bracers of armor question [Archive] - Wizards Community

bracers of armor question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
vudumumu
09-14-04, 06:54 PM The various bracers of armor give an armor bonus if I'm not mistaken (am at work, no books). Does this not stack with regular armor? or how does that work? Is it considered armor up to the bonus it gives? And what about magic armor? Making sure I don't screw things up. Any information you can give would be appreciated. Thanks!
Lxarth
09-14-04, 07:01 PM No, armor doesnt stack with itself.

They work as if the character was wearing armor.
vudumumu
09-14-04, 07:19 PM So if I had leather + 5 and bracers +8, i would just get 8 AC from the bracers? Is that correct?
Gorkon
09-14-04, 07:38 PM Yep. Until you walk into an antimagic field, then it would switch to +5.

Reason they don't stack: They give the same type of bonus (plain armor bonus). Same types of bonusses do not stack, but different types do. Example: If you equip a +5 armor (+5 armor bonus to AC) and a +2 Ring of Protection (+2 deflection bonus to AC), you get +7.
Lxarth
09-14-04, 07:59 PM Um...an anti-magic field will negat magic, not just bracers of armor.

So +5 Leather Armor worn with Bracers of Armor +8 would give you only the basic of protection when in an Anti-magic field. That being just plain old leather armor.
deadDMwalking
09-14-04, 08:27 PM Lxarth -

While you are correct that you would only get a +2 armor bonus while in an antimagic field, you do not have plain old leather armor. You have MASTERWORK leather armor.

And yes - Bracers of Armor do provide an armor bonus to AC.

In 3.5 they do not grant any special protection against incorporeal attacks. I believe that in 3.0 they did grant a bonus against incorporeal attacks (which normally ignore armor).
Shadowmagyk
09-14-04, 08:56 PM Masterwork armor lowers the check penalty, and nothing else.
deadDMwalking
09-14-04, 09:11 PM I know MASTERWORK leather does not increase the armor value (which is why I spelled out it is a +2 armor bonus for MW leather). Still, it isn't plain old anything. The quality is MASTERFUL.

My totally unrelated question that I don't care if it is answered. Let's say you have a frying pan. A masterwork frying pan. Does that count as a tool, or a weapon, or both?

Does it provide +2 to craft:cooking checks and a +1 to attack rolls?

Would a +1 flaming frying pan be a cool weapon, or what? Instant fried eggs.... Whoo!
Hordak
09-14-04, 09:25 PM My totally unrelated question that I don't care if it is answered. Let's say you have a frying pan. A masterwork frying pan. Does that count as a tool, or a weapon, or both?

uhhh... :looloo: Well I bet a hobbit would love it.
Shadowmagyk
09-14-04, 10:09 PM I know MASTERWORK leather does not increase the armor value (which is why I spelled out it is a +2 armor bonus for MW leather). Still, it isn't plain old anything. The quality is MASTERFUL.

I had to make sure that people understand the MW concept for armor.

My totally unrelated question that I don't care if it is answered. Let's say you have a frying pan. A masterwork frying pan. Does that count as a tool, or a weapon, or both?

It can count as a tool or both, but never a weapon by itself.

Does it provide +2 to craft:cooking checks and a +1 to attack rolls?

It would get both of these bonuses. However, it would also get a -4 to ATK for it being an improvised weapon, unless the "Use Anything" feat were taken.

Would a +1 flaming frying pan be a cool weapon, or what? Instant fried eggs.... Whoo!

It would be cool until the "Grease" spell was used on it. (Fire hazard)

In all seriousness, I am joking with these answers!

edit: Why does my sig show only sometimes? I push the same button. (The first "submit reply" button.)
deadDMwalking
09-14-04, 10:32 PM The default option is that all sigs show in a thread ONLY ONCE.

You may change that by going to the User CP, it is under options.

However, even if you can see your sig everytime, any other user that doesn't make that change won't.

For example once is enough as far as I'm concerned.....
Gorkon
09-15-04, 08:17 AM Um...an anti-magic field will negat magic, not just bracers of armor.

So +5 Leather Armor worn with Bracers of Armor +8 would give you only the basic of protection when in an Anti-magic field. That being just plain old leather armor.
My bad. I misread it for a +5 nonmagic armor, not the +2 leather armor with +5 enhancement it actually is. Which leads to another question. Technically, the +5 enhancement bonus is a different type of bonus than the +8 armor bonus of the bracers, so (by rule) they should stack. On the other hand, it seems weird if the bracers cancel out the armor itself, but not its enhancement. Does a definitive rule exist for this?
starfire311
09-15-04, 08:41 AM My bad. I misread it for a +5 nonmagic armor, not the +2 leather armor with +5 enhancement it actually is. Which leads to another question. Technically, the +5 enhancement bonus is a different type of bonus than the +8 armor bonus of the bracers, so (by rule) they should stack. On the other hand, it seems weird if the bracers cancel out the armor itself, but not its enhancement. Does a definitive rule exist for this?

There is a long thread on this somewhere... no search function or I would give it to you. Most people, including me , take the stance that the +5 enhancement bonus is not increasing the wearers AC. It is instead increasing the ability of the Armor to grant an AC bonus to the wearer. So, the +5 increases the AC bonus of the leather armor to +7 and the +7 is then added to the wearers armor but since the wearer is already wearing Bracers +8 they overlap and he only gets the +8 from the bracers.
deadDMwalking
09-15-04, 09:57 AM Enhancement bonuses work to make a specific something better.

For instance, bull's strength provides a +4 enhancement bonus to strength. It cannot be used to enhance charisma. Although the spells are similar, the spell determines which item receives the benefit.

The same is true for armor. If I have an enhancement on leather armor of +5, it makes the armor grant a +7 bonus to AC. It does not give me an additional +5 AC to be used anywhere. It specifically makes the armor "better".

On page 21 of the DMG under "enhancement" for bonus types -An enhancement bonus represents an increase in the strength or effectiveness of a chacter's armor or weapon...."
Gorkon
09-15-04, 10:11 AM Thanks. Really makes more sense to handle armor and it's enchantment as one item. ;)
Lxarth
09-15-04, 11:49 AM While you are correct that you would only get a +2 armor bonus while in an antimagic field, you do not have plain old leather armor. You have MASTERWORK leather armor.
Well, yes...I know that...and I knew I should have said it but I assumed that everyone knew the magical stuff needs to be masterwork first...

But you know what they say about assumptions...you make an ass out of you and 'umptions'. :)

t would be cool until the "Grease" spell was used on it. (Fire hazard)The grease spell is not flammable...:mage:... :D
starfire311
09-15-04, 12:08 PM The grease spell is not flammable...:mage:... :D

