Bracers of armor and regular armor question. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bracers of armor and regular armor question. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FatherNature
03-18-05, 02:41 PM Do the AC bonus granted from Bracers of armor stack with regular armor?
I cant seem to find anything that says for or aginist this and a friend thinks they don't.
kennychuckm
03-18-05, 02:49 PM Your friend is right. Bonuses of the same type do not stack. Because bracers of armor and regular armor both give an armor bonus to your AC, only the higher bonus applies, i.e., full plate (+8) supercedes bracers of armor +5.
Ziatyn Phoenixwolf
03-18-05, 02:57 PM kenny is right on this, but the bracers would take affect when attacked by an incorporeal opponent while the full plate would just lower your usable dex modifier down to +1.
TylerRought
03-18-05, 02:58 PM personally i think they should stack. bracers of armor is magical and provides a magical bonus though its still conisdered an armor bonus. i think they should stack for the simples reason is just covering you with an invisible force effects weidling off attacks. but they dont stack by the rules.
Rulebook
03-18-05, 03:08 PM well, just because they stack dosent meant they nullify. if you're wearing both and you get attacked by a Wraith, you get the Bracer's AC bonus because its a force effect.
Jaxen723
03-18-05, 05:49 PM Your friend is right. Bonuses of the same type do not stack. Because bracers of armor and regular armor both give an armor bonus to your AC, only the higher bonus applies, i.e., full plate (+8) supercedes bracers of armor +5.
That is true that bonuses of the same type don't stack, but Bracers of Armor give a deflection bonus, not normal AC so they should stack. Ring of Protection won't stack with Bracers because they both offer delection bonuses. Thats just my 2 cp. :help: Darn now I' broke.
Yobgod Ababua
03-18-05, 06:06 PM Bracers of Armor: 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.

They grant an armor bonus to AC, NOT a deflection bonus to AC. Because of this they do not stack with anything else that gives you an armor bonus, like armor. It does, however, look like they will stack with a shield bonus now (at least according to the 3.5 SRD).
Zherog
03-18-05, 08:53 PM Yes, that's correct Yobgod. In 3.5, shields (and the shield spell) grant a Shield bonus to AC.
Count_Vladmir
03-19-05, 11:58 AM I had an argument with a player in my last game about bracers of armor. I know they don't stack with regular armor (and so does my player) but he cast magic vestment on his shirt while wearing bracers of armor. Do both these bonuses stack?
Santrilla
03-19-05, 12:01 PM Yes. Magic Vestment provides an enchancement bonus, and the bracers provide an armor bonus. They stack.
Mirtek
03-19-05, 12:10 PM No, they don't.

An enhancement bonus is considered part of the bonus that it does enhance.

The enhancement bonus of magic vestment enhances the armor bonus of the shirt (+0) for a higher armor bonus.

The armor bonus from the enhanced shirt and the armor bonus from the bracers do not stack.

It's the same with bracers +5 and a leather armor +1. The armor has an enhancement bonus, but this bonus is considered part of the leather armor's armor bonus.

Thus the +1 enhancement bonus of the leather armor does not stack with the armor bonus of the bracers, but they overlap each other.
Tesler
03-19-05, 03:17 PM Well our House Rule is that they stack. I know what the rules say and my very large game group has had a 4 1/2 hour discussion JUST about this topic. We decided that since:
A: Mage Armor, the spell that is used to create Bracers of Armor, has the Force descriptor and our ruling is that the bracers make a Force Field around you while you're wearing your armor.

B: We knew the spell was mainly for spell casters who needed armor while in combat range but didn't want Spell Failure chance. We thought it kinda jiped your Meatshield who's supposed to take care of the back row sallys away. ^_^

C: Ring of Protection also stacks in here due to it being a deflection bonus AND made with a different spell from the Bracers of Armor.

