AC stacking. What Does/Doesn't? [Archive] - Wizards Community

AC stacking. What Does/Doesn't? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BloodDragon
09-05-06, 11:35 AM What stacks on your AC and what does not?
This has always confused me, and is there any simple way to remeber it?

The only thing I know for SURE that stacks are non-magical AC bonuses from normal armor. (Actaully as I type that I'm starting to doubt)

Please help?
Lord_Varos
09-05-06, 11:46 AM The only way to be sure is to check the type of bonus. A spell that adds +4 armor bonus stacks with a +2 deflection bonus but not with any other armor bonuses, such as those from physical armor or a Mage Armor spell. The deflection bonus would not stack with the deflection bonus from, say, a Ring of Protection.

The only type of AC bonus that stacks with everything, including itself, is the dodge bonus. +1 dodge bonus stacks with another +1 dodge to make +2, for instance.
Feriin
09-05-06, 11:49 AM AC= 10+Armor+Dex (limited by the type of armor you wear)+Shield+ Natural+Size+Deflection+Luck+Profane+Div ine+misc..

Only one of each type can be added (except dodge bonuses I think).

Note not all creatures will have a Luck or Profane or Divine bonus on AC.
Shaggy_Shaggs
09-05-06, 11:55 AM Unnamed bonuses stack with everything including other unnamed bonuses (which lets you do some pretty silly stuff with multiple Defending weapons, but costs an arm and a leg).
Azezel
09-05-06, 11:57 AM Anything anything which has the same name does not stack, except for Dodge Bonusses, which allways stack.

A +1 Sheild Bonus does not stack with a +4 Sheild Bonus, even if you think you can use both sheilds at once.

You cannot wear two suits of armour - so Armour bonusses don't stack. But a Sheild and an Armour bonus do stack.

A Luck Bonus stacks with a Dodge Bonus, but not with another Luck Bonus, but two Dodge bonusses do stack.

Appart from dodge, any bonus does not stack with a bonus of the same name.
BloodDragon
09-05-06, 12:08 PM Wow fast replies.

So with the except of dodge, and Armor(Armor) + Armor(Sheild), any bonus with the same name does not stack.

So if I have a +2 deflection ring, +4 deflection Amulet, +3 natural Armor cloak
Then I have a total of +7 (because I use the higher Deflection bonus 4+3)

Then Normal 10+armor+dex+sheild, ofcourse.

Is that right?
Shaggy_Shaggs
09-05-06, 12:11 PM So if I have a +2 deflection ring, +4 deflection Amulet, +3 natural Armor cloak
Then I have a total of +7 (because I use the higher Deflection bonus 4+3)

Then Normal 10+armor+dex+sheild, ofcourse.

Is that right?
Correct. :)
Aeromus
09-05-06, 12:29 PM 1 - Deflection
1 - Armor + shield
1 - Natural Armor
1 - Dex Bonus
1 - Base of 10
Infinite - Dodge
Infinite - Unamed
1 - Luck
1 - Divine/profane
1 - epic
1 - Enhancement (exception armor/shield enhancement bonus' stack)
Azezel
09-05-06, 03:28 PM Wow fast replies.

So with the except of dodge, and Armor(Armor) + Armor(Sheild), any bonus with the same name does not stack.

So if I have a +2 deflection ring, +4 deflection Amulet, +3 natural Armor cloak
Then I have a total of +7 (because I use the higher Deflection bonus 4+3)

Then Normal 10+armor+dex+sheild, ofcourse.

Is that right?

There's no such thing as Armour (Armour) or Armour (Sheild).

Armour gives an Armours bonus and Sheilds give a Sheild bonus.

Other than that, you are correct.
DarkNick
09-05-06, 03:43 PM Just to clarify for myself does natural armor stack with armor? e.g. an ogre wearing chainmail?
GaffeR
09-05-06, 03:59 PM Yes.
Yaeri
09-05-06, 03:59 PM Yes, natural armour is another type of armour than armour, so it stacks.
What wouldn't stack is your ogre wearing a necklace of natural armour.
DarkNick
09-05-06, 04:11 PM Cheers.
That one always bothered me. It seemed a bit powerful but makes sense (I had a player that had an ogre wearing chain and a large sheild, and a great sword in one hand...tough mother fuc...)
Birrak
09-05-06, 10:50 PM When a character is polymorphed into a creature with a natural AC bonus does this AC bonus count as a "nautral AC bonus" or does it count as an enchantment bonus as it is really the effect of the spell itself which gives the natural ac bonus?????
Salla
09-05-06, 10:54 PM Yes, natural armour is another type of armour than armour, so it stacks.
What wouldn't stack is your ogre wearing a necklace of natural armour.

