Mage Armor question

[CRGreathouse]

providing a +3 armor bonus to AC, like a mundane shield

A mundane shield provides a +1 or +2 AC bonus - should your spell be a +2 bonus, or is the description deceptive?

 

[DoctorB]

I think I would make it a +2 bonus like any shield and I like the shorter duration. Or maybe make it a 2nd level spell with 1hour/level.
Why does it have an armor check penalty but no arcane spell failure chance? The two seem to go hand in hand to me...

 

[Kosh]

A mage shield does entail armor check penalties,

What is the shield's armor check penalty?... -1? -2?...

Personally, I don't think this spell needs to have ACP...

Drop it to +2, make it an hour/level, and have no penalties (just like Mage Armor)...

If this seems too weak for a first level spell, think about how unorthodox it is... No other spell or power grants a 'shield-like stacking armor bonus'... And this spell will always be cast right after Mage Armor... That's +6 AC for two first level spells with long durations... Not too shabby...

If that argument doesn't suit you, up the duration to 2 hours/level... That would be interesting... Half the protection for twice the duration...

 

[ThomasBJJ]

There's a spell in one of the Dragon mags (one of the first 3 3rd ed. ones) called "Shield Bearer" I believe. I think it basically is an invisible force that holds a real shield to protect you. check it out. I kinda liked it when I first read it.

 

[apsuman]

yeah, it should be +2 same as a bonus for a large shield.

also, the ACP are because I can only imagine that doing things like climbing, swimming, etc. would be harder if you had an invisible force shield hitting you in the face every time you tried to go up a ladder, down a rope, etc.


g!

 

[apsuman]

I thought of making this a second level spell but have the shield hovering about you automatically moving to block hits.