Quick One: Do circumstance bonuses stack?

Liquidsabre · Jan 20, 2005

As the title, do they?

Marimmar · Jan 20, 2005

From different circumstances yes.

e.g. two people aiding another stacks

~Marimmar

irdeggman · Jan 20, 2005

Yes, unless they are from essentially the same circumstance (as stated above) - pg 21 3.5 DMG.

Joker · Jan 20, 2005

Do the circumstance bonusses from different items stack (in 3.0, i just read in the 3.5 SRD that the items give competence bonusses)? I.e. Boots of Elvenkind and Armor of Silent Moves.

dcollins · Jan 20, 2005

Regarding the magic items, the DM would need to adjudicate whether they count as "essentially the same circumstance or not". For the example in question, I would personally rule "yes, they stack", since they seem fairly different, different prerequisites are involved, and the armor check penalty still applies for the armor.

irdeggman · Jan 20, 2005

Joker said:
Do the circumstance bonusses from different items stack (in 3.0, i just read in the 3.5 SRD that the items give competence bonusses)? I.e. Boots of Elvenkind and Armor of Silent Moves.

Bonuses of the same type do not stack except for dodge bonuses and some circumstance bonuses, unless the specific description states otherwise.

Competence and circumstance bonuses are 2 different types of bonuses. Items that both grant a competence bonus to the same thing do not stack (again unless specifically stated otherwise). So it doesn't matter where the bonus comes from what matters is what type of bonus (and to what) it is being applied. For example bardic music grants a morale bonus, so does a Bless or Prayer spell. Hence the effects do not stack, but the recepient gets the best possible combination of bonus.