But again those are just OUR house rules. We allow for alot of psycho stuff. ^^
Twylyght
03-19-05, 03:37 PM True casting Magic vestment on a shirt wouldnt stack with the armor bonus from bracers of defense, but since the bracers create actual tangible force(conjuration(creation)), it arguable you could cast magical vestments on the "force armor" the bracers grant.
Mirtek
03-24-05, 01:32 PM True casting Magic vestment on a shirt wouldnt stack with the armor bonus from bracers of defense, but since the bracers create actual tangible force(conjuration(creation)), it arguable you could cast magical vestments on the "force armor" the bracers grant.

Actually no, it would not.

Upon casting magic vestment on a shirt, the shirt becomes an armor with an armor bonus (upon cating magic vestment the shirt first turns into an armor with an AC bonus of +0, but this +0 then get's enhanced by magic vestment for a total AC bonus of 0+X=X).

The +X armor bonus of the enhanced shirt does not stack with the +X armor bonus of the bracers, as both are two armor bonuses and only overlap each other.
Twylyght
03-24-05, 03:50 PM Actually no, it would not.

Upon casting magic vestment on a shirt, the shirt becomes an armor with an armor bonus (upon cating magic vestment the shirt first turns into an armor with an AC bonus of +0, but this +0 then get's enhanced by magic vestment for a total AC bonus of 0+X=X).

The +X armor bonus of the enhanced shirt does not stack with the +X armor bonus of the bracers, as both are two armor bonuses and only overlap each other.

Right. I should have space that into two paragraphs I guess. I was saying that a shirt would NOT work.

