Deflection and Incorporeality

[shadowbloodmoon]

This is probably a silly one, but are deflection bonuses granted from spells technically a Force affect and thereby will affect an incorporeal creature's to hit chance? More specifically, does Shield of Faith protect from a wraith's attack?

This came up in my Xbox Eberron campaign and I ruled that since the spell grants deflection, it would affect the wraith's ability to attack the character in question. Was I right? Is there a specific rules quote somewhere? I dug through the DMG on Incorporeality, but as always, it was rather vague.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Caliban]

This is probably a silly one, but are deflection bonuses granted from spells technically a Force affect and thereby will affect an incorporeal creature's to hit chance? More specifically, does Shield of Faith protect from a wraith's attack?

This came up in my Xbox Eberron campaign and I ruled that since the spell grants deflection, it would affect the wraith's ability to attack the character in question. Was I right? Is there a specific rules quote somewhere? I dug through the DMG on Incorporeality, but as always, it was rather vague.

Thanks in advance.

Yes, you made the correct ruling.
Incorporeal Touch Attacks are a type of Touch Attack. Thus, anything that provides a bonus to Touch AC will help, not just Force Effects. (Incorporeal Touch Attacks can be blocked by Force based AC, in addition everything that protects against the standard type of Touch Attack.)

 

[Jhulae]

Deflection bonus always adds to AC.

Where incorporeality makes a difference is against Armor or Shield bonuses. Most don't add to AC versus touch attacks and such (which a lot of incorporeal undead use), but things like mage armor are force and do add in those cases.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Excellent. Thank you.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Where incorporeality makes a difference is against Armor or Shield bonuses.

And Natural Armor, and enhancements to all of the above.