In my ToD campaign, I wanted to build the main NPCs using full player classes, and I decided to respec Rezmir as a Pact of the Blade warlock. My question is: Does the black dragon mask's Draconic Majesty quality stack with effects such as mage armor or Unarmored Defense?
For those without the product, Draconic Majesty reads: "While you are wearing no armor, you can add your Charisma bonus to your Armor Class." Note that it does not explicitly state that it changes the way the wearer's base AC is calculated as mage armor or Unarmored Defense does, but I'm more interested in the intent of the design rather than the letter. Thoughts?
It's essentially an artifact. So I'd let it stack with anything you feel is appropriate as a DM.
It's addition. It works like addition. I love 27 AC paladin/warlocks.
27 AC enemy ?!
I can see where the critical role for that fight is going to be the DEX Rogue who maximized his Sticky Fingers skill check.
FFSAA wrote:
1eejit wrote:
Jedric0202 wrote:
Timborama wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
FFSAA wrote:
Well, if the assumption is 'whatever magic you like', probably another +1 from ring of protection, +1 staff of defense, and heck I wouldn't be shocked by another +1 from an ioun stone or the like, so 28 is probably doable. Possibly even higher if there are bracers of defense that end up being more powerful than basic mage armor.
... which is of course a reason you'd probably not want the mask to work that way. I'd probably have it supplant mage armor, so you could do up to 15 base but not just stack it on top. Of course it's also an artifact so you have pretty strong DM control over who is wearing it, why, and what else they have access to 
Originally, I thought the mask would be safely tucked away in a chest ready for teleport, but then I noticed that Rezmir's stats assume she is wearing it. I thought it would make for a more interesting fight if she started wearing it, realized she was going to lose, then forming the new objective of, "GET THIS F@!KING THING IN THE CHEST BEFORE I DIE." The players will probably be wondering why she is taking off such a potent item a second before blasting her to death, and then POOF! No chest.
I mean, I could have it stack for her...If I felt like bending the rules just a tad. 20 AC is good, but by no means unbeatable. My players are relatively good about not powergaming the system too much. Maybe they can handle it.
danyc wrote: