Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zeekwab 03-22-06, 07:49 PM	When I have a character with 16 DEX and no armor, I have 13 AC. Now I wear bracers of armor +1, so I get armor bonus of 1, so I now have 14 AC. Now I cast mage armor on myself, which gives a +4 bonus to AC. So do I now have 17 AC or 18 AC? Does this +4 bonus of mage armor, stack with the +1 bonus of the bracers of armor? Thanks.
tiercel 03-22-06, 07:55 PM	No. Both the bracers and the mage armor spell provide an armor bonus, so they do not stack. (As a general rule, bonuses of the same type don't stack, and bonuses from the same item/spell don't stack with themselves. There are exceptions to the first: dodge and circumstance bonuses... which is why you don't see those flavors of bonuses on items.) The bracers just give you some armor bonus whenever your spell isn't up. Until you are high enough level to have mage armor on all day, that can be useful. (And by time you are that high level, it's still useful in case someone casts dispel magic at you, which becomes more likely at high levels.)
MagicPrime 03-22-06, 09:04 PM	The only type of bonuses that stack are dodge bonuses. On another note. Bracers of Armor and mundane armor bonuses don't stack. However, Bracers of Armor, Rings of Protection, Amulets of Natural Armor do stack!
Zherog 03-22-06, 09:06 PM	The only type of bonuses that stack are dodge bonuses. And Circumstance bonuses from different circumstances.
Dalthbar 03-22-06, 09:09 PM	Luck bonuses stack too, correct?
jaelis 03-22-06, 09:41 PM	Nope. (Unless its the kind of luck bonus that just makes you roll the dice better. In that case, I don't know.)
LarryMac 03-23-06, 01:51 PM	As a follow-up: the armor bonus from armor stacks with the armor bonus from a shield, as do the enhancement bonuses for each. I know Bracers of Armor won't stack with armor, but how about with a shield?
Zherog 03-23-06, 02:27 PM	Sounds like you're playing 3.0, since in 3.5 a shield now grants a, well, shield bonus to AC. It's been a long time since I've looked at 3.0, but I'm fairly certain the bracers will not stack with a shield. As I recall, the exception was very specific for armor and a shield.
bondious 03-23-06, 03:24 PM	How about a new item? Amulet of Shielding: This amulet or medallion projects an invisible, mobile disk of force that hovers in front of you, granting the wearer a shield bonus to AC of +1 to +4. The size and effectiveness of the shield is determined by the shield bonus granted. This item functions the same as the Shield spell, but unlike the spell the Amulet of Shielding grants no extra protection against Magic Missiles. Moderate conjuration; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, Shield, creator’s caster level must be at least two times that of the bonus placed in the amulet; Price 1,000gp (+1), 4,000gp (+2), 9,000gp (+3), 16,000gp (+4) I pretty much modeled it on the Shield spell, and made it variable in effect not unlike Bracers of Armor. I figured that the Amulet of Shielding should be the same cost as Bracers of Armor because it’s the same cost to enchant armor and shields of equivalent enhancement. I wasn’t sure about the maximum power of this item. I know that Bracers of Armor go from +1 to +8, so I was thinking that half-power for the Amulet of Shielding would be in order…though if others disagree then maybe I’ll change it. Anyhow, for the OP, if your character had an Amulet of Shielding +1 then your character would be able to benefit from both the magic item AND the Mage Armor spell.
LarryMac 03-23-06, 03:25 PM	Sounds like you're playing 3.0, since in 3.5 a shield now grants a, well, shield bonus to AC. It's been a long time since I've looked at 3.0, but I'm fairly certain the bracers will not stack with a shield. As I recall, the exception was very specific for armor and a shield. Oops, I'm an idiot. I really should read these books more often. I went back and reread the armor/shield section and it looks like since a suit of armor grants an armor bonus and a shield grants a shield bonus, that a shield WOULD stack with bracers (but not, say, a Shield spell). Sound about right to anybody else out there?
Zherog 03-23-06, 03:33 PM	Oops, I'm an idiot. I really should read these books more often. I went back and reread the armor/shield section and it looks like since a suit of armor grants an armor bonus and a shield grants a shield bonus, that a shield WOULD stack with bracers (but not, say, a Shield spell). Sound about right to anybody else out there? That's correct in 3.5, yes.
draconic_swine 03-23-06, 07:08 PM	I like the Amulet of Shielding, Bondius. I might just have to steal it for my game ;)
bondious 03-23-06, 08:39 PM	I like the Amulet of Shielding, Bondious. I might just have to steal it for my game ;) Righteous!!! :cloud9:
Lotus Crane 03-23-06, 08:45 PM	I'm fairly certain there's a very similiar item actually in the DMG... but oh well, enjoy yourselves.
bondious 03-23-06, 09:14 PM	I'm fairly certain there's a very similiar item actually in the DMG... but oh well, enjoy yourselves. There's always this: Force Shield: An iron band, this simple ring generates a shield-sized (and shield-shaped) wall of force that stays with the ring and can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield (+2 AC). This special creation has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free. It can be activated and deactivated at will as a free action. Moderate evocation; CL 9th; Forge Ring, wall of force; Price 8,500gp. Kind of a cool item, but a little expensive for what it does, in my opinion. Guess I've always thought that since Wizards has now clearly defined armor and shield bonuses as separate that there should be an addition to the items list to reflect this. You've always had Bracers of Armor (an armor bonus) and Amulets of Natural Armor (natural armor), along with Rings of Protection (deflection), so why not an Amulet of Shielding (shield bonus)? Makes sense to me.