Mage Armor (again)

[jhanzur]

Another oft' asked question I've oft' missed..... does Mage Armor stack with regular armor? Cite rulings if you could.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

Armor gives an armor bonus to AC
Mage armor gives armor bonus to AC
Same bonuses do not stack.

(of course, there is an exception to armor bonus not stacking, namely armor and a shield)

Maitre D

 

[Caliban]

Another oft' asked question I've oft' missed..... does Mage Armor stack with regular armor? Cite rulings if you could.

Armor Gives an "Armor Bonus"

Mage Armor gives an "Armor bonus"

Bonuses of the same type do not stack, except for Dodge, Synergy, and most Circumstance bonuses.

 

[Ravellion]

No it doesn't. Both a suit of Armor and Mage Armor give an Armor Bonus to AC, and hence do not stack. Here is a quote from the System Reference Document.

BONUSES FROM MAGIC ITEMS
Table: Bonuses from Magic Items
Bonus Type Improves
---------- --------
Armor AC
Circumstance Attacks, checks
Competence Attacks, saves, checks
Deflection AC
Dodge AC
Enhancement Armor’s bonus
Enhancement Attacks, damage
Enhancement Ability scores
Enlargement Str, Con
Haste AC
Inherent Ability scores
Insight Attacks, AC, saves, checks
Luck Attacks, weapon damage, AC, saves, checks
Morale Attacks, weapon damage, checks, saves
Natural armor AC
Profane AC, saves, checks
Resistance Saves
Sacred AC, saves, checks
Synergy Checks
Many magic items offer a bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, Armor Class, ability scores, or skill checks. Most items that add to saving throws, attack rolls, damage rolls, or AC are restricted to a maximum bonus of +5. (Bracers of armor are an exception.) Most items that add to ability scores are restricted to a maximum bonus of +6, and the bonus usually comes in multiples of 2 (+2, +4, or +6). Skill check bonuses do not have a maximum.
Bonuses of different types always stack. Identical types of bonuses do not stack.
Different named bonus types all stack, but usually a named bonus does not stack with another bonus of the same name (except for enhancement bonuses to armor and shields, enhancement bonuses to ranged weapons and their ammunition, dodge bonuses, synergy bonuses, and some circumstance bonuses).
Armor: This is the same type of bonus that mundane armor gives a character. A spell that gives an armor bonus typically creates an invisible, tangible field of force around the affected character.

 

[dcollins]

PHB p. 104: "Armor Bonus... This bonus is an armor bonus, so it does not stack with other effects that increase your armor bonus, such as the mage armor spell or bracers of armor."

www.superdan.net/dndfaq1.html

 

[Spatzimaus]

This also means that under the current rules, Mage Armor doesn't stack with a shield, because they're both Armor bonuses, but a shield DOES stack with the Shield spell.

This is something that'll get fixed up in 3.5E.

 

[jhanzur]

Thanks all. I was away from my PHB when another player said they stacked. I thought not.

 

[0-hr]

Does the "invisible but tangible field of force" do anything with regards to touch attack AC?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Does the "invisible but tangible field of force" do anything with regards to touch attack AC?

No. It's an armor bonus.

It will, however, count against incorporeal touch attacks.

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

The only time it helps against touch attacks is the special case of incorporeal creatures attacking you... it helps as force armour against THEIR touch attacks, but it would help as well if they wouldn't use touch attacks...