[Barry the Sprout]

Shouldn't this go in the ToB forum?

But before it gets moved I just have to agree with you. It is brilliant for Bards especially I find as it means that:

1. You can use very cool weapons,

2. You can use shields (and with a bards crap ThAC0 you don't really want to dual weild unless for the roleplaying).

3. You can do all of this and cast defensive spells before going into combat.

So take this little combination for example. Stoneskin, Blur, Sentinal sheild, Bladesinger Chain, Bards Gloves, etc. My bard has at present an AC of -11 (nothing to write home about until you consider he is a bard, not a fighter). And this is without bard song... ouch...

Basically this ability allows you to tank even the most weedy of characters. In some ways this spoils the roleplaying, but it does give the game a bizarre edge that I still find amusing.