Then I was giving my opinion that since Bracers of Defence actually create a tangible force armor through conjuration(creation) magic, it could be ruled that the force armor from the bracers could be the target of a magic vestment spell directly as conjured objects are for all purposes real for as long as they exist.
critical life
03-24-05, 04:20 PM Bracers of Armor do not stack with normal armor though they themselves are considered to be worn as normal armor in text. Then you have Magic Vestment, it says that it grants an enhancement bonus to armor you are wearing, ( clothes aren't armor, just treated like it for the spell .. so tecnically an enhancement bonus is not part of the original armor and is considerd a seperate bonus) so i would rule as a DM that Magic Vestment can be cast upon bracers of armor to further "enhance" their abilities to AC. :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FatherNature 03-18-05, 02:41 PM	Do the AC bonus granted from Bracers of armor stack with regular armor? I cant seem to find anything that says for or aginist this and a friend thinks they don't.
kennychuckm 03-18-05, 02:49 PM	Your friend is right. Bonuses of the same type do not stack. Because bracers of armor and regular armor both give an armor bonus to your AC, only the higher bonus applies, i.e., full plate (+8) supercedes bracers of armor +5.
Ziatyn Phoenixwolf 03-18-05, 02:57 PM	kenny is right on this, but the bracers would take affect when attacked by an incorporeal opponent while the full plate would just lower your usable dex modifier down to +1.
TylerRought 03-18-05, 02:58 PM	personally i think they should stack. bracers of armor is magical and provides a magical bonus though its still conisdered an armor bonus. i think they should stack for the simples reason is just covering you with an invisible force effects weidling off attacks. but they dont stack by the rules.
Rulebook 03-18-05, 03:08 PM	well, just because they stack dosent meant they nullify. if you're wearing both and you get attacked by a Wraith, you get the Bracer's AC bonus because its a force effect.
Jaxen723 03-18-05, 05:49 PM	Your friend is right. Bonuses of the same type do not stack. Because bracers of armor and regular armor both give an armor bonus to your AC, only the higher bonus applies, i.e., full plate (+8) supercedes bracers of armor +5. That is true that bonuses of the same type don't stack, but Bracers of Armor give a deflection bonus, not normal AC so they should stack. Ring of Protection won't stack with Bracers because they both offer delection bonuses. Thats just my 2 cp. :help: Darn now I' broke.
Yobgod Ababua 03-18-05, 06:06 PM	Bracers of Armor: 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. They grant an armor bonus to AC, NOT a deflection bonus to AC. Because of this they do not stack with anything else that gives you an armor bonus, like armor. It does, however, look like they will stack with a shield bonus now (at least according to the 3.5 SRD).
Zherog 03-18-05, 08:53 PM	Yes, that's correct Yobgod. In 3.5, shields (and the shield spell) grant a Shield bonus to AC.
Count_Vladmir 03-19-05, 11:58 AM	I had an argument with a player in my last game about bracers of armor. I know they don't stack with regular armor (and so does my player) but he cast magic vestment on his shirt while wearing bracers of armor. Do both these bonuses stack?
Santrilla 03-19-05, 12:01 PM	Yes. Magic Vestment provides an enchancement bonus, and the bracers provide an armor bonus. They stack.
Mirtek 03-19-05, 12:10 PM	No, they don't. An enhancement bonus is considered part of the bonus that it does enhance. The enhancement bonus of magic vestment enhances the armor bonus of the shirt (+0) for a higher armor bonus. The armor bonus from the enhanced shirt and the armor bonus from the bracers do not stack. It's the same with bracers +5 and a leather armor +1. The armor has an enhancement bonus, but this bonus is considered part of the leather armor's armor bonus. Thus the +1 enhancement bonus of the leather armor does not stack with the armor bonus of the bracers, but they overlap each other.
Tesler 03-19-05, 03:17 PM	Well our House Rule is that they stack. I know what the rules say and my very large game group has had a 4 1/2 hour discussion JUST about this topic. We decided that since: A: Mage Armor, the spell that is used to create Bracers of Armor, has the Force descriptor and our ruling is that the bracers make a Force Field around you while you're wearing your armor. B: We knew the spell was mainly for spell casters who needed armor while in combat range but didn't want Spell Failure chance. We thought it kinda jiped your Meatshield who's supposed to take care of the back row sallys away. ^_^ C: Ring of Protection also stacks in here due to it being a deflection bonus AND made with a different spell from the Bracers of Armor. But again those are just OUR house rules. We allow for alot of psycho stuff. ^^
Twylyght 03-19-05, 03:37 PM	True casting Magic vestment on a shirt wouldnt stack with the armor bonus from bracers of defense, but since the bracers create actual tangible force(conjuration(creation)), it arguable you could cast magical vestments on the "force armor" the bracers grant.
Mirtek 03-24-05, 01:32 PM	True casting Magic vestment on a shirt wouldnt stack with the armor bonus from bracers of defense, but since the bracers create actual tangible force(conjuration(creation)), it arguable you could cast magical vestments on the "force armor" the bracers grant. Actually no, it would not. Upon casting magic vestment on a shirt, the shirt becomes an armor with an armor bonus (upon cating magic vestment the shirt first turns into an armor with an AC bonus of +0, but this +0 then get's enhanced by magic vestment for a total AC bonus of 0+X=X). The +X armor bonus of the enhanced shirt does not stack with the +X armor bonus of the bracers, as both are two armor bonuses and only overlap each other.
Twylyght 03-24-05, 03:50 PM	Actually no, it would not. Upon casting magic vestment on a shirt, the shirt becomes an armor with an armor bonus (upon cating magic vestment the shirt first turns into an armor with an AC bonus of +0, but this +0 then get's enhanced by magic vestment for a total AC bonus of 0+X=X). The +X armor bonus of the enhanced shirt does not stack with the +X armor bonus of the bracers, as both are two armor bonuses and only overlap each other. Right. I should have space that into two paragraphs I guess. I was saying that a shirt would NOT work. Then I was giving my opinion that since Bracers of Defence actually create a tangible force armor through conjuration(creation) magic, it could be ruled that the force armor from the bracers could be the target of a magic vestment spell directly as conjured objects are for all purposes real for as long as they exist.
critical life 03-24-05, 04:20 PM	Bracers of Armor do not stack with normal armor though they themselves are considered to be worn as normal armor in text. Then you have Magic Vestment, it says that it grants an enhancement bonus to armor you are wearing, ( clothes aren't armor, just treated like it for the spell .. so tecnically an enhancement bonus is not part of the original armor and is considerd a seperate bonus) so i would rule as a DM that Magic Vestment can be cast upon bracers of armor to further "enhance" their abilities to AC. :D