Actually, the Amulet of Natural Armor provides an enhancement bonus to Natural Armor ... it wouldn't stack, per se, but it would improve the Natural Armor in question.
Nom
09-06-06, 12:05 AM Note that enhancement bonuses to armour or shield modify the armour or shield's bonus, not the character's AC directly.

For example:

A chain shirt grants a +4 armour bonus to AC.
A +1 chain shirt grants a +5 armour bonus to AC.
A chain shirt with magic vestment (8th) is effectively a +2 chain shirt, so a +6 armour bonus to AC.
A +1 chain shirt with magic vestment (8th) is effectively a +2 chain shirt (two enhancement bonuses don't stack), so a +6 armour bonus to AC.
Feriin
09-06-06, 02:44 PM 1 - Deflection
1 - Armor + shield
1 - Natural Armor
1 - Dex Bonus
1 - Base of 10
Infinite - Dodge
Infinite - Unamed
1 - Luck
1 - Divine/profane
1 - epic
1 - Enhancement (exception armor/shield enhancement bonus' stack)

This is mostly correct. Divine and Profane are seperate, hense why one is called Divine and the other is called Profane.
(Example of why Divine and Profane do stack, All dieties have a Divine bonus to AC, some of these dieties are Evil and thus have Profane bonuses to stats.)

There is also another type of Bonus I forgot about.

Sacred. Now this is the type of bonus that most DM's would not let stack with Profane (as they are pretty much considered direct opposites).
Skeeve
09-06-06, 03:50 PM While we're on the topic, there's one thing that I can never get straight: Enhancement bonuses. Do you have an enhancement bonus to your AC, or an enhancement bonus to your armour bonus?

Essentially, to put it simpler, do enhancement bonuses on armour and shields stack?
Polaris
09-06-06, 04:19 PM While we're on the topic, there's one thing that I can never get straight: Enhancement bonuses. Do you have an enhancement bonus to your AC, or an enhancement bonus to your armour bonus?

Essentially, to put it simpler, do enhancement bonuses on armour and shields stack?

The enhancement bonus applies to the item in question. Thus a Mithril Shirt with a +3 enhancement bonus has an armor bonus of +7 which is counted as a single bonus for the purposes of AC. Likewise a +4 enhancement bonus to a Dex score of 12 (for example) gives an unnamed bonus of +3 to your AC. Because of that the full bonus for (say) a +5 large shield (a shield AC bonus) and +5 Full plate (an armor AC Bonus) would indeed stack.

-Polaris
Skeeve
09-06-06, 05:06 PM The enhancement bonus applies to the item in question. Thus a Mithril Shirt with a +3 enhancement bonus has an armor bonus of +7 which is counted as a single bonus for the purposes of AC. Likewise a +4 enhancement bonus to a Dex score of 12 (for example) gives an unnamed bonus of +3 to your AC. Because of that the full bonus for (say) a +5 large shield (a shield AC bonus) and +5 Full plate (an armor AC Bonus) would indeed stack.

-Polaris

Aaahh, excellent, excellent. The only problem is that my DM believes otherwise, and I so far haven't been able to find a quote to back me up on that. You don't happen to have a page number for that, do you?
Merestil Haye
09-06-06, 07:45 PM There's this description of the Enhancement Bonus from the SRD.Enhancement Bonus

An enhancement bonus represents an increase in the sturdiness and/or effectiveness of armor or natural armor, or the effectiveness of a weapon, or a general bonus to an ability score. Multiple enhancement bonuses on the same object (in the case of armor and weapons), creature (in the case of natural armor), or ability score do not stack. Only the highest enhancement bonus applies. Since enhancement bonuses to armor or natural armor effectively increase the armor or natural armor's bonus to AC, they don't apply against touch attacks.I'm afraid I don't know page numbers; I generally have to look things like that up in the index.
Illithid_Tentacles
09-06-06, 09:16 PM Named bonuses of the same type do not stack. If you're wearing unenchanted leather armor and Bracers of Armor +4, then you only get the bonus from the latter, because they both provide Armor bonuses.

