their lives to blade-song. The character is assumed to spend three weapon proficiency slots on a single weapon and the blade-song style, but she gains the benefits listed on pages 89-90 instead of the ones on page 72. The blade-singer can choose any weapon normally available to fighter/mages for blade-singing, subject to the limitations noted above. As a multi-classed character, a blade-singer cannot choose to specialize in a weapon and cannot learn any additional style specializations. (Blade-song counts as the one style specialization the character can learn; see CFH, page 62.) Note that the kit description contains a few errors. The Weapon Proficiencies section on page 88 should read: Bonus: None. Required: Proficiency in a one-handed weapon Blade-song style specialization (two slots). Recommended: None.

The Special Hindrances section on page 90 erroneously says that a blade-singer can never learn more than one weapon. This is not the case, though she suffers at least a −1 attack penalty when wielding a weapon other than their primary one; this penalty is cumulative with any non-proficiency penalty the character might suffer. Further, as a fighter a blade-singer automatically knows all four weapon styles from the Complete Fighter’s Handbook.

[Boci]

Whilst casting they lure their enemy into thinking they are defensless when they are infact not? Or they divert a portion of the spell's energy to defend themselves with? Not perfect, but it works.

[satorian]

How are you calculating AC? In 2nd edition, AC started at 10 and went down to -10.

[Matthew]

How are you calculating AC? In 2nd edition, AC started at 10 and went down to -10.

It sounds like they are going from base 20 to 0 to avoid negative armour classes; I have done something similar in the past.

[dehro]

It sounds like they are going from base 20 to 0 to avoid negative armour classes; I have done something similar in the past.

that's the idea indeed.

and thanks for the sage advice thing