Stacking ASF% reduction - kind of...

[Jalkain]

Just wanted to run an idea past you guys

Let's consider a Bard 4/Fighter 1/Spellsword 3, who has taken the Battle Caster feat. This character has three sources of Arcane Spell Failure (ASF) reduction.

1. No ASF when casting in light armour, due to Bard levels
2. No ASF when casting in medium armour, due to Battle Caster feat
3. -15% ASF due to having 3 levels of Spellsword

1. and 2. don't appear to stack in a useful way with 3., if only armour is being worn. But if a shield is added to light or medium armour, it should be possible to count the Spellsword reduction towards the shield. This is assuming that the Spellsword reduction is applied after the effect of the feat.

So, the above character should be able to wear chainmail and a large shield with no chance of spell failure. Can anyone find a fault with my reasoning?


edited to make character legal

 

[Diirk]

Sounds fine to me, run it past your gm tho, he obviously has final say

 

[Sue Bloodbucket]

Ahmm...
It might sound like giving a no answer but:
How did you get to pick the battle caster feat? I don't think that a wizard meets the prerequisites for that. If you would play a bard or warmage that would be a different think, alas I think one wouldn't pick up the spellsword then...

greetings
Sue

 

[Jalkain]

Ahmm...
It might sound like giving a no answer but:
How did you get to pick the battle caster feat? I don't think that a wizard meets the prerequisites for that. If you would play a bard or warmage that would be a different think, alas I think one wouldn't pick up the spellsword then...

greetings
Sue

What are the pre-reqs for Battle Caster? My friend with Complete Arcane seemed to think there weren't any!

 

[Laman Stahros]

Prereq: Ability to ignore arcane spell failure chance from armor.

Your character, as described, does not qualify for this feat. Sorry.

 

[Jalkain]

Prereq: Ability to ignore arcane spell failure chance from armor.

Your character, as described, does not qualify for this feat. Sorry.

Oh dear. Well, the original point still stands, I shall just have to modify the character a bit.

 

[Tessarael]

Prereq: Ability to ignore arcane spell failure chance from armor.

Your character, as described, does not qualify for this feat. Sorry.

I disagree. A Bard can ignore arcane spell failure in light armor, and hence qualifies for the feat.

 

[Jalkain]

He was talking about my original character, which had wizard levels instead of bard levels. I've since modified my original post.

 

[Ferret]

I would like to change the feat a bit, add some more Prerequisites, but over all yeah I'd allow it.

 

[Arkhandus]

The bard description in the SRD doesn't really state clearly whether or not using a shield incurs ASF from both armor and shield, but its wording does seem more likely to support your point than not. Really comes down to DM adjudication I suppose, because the stupid wording in the bard description isn't quite clear, but the wording does seem likely to support your character build.