True but is it inflammable

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
vudumumu 09-14-04, 06:54 PM	The various bracers of armor give an armor bonus if I'm not mistaken (am at work, no books). Does this not stack with regular armor? or how does that work? Is it considered armor up to the bonus it gives? And what about magic armor? Making sure I don't screw things up. Any information you can give would be appreciated. Thanks!
Lxarth 09-14-04, 07:01 PM	No, armor doesnt stack with itself. They work as if the character was wearing armor.
vudumumu 09-14-04, 07:19 PM	So if I had leather + 5 and bracers +8, i would just get 8 AC from the bracers? Is that correct?
Gorkon 09-14-04, 07:38 PM	Yep. Until you walk into an antimagic field, then it would switch to +5. Reason they don't stack: They give the same type of bonus (plain armor bonus). Same types of bonusses do not stack, but different types do. Example: If you equip a +5 armor (+5 armor bonus to AC) and a +2 Ring of Protection (+2 deflection bonus to AC), you get +7.
Lxarth 09-14-04, 07:59 PM	Um...an anti-magic field will negat magic, not just bracers of armor. So +5 Leather Armor worn with Bracers of Armor +8 would give you only the basic of protection when in an Anti-magic field. That being just plain old leather armor.
deadDMwalking 09-14-04, 08:27 PM	Lxarth - While you are correct that you would only get a +2 armor bonus while in an antimagic field, you do not have plain old leather armor. You have MASTERWORK leather armor. And yes - Bracers of Armor do provide an armor bonus to AC. In 3.5 they do not grant any special protection against incorporeal attacks. I believe that in 3.0 they did grant a bonus against incorporeal attacks (which normally ignore armor).
Shadowmagyk 09-14-04, 08:56 PM	Masterwork armor lowers the check penalty, and nothing else.
deadDMwalking 09-14-04, 09:11 PM	I know MASTERWORK leather does not increase the armor value (which is why I spelled out it is a +2 armor bonus for MW leather). Still, it isn't plain old anything. The quality is MASTERFUL. My totally unrelated question that I don't care if it is answered. Let's say you have a frying pan. A masterwork frying pan. Does that count as a tool, or a weapon, or both? Does it provide +2 to craft:cooking checks and a +1 to attack rolls? Would a +1 flaming frying pan be a cool weapon, or what? Instant fried eggs.... Whoo!
Hordak 09-14-04, 09:25 PM	My totally unrelated question that I don't care if it is answered. Let's say you have a frying pan. A masterwork frying pan. Does that count as a tool, or a weapon, or both? uhhh... :looloo: Well I bet a hobbit would love it.
Shadowmagyk 09-14-04, 10:09 PM	I know MASTERWORK leather does not increase the armor value (which is why I spelled out it is a +2 armor bonus for MW leather). Still, it isn't plain old anything. The quality is MASTERFUL. I had to make sure that people understand the MW concept for armor. My totally unrelated question that I don't care if it is answered. Let's say you have a frying pan. A masterwork frying pan. Does that count as a tool, or a weapon, or both? It can count as a tool or both, but never a weapon by itself. Does it provide +2 to craft:cooking checks and a +1 to attack rolls? It would get both of these bonuses. However, it would also get a -4 to ATK for it being an improvised weapon, unless the "Use Anything" feat were taken. Would a +1 flaming frying pan be a cool weapon, or what? Instant fried eggs.... Whoo! It would be cool until the "Grease" spell was used on it. (Fire hazard) In all seriousness, I am joking with these answers! edit: Why does my sig show only sometimes? I push the same button. (The first "submit reply" button.)
deadDMwalking 09-14-04, 10:32 PM	The default option is that all sigs show in a thread ONLY ONCE. You may change that by going to the User CP, it is under options. However, even if you can see your sig everytime, any other user that doesn't make that change won't. For example once is enough as far as I'm concerned.....
Gorkon 09-15-04, 08:17 AM	Um...an anti-magic field will negat magic, not just bracers of armor. So +5 Leather Armor worn with Bracers of Armor +8 would give you only the basic of protection when in an Anti-magic field. That being just plain old leather armor. My bad. I misread it for a +5 nonmagic armor, not the +2 leather armor with +5 enhancement it actually is. Which leads to another question. Technically, the +5 enhancement bonus is a different type of bonus than the +8 armor bonus of the bracers, so (by rule) they should stack. On the other hand, it seems weird if the bracers cancel out the armor itself, but not its enhancement. Does a definitive rule exist for this?
starfire311 09-15-04, 08:41 AM	My bad. I misread it for a +5 nonmagic armor, not the +2 leather armor with +5 enhancement it actually is. Which leads to another question. Technically, the +5 enhancement bonus is a different type of bonus than the +8 armor bonus of the bracers, so (by rule) they should stack. On the other hand, it seems weird if the bracers cancel out the armor itself, but not its enhancement. Does a definitive rule exist for this? There is a long thread on this somewhere... no search function or I would give it to you. Most people, including me , take the stance that the +5 enhancement bonus is not increasing the wearers AC. It is instead increasing the ability of the Armor to grant an AC bonus to the wearer. So, the +5 increases the AC bonus of the leather armor to +7 and the +7 is then added to the wearers armor but since the wearer is already wearing Bracers +8 they overlap and he only gets the +8 from the bracers.
deadDMwalking 09-15-04, 09:57 AM	Enhancement bonuses work to make a specific something better. For instance, bull's strength provides a +4 enhancement bonus to strength. It cannot be used to enhance charisma. Although the spells are similar, the spell determines which item receives the benefit. The same is true for armor. If I have an enhancement on leather armor of +5, it makes the armor grant a +7 bonus to AC. It does not give me an additional +5 AC to be used anywhere. It specifically makes the armor "better". On page 21 of the DMG under "enhancement" for bonus types -An enhancement bonus represents an increase in the strength or effectiveness of a chacter's armor or weapon...."
Gorkon 09-15-04, 10:11 AM	Thanks. Really makes more sense to handle armor and it's enchantment as one item. ;)
Lxarth 09-15-04, 11:49 AM	While you are correct that you would only get a +2 armor bonus while in an antimagic field, you do not have plain old leather armor. You have MASTERWORK leather armor. Well, yes...I know that...and I knew I should have said it but I assumed that everyone knew the magical stuff needs to be masterwork first... But you know what they say about assumptions...you make an ass out of you and 'umptions'. :) t would be cool until the "Grease" spell was used on it. (Fire hazard)The grease spell is not flammable...:mage:... :D
starfire311 09-15-04, 12:08 PM	The grease spell is not flammable...:mage:... :D True but is it inflammable