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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kerrick" data-source="post: 4593838" data-attributes="member: 4722">I finally sat down and wrote up the changes for modifiers. Here's what I've got.Modifiers  A modifier is any bonus or penalty applying to a die roll. A positive modifier is a bonus, and a negative modifier is a penalty.Types of Modifiers  Modifiers are divided into three types: intrinsic, internal, and external. Each is explained below.  Intrinsic: These are almost always bonuses (except for ability and size); they generally derive from something inherent to the character or creature, and are always extraordinary in nature (though they can come from magical or supernatural sources like spells and magic items).  Armor, craft, natural armor, racial, resistance, and shield bonuses, and ability and size modifiers, are inherent. Intrinsic modifiers stack with each other (as long as they're different types) and internal and external modifiers.  Internal: Internal modifiers are those that generally apply because of the character's or creature's innate abilities, or the improvement thereof. They are generally permanent, but can be bonuses or penalties. Internal modifiers are generally supernatural or magical in nature. Competence, dodge, enhancement, insight, and morale modifiers are all internal.  External: External modifiers are applied from an outside source. Unlike internal bonuses, they are very rarely permanent and are usually granted by spells or magic items. Circumstance, deflection, and luck modifiers are all external.Stacking  In most cases, modifiers to a given check or roll stack (combine for a cumulative effect) if they come from different sources (internal and external) and have different types (or no type at all), but do not stack (overlap) if they have the same type or come from the same source (such as the same spell cast twice in succession). If the modifiers to a particular roll do not stack, only the best bonus and worst penalty apply. Dodge bonuses and circumstance bonuses however, do stack with one another unless otherwise specified. Intrinsic bonuses always stack with each other and with internal and external bonuses.  For example, a character's Armor Class can be modified by armor, shield, ability (Dexterity), natural armor, and size - these are all intrinsic, and stack. It can also be modified by one internal and one external source; multiple bonuses or penalties from internal sources overlap (only the best is applied), and the same for external. The character could have a +2 dodge bonus and a +3 deflection bonus to AC; these would stack with all the intrinsic modifiers to determine his final Armor Class. If he received a +3 insight bonus (internal), it would override the dodge bonus until it wore off.I decided to keep circumstance and luck separate because circumstance is extraordinary, while luck only derives from supernatural/magical sources - spells, items, or things like domain abilities. I came up with the extraordinary/supernatural thing at work today (I started working on this before work) and I thought it made a good justification for splitting off intrinsic bonuses.</blockquote>

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