Competence Bonuses

[dren]

Do competence bonuses from magical items stack?

Armor with the shadow special ability plus an cloak of elvenkind both grant +5 competence bonuses to their hide skill. Do these "unnamed" competence bonuses stack?

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Competence bonuses are named, and since they aren't dodge bonuses, they don't stack.

...unless I'm missing something, of course.

 

[Trainz]

I do beleive they do.

There was an article by Skip Williams on the WotC boards about bonuses. I recommend you go read it.

 

[Trainz]

These articles are in four parts, and they don't link the next part at the bottom of part 1. Sloppy.

Nevertheless, I have copied the relevant part that interests you:

Circumstance Bonuses: Circumstance bonuses stack when they arise from different circumstances. For example, you might get a circumstance bonus to Move Silently checks when you're walking on a soft surface, such as sand or moss. You might also get a circumstance bonus to Move Silently checks when moving in a very noisy environment.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Trainz:

Circumstance bonus is different than Competence...

 

[Trainz]

Or not... I thought you were talking about circumstance bonuses, and realised it was competence bonuses (you can see how I got mixed-up).

No, they don't stack:

• Bonuses with different names stack.
• Bonuses with the same names overlap (don't stack)
• Bonuses with no names stack with any other bonuses (but not with themselves).

And remember the major exceptions:
​

• Dodge bonuses stack with each other.
• Circumstance bonuses stack when they arise from different circumstances.

Sorry...

 

[Trainz]

Trainz:

Circumstance bonus is different than Competence...

Heh... look at the time stamps on our posts. I just wasn't quick enough.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Though I DIDN'T know circumstance bonuses stacked(makes sense though)...so, Trainz, you have still done well!

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Heh... look at the time stamps on our posts. I just wasn't quick enough.

Look at Time Stamps, eh? Look at the last two!

 

[Trainz]

Look at Time Stamps, eh? Look at the last two!

Eerie... [cue Twilight Zone theme]

One thing that blows my mind though:

Bonuses with no names stack with any other bonuses (but not with themselves).

What the HELL is THAT supposed to mean ? ? ? No bonus ever stacked with "itself", and since it's unnamed, how could you tell anyways ? ? ?