Revised 3e Seminar: Stacking bonuses

[Perithoth]

Hello all,

As my brain slowly starts to filter through all the material that was covered in the 2 hour seminar at WF, here is the latest to pop to the surface:

[I have edited this message to better reflect what I remember from the seminar. I accidently allowed othrer rumors that were floating out there to influence my first post of this and this post now more accurately reflects what I did hear. I am sorry for the confusion.]

In the current version of 3e Armor and Shields are an exception to the rules for stacking. Both armor and shields were armor bonuses. No more.

Mundane Armor remains armor bonus and a shield becomes a shield bonus. As different bonuses they stack.

This has some interesting implications for mage armor. As it stands now the Mage Armor spell's armor bonus does not stack with a mundane shield's armor bouns. This should change.

Shield spells are changing but all the changes were not given. Right now they provide a +7 cover bonus to AC which stacks with everything. Depending on what type of bonus they give it will impact what it stacks with.

Dodge bonuses still stack.

Circumstance bonuses from different sources still stack.

Bryan Blumklotz
AKA Perithoth
Lord of Grumpiness

 

[Steverooo]

Circumstances

I didn't think Circumstance bonuses stacked, now?

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Gee, they're going out of their way to make sure that fighter and wizard don't combine at all aren't they. The shield spell doesn't stack with a normal shield. Haste is nerfed. Monsters now get unbeatable SR and unhittable armor classes (unless you've a full attack bonus). What's the point of putting Spellsword in the DMG when the class combo it supports is suboptimal now and will be pointless under the new rules?

 

[Deadguy]

Deep breath, EB!

Let's wait for the full package before writing it off!

 

[MerricB]

At last! The inconsistency of the Shield and Armour bonuses has been driving me wild for the past two years. I don't think they're ever explained properly in the PHB.

Look at the glossary: Shield bonus, Armour