There are two exceptions, though. Dodge bonuses all stack with each other, regardless of the source. Unnamed bonuses stack with everything, including each other.
Otto the Bugbear
09-06-06, 11:01 PM 1 - Deflection
1 - Armor + shield
1 - Natural Armor
1 - Dex Bonus
1 - Base of 10
Infinite - Dodge
Infinite - Unamed
1 - Luck
1 - Divine/profane
1 - epic
1 - Enhancement (exception armor/shield enhancement bonus' stack)

Sacred - already mentioned
circumstance - holy star spell
size - ala halfling
intelligence - several sources
charisma - several sources
wisdom - several sources
insight - saint template

Cheers

Otto the Bugbear (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=439367) :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BloodDragon 09-05-06, 11:35 AM	What stacks on your AC and what does not? This has always confused me, and is there any simple way to remeber it? The only thing I know for SURE that stacks are non-magical AC bonuses from normal armor. (Actaully as I type that I'm starting to doubt) Please help?
Lord_Varos 09-05-06, 11:46 AM	The only way to be sure is to check the type of bonus. A spell that adds +4 armor bonus stacks with a +2 deflection bonus but not with any other armor bonuses, such as those from physical armor or a Mage Armor spell. The deflection bonus would not stack with the deflection bonus from, say, a Ring of Protection. The only type of AC bonus that stacks with everything, including itself, is the dodge bonus. +1 dodge bonus stacks with another +1 dodge to make +2, for instance.
Feriin 09-05-06, 11:49 AM	AC= 10+Armor+Dex (limited by the type of armor you wear)+Shield+ Natural+Size+Deflection+Luck+Profane+Div ine+misc.. Only one of each type can be added (except dodge bonuses I think). Note not all creatures will have a Luck or Profane or Divine bonus on AC.
Shaggy_Shaggs 09-05-06, 11:55 AM	Unnamed bonuses stack with everything including other unnamed bonuses (which lets you do some pretty silly stuff with multiple Defending weapons, but costs an arm and a leg).
Azezel 09-05-06, 11:57 AM	Anything anything which has the same name does not stack, except for Dodge Bonusses, which allways stack. A +1 Sheild Bonus does not stack with a +4 Sheild Bonus, even if you think you can use both sheilds at once. You cannot wear two suits of armour - so Armour bonusses don't stack. But a Sheild and an Armour bonus do stack. A Luck Bonus stacks with a Dodge Bonus, but not with another Luck Bonus, but two Dodge bonusses do stack. Appart from dodge, any bonus does not stack with a bonus of the same name.
BloodDragon 09-05-06, 12:08 PM	Wow fast replies. So with the except of dodge, and Armor(Armor) + Armor(Sheild), any bonus with the same name does not stack. So if I have a +2 deflection ring, +4 deflection Amulet, +3 natural Armor cloak Then I have a total of +7 (because I use the higher Deflection bonus 4+3) Then Normal 10+armor+dex+sheild, ofcourse. Is that right?
Shaggy_Shaggs 09-05-06, 12:11 PM	So if I have a +2 deflection ring, +4 deflection Amulet, +3 natural Armor cloak Then I have a total of +7 (because I use the higher Deflection bonus 4+3) Then Normal 10+armor+dex+sheild, ofcourse. Is that right? Correct. :)
Aeromus 09-05-06, 12:29 PM	1 - Deflection 1 - Armor + shield 1 - Natural Armor 1 - Dex Bonus 1 - Base of 10 Infinite - Dodge Infinite - Unamed 1 - Luck 1 - Divine/profane 1 - epic 1 - Enhancement (exception armor/shield enhancement bonus' stack)
Azezel 09-05-06, 03:28 PM	Wow fast replies. So with the except of dodge, and Armor(Armor) + Armor(Sheild), any bonus with the same name does not stack. So if I have a +2 deflection ring, +4 deflection Amulet, +3 natural Armor cloak Then I have a total of +7 (because I use the higher Deflection bonus 4+3) Then Normal 10+armor+dex+sheild, ofcourse. Is that right? There's no such thing as Armour (Armour) or Armour (Sheild). Armour gives an Armours bonus and Sheilds give a Sheild bonus. Other than that, you are correct.
DarkNick 09-05-06, 03:43 PM	Just to clarify for myself does natural armor stack with armor? e.g. an ogre wearing chainmail?
GaffeR 09-05-06, 03:59 PM	Yes.
Yaeri 09-05-06, 03:59 PM	Yes, natural armour is another type of armour than armour, so it stacks. What wouldn't stack is your ogre wearing a necklace of natural armour.
DarkNick 09-05-06, 04:11 PM	Cheers. That one always bothered me. It seemed a bit powerful but makes sense (I had a player that had an ogre wearing chain and a large sheild, and a great sword in one hand...tough mother fuc...)
Birrak 09-05-06, 10:50 PM	When a character is polymorphed into a creature with a natural AC bonus does this AC bonus count as a "nautral AC bonus" or does it count as an enchantment bonus as it is really the effect of the spell itself which gives the natural ac bonus?????
