Can a monk wear bracers of armor [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can a monk wear bracers of armor [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Firestar27
09-07-07, 04:22 PM Can a monk wear bracers of armor? The SRD says These items appear to be wrist or arm guards. They surround the wearer with an invisible but tangible field of force, granting him an armor bonus of +1 to +8, just as though he were wearing armor. Both bracers must be worn for the magic to be effective.
Emphasis mine.
I know he wouldn't have to worry about proficiencies, but what about his class features that are unaccessable if he is wearing armor?
I'm hoping the issue won't come up before I get an answer. The game is tomorrow but I don't know if they will reach the part where they get the bracers. (They divide treasure by necessity, hoping to make the values near equivalent. "Who cares if you have less gold know, if the time will help your friend get you more gold later?" is there philosophy plus it makes things easier. The monk in the group might want to know if the bracers would help him or hurt him. ((And it wouldn't be metagaming because I assume that the temple would warn him about magic items that will make you unable to perform your techniques correctly.)))
Speech
09-07-07, 04:35 PM Bracers of armor is not armor, it is a magic item that gives you a deflection bonus to your AC (at least I think it's deflection). The limitation for monks is more about freedom of movement and encumbrance (in my mind anyways) and bracers would in no way restrict their movement.
Firestar27
09-07-07, 04:38 PM Bracers of armor is not armor, it is a magic item that gives you a deflection bonus to your AC (at least I think it's deflection). The limitation for monks is more about freedom of movement and encumbrance (in my mind anyways) and bracers would in no way restrict their movement.

In my SRD quote above, it said that it is an armor bonus.
RobbyPants
09-07-07, 04:46 PM The thread's probably long gone, but I believe the very first thread I posted on these boards a year ago asked the very same question. I rememberd hearing back from several posters that monks can wear bracers of armor. The same bolded clause is what caught my attention too.

I think the general concensus was that the "just as though he were wearing armor" clause was more to emphasize that the armor bonus wouldn't stack with other forms of armor.
Einvaldurinn_mikli
09-07-07, 04:48 PM They can. Been confirmed over and over again.
Artector
09-07-07, 04:51 PM I think the general concensus was that the "just as though he were wearing armor" clause was more to emphasize that the armor bonus wouldn't stack with other forms of armor.

This is how I interpert it too.

Plus, Bracers of Armor are only really usefulto A) Wizards/Sorcerers (but you know, mage armor hours/level duration) and B) Monks.
Loki5654
09-07-07, 04:56 PM Yes, they can.

Its even covered in the FAQ:
Do wearing bracers of armor prevent a monk from using her AC bonus class feature?
No. Bracers of armor grant an armor bonus to AC, but they don’t count as armor worn and thus don’t interfere with a monk’s special abilities. The phrase you cite simply explains what an armor bonus is, pointing out that you don’t get the AC bonus from the bracers and also from armor you wear.
PhaedrusXY
09-07-07, 04:59 PM The monk in the group might want to know if the bracers would help him or hurt him. ((And it wouldn't be metagaming because I assume that the temple would warn him about magic items that will make you unable to perform your techniques correctly.)))The question has already been answered, but why couldn't the monk just put them on and "try some moves" to see if he feels hindered? That doesn't sound like metagaming at all. It's not like he actually loses his powers for putting them on, like a druid with metal armor.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Firestar27 09-07-07, 04:22 PM	Can a monk wear bracers of armor? The SRD says These items appear to be wrist or arm guards. They surround the wearer with an invisible but tangible field of force, granting him an armor bonus of +1 to +8, just as though he were wearing armor. Both bracers must be worn for the magic to be effective. Emphasis mine. I know he wouldn't have to worry about proficiencies, but what about his class features that are unaccessable if he is wearing armor? I'm hoping the issue won't come up before I get an answer. The game is tomorrow but I don't know if they will reach the part where they get the bracers. (They divide treasure by necessity, hoping to make the values near equivalent. "Who cares if you have less gold know, if the time will help your friend get you more gold later?" is there philosophy plus it makes things easier. The monk in the group might want to know if the bracers would help him or hurt him. ((And it wouldn't be metagaming because I assume that the temple would warn him about magic items that will make you unable to perform your techniques correctly.)))
Speech 09-07-07, 04:35 PM	Bracers of armor is not armor, it is a magic item that gives you a deflection bonus to your AC (at least I think it's deflection). The limitation for monks is more about freedom of movement and encumbrance (in my mind anyways) and bracers would in no way restrict their movement.
Firestar27 09-07-07, 04:38 PM	Bracers of armor is not armor, it is a magic item that gives you a deflection bonus to your AC (at least I think it's deflection). The limitation for monks is more about freedom of movement and encumbrance (in my mind anyways) and bracers would in no way restrict their movement. In my SRD quote above, it said that it is an armor bonus.
RobbyPants 09-07-07, 04:46 PM	The thread's probably long gone, but I believe the very first thread I posted on these boards a year ago asked the very same question. I rememberd hearing back from several posters that monks can wear bracers of armor. The same bolded clause is what caught my attention too. I think the general concensus was that the "just as though he were wearing armor" clause was more to emphasize that the armor bonus wouldn't stack with other forms of armor.
Einvaldurinn_mikli 09-07-07, 04:48 PM	They can. Been confirmed over and over again.
Artector 09-07-07, 04:51 PM	I think the general concensus was that the "just as though he were wearing armor" clause was more to emphasize that the armor bonus wouldn't stack with other forms of armor. This is how I interpert it too. Plus, Bracers of Armor are only really usefulto A) Wizards/Sorcerers (but you know, mage armor hours/level duration) and B) Monks.
Loki5654 09-07-07, 04:56 PM	Yes, they can. Its even covered in the FAQ: Do wearing bracers of armor prevent a monk from using her AC bonus class feature? No. Bracers of armor grant an armor bonus to AC, but they don’t count as armor worn and thus don’t interfere with a monk’s special abilities. The phrase you cite simply explains what an armor bonus is, pointing out that you don’t get the AC bonus from the bracers and also from armor you wear.
PhaedrusXY 09-07-07, 04:59 PM	The monk in the group might want to know if the bracers would help him or hurt him. ((And it wouldn't be metagaming because I assume that the temple would warn him about magic items that will make you unable to perform your techniques correctly.)))The question has already been answered, but why couldn't the monk just put them on and "try some moves" to see if he feels hindered? That doesn't sound like metagaming at all. It's not like he actually loses his powers for putting them on, like a druid with metal armor.