AC Stacking [Archive] - Wizards Community

AC Stacking [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
WCH
04-25-05, 10:55 PM Friend of mine says that Mage Armour and Shield don't stack with each other. Seems to me they should, since one creates armour out of force and the other creates a shield of force... and it'd be silly to say your tower shield and your full plate don't stack.

Raises important question, though... if you have something like Bracers of Armour which involve casting of Mage Armour in creation, does their bonus stack with the above? And what of the above would stack with a Cha based extraordinary deflection modifier?

Is there a way of telling when one thing would stack with another if the rules don't specify?
DM Zoc
04-25-05, 11:03 PM Mage Armor provides an "armor" bonus, while Shield provides a "shield" bonus. Bracers of armor, as well as actually worn armor, also provide an "armor" bonus (just as a large shield provides a "shield" bonus).

Bonuses with the same name never stack, except for dodge bonuses (which always stack). Bonuses that don't have names always stack, but two unnamed bonuses from the same source never stack.
Borris
04-25-05, 11:06 PM Mage Armor grants an armor bonus to AC.
Shield gives a shield bonus to AC.
The types are different so the bonuses stack.

Bracers of Armor (or a suit of armor) also give an armor bonus, so they would stack with Shield, but not with Mage Armor.

To tell when one thing would stack with another, just look at the bonus name (deflection, dodge, armor, natural armor, insight, etc.) If the types are different, the bonus stack. If the types have the same name, they usually don't stack. Bonuses without a name stack with everything.
Colmarr
04-25-05, 11:07 PM The source spell is unimportant to the stackability of items. What is important is the type of bonus they provide.

In this instance, Mage Armour provides an armour bonus and Shield provides a shield bonus (it's in the spell text). They are different types of bonus, so they stack.

Bracers of Armour provide an armour bonus, so they do not stack with either the Mage Armour spell or actual armour. They will stack with the Shield spell.

As for the cha-based extraordinary ability, it provides a deflection bonus so it would stack with Mage Armour, Shield and Bracers of Armour, but not with a Ring of Protection (which also provides a deflection bonus).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WCH 04-25-05, 10:55 PM	Friend of mine says that Mage Armour and Shield don't stack with each other. Seems to me they should, since one creates armour out of force and the other creates a shield of force... and it'd be silly to say your tower shield and your full plate don't stack. Raises important question, though... if you have something like Bracers of Armour which involve casting of Mage Armour in creation, does their bonus stack with the above? And what of the above would stack with a Cha based extraordinary deflection modifier? Is there a way of telling when one thing would stack with another if the rules don't specify?
DM Zoc 04-25-05, 11:03 PM	Mage Armor provides an "armor" bonus, while Shield provides a "shield" bonus. Bracers of armor, as well as actually worn armor, also provide an "armor" bonus (just as a large shield provides a "shield" bonus). Bonuses with the same name never stack, except for dodge bonuses (which always stack). Bonuses that don't have names always stack, but two unnamed bonuses from the same source never stack.
Borris 04-25-05, 11:06 PM	Mage Armor grants an armor bonus to AC. Shield gives a shield bonus to AC. The types are different so the bonuses stack. Bracers of Armor (or a suit of armor) also give an armor bonus, so they would stack with Shield, but not with Mage Armor. To tell when one thing would stack with another, just look at the bonus name (deflection, dodge, armor, natural armor, insight, etc.) If the types are different, the bonus stack. If the types have the same name, they usually don't stack. Bonuses without a name stack with everything.
Colmarr 04-25-05, 11:07 PM	The source spell is unimportant to the stackability of items. What is important is the type of bonus they provide. In this instance, Mage Armour provides an armour bonus and Shield provides a shield bonus (it's in the spell text). They are different types of bonus, so they stack. Bracers of Armour provide an armour bonus, so they do not stack with either the Mage Armour spell or actual armour. They will stack with the Shield spell. As for the cha-based extraordinary ability, it provides a deflection bonus so it would stack with Mage Armour, Shield and Bracers of Armour, but not with a Ring of Protection (which also provides a deflection bonus).