Salla 09-05-06, 10:54 PM	Yes, natural armour is another type of armour than armour, so it stacks. What wouldn't stack is your ogre wearing a necklace of natural armour. Actually, the Amulet of Natural Armor provides an enhancement bonus to Natural Armor ... it wouldn't stack, per se, but it would improve the Natural Armor in question.
Nom 09-06-06, 12:05 AM	Note that enhancement bonuses to armour or shield modify the armour or shield's bonus, not the character's AC directly. For example: A chain shirt grants a +4 armour bonus to AC. A +1 chain shirt grants a +5 armour bonus to AC. A chain shirt with magic vestment (8th) is effectively a +2 chain shirt, so a +6 armour bonus to AC. A +1 chain shirt with magic vestment (8th) is effectively a +2 chain shirt (two enhancement bonuses don't stack), so a +6 armour bonus to AC.
Feriin 09-06-06, 02:44 PM	1 - Deflection 1 - Armor + shield 1 - Natural Armor 1 - Dex Bonus 1 - Base of 10 Infinite - Dodge Infinite - Unamed 1 - Luck 1 - Divine/profane 1 - epic 1 - Enhancement (exception armor/shield enhancement bonus' stack) This is mostly correct. Divine and Profane are seperate, hense why one is called Divine and the other is called Profane. (Example of why Divine and Profane do stack, All dieties have a Divine bonus to AC, some of these dieties are Evil and thus have Profane bonuses to stats.) There is also another type of Bonus I forgot about. Sacred. Now this is the type of bonus that most DM's would not let stack with Profane (as they are pretty much considered direct opposites).
Skeeve 09-06-06, 03:50 PM	While we're on the topic, there's one thing that I can never get straight: Enhancement bonuses. Do you have an enhancement bonus to your AC, or an enhancement bonus to your armour bonus? Essentially, to put it simpler, do enhancement bonuses on armour and shields stack?
Polaris 09-06-06, 04:19 PM	While we're on the topic, there's one thing that I can never get straight: Enhancement bonuses. Do you have an enhancement bonus to your AC, or an enhancement bonus to your armour bonus? Essentially, to put it simpler, do enhancement bonuses on armour and shields stack? The enhancement bonus applies to the item in question. Thus a Mithril Shirt with a +3 enhancement bonus has an armor bonus of +7 which is counted as a single bonus for the purposes of AC. Likewise a +4 enhancement bonus to a Dex score of 12 (for example) gives an unnamed bonus of +3 to your AC. Because of that the full bonus for (say) a +5 large shield (a shield AC bonus) and +5 Full plate (an armor AC Bonus) would indeed stack. -Polaris
Skeeve 09-06-06, 05:06 PM	The enhancement bonus applies to the item in question. Thus a Mithril Shirt with a +3 enhancement bonus has an armor bonus of +7 which is counted as a single bonus for the purposes of AC. Likewise a +4 enhancement bonus to a Dex score of 12 (for example) gives an unnamed bonus of +3 to your AC. Because of that the full bonus for (say) a +5 large shield (a shield AC bonus) and +5 Full plate (an armor AC Bonus) would indeed stack. -Polaris Aaahh, excellent, excellent. The only problem is that my DM believes otherwise, and I so far haven't been able to find a quote to back me up on that. You don't happen to have a page number for that, do you?
Merestil Haye 09-06-06, 07:45 PM	There's this description of the Enhancement Bonus from the SRD.Enhancement Bonus An enhancement bonus represents an increase in the sturdiness and/or effectiveness of armor or natural armor, or the effectiveness of a weapon, or a general bonus to an ability score. Multiple enhancement bonuses on the same object (in the case of armor and weapons), creature (in the case of natural armor), or ability score do not stack. Only the highest enhancement bonus applies. Since enhancement bonuses to armor or natural armor effectively increase the armor or natural armor's bonus to AC, they don't apply against touch attacks.I'm afraid I don't know page numbers; I generally have to look things like that up in the index.
Illithid_Tentacles 09-06-06, 09:16 PM	Named bonuses of the same type do not stack. If you're wearing unenchanted leather armor and Bracers of Armor +4, then you only get the bonus from the latter, because they both provide Armor bonuses. There are two exceptions, though. Dodge bonuses all stack with each other, regardless of the source. Unnamed bonuses stack with everything, including each other.
Otto the Bugbear 09-06-06, 11:01 PM	1 - Deflection 1 - Armor + shield 1 - Natural Armor 1 - Dex Bonus 1 - Base of 10 Infinite - Dodge Infinite - Unamed 1 - Luck 1 - Divine/profane 1 - epic 1 - Enhancement (exception armor/shield enhancement bonus' stack) Sacred - already mentioned circumstance - holy star spell size - ala halfling intelligence - several sources charisma - several sources wisdom - several sources insight - saint template Cheers Otto the Bugbear (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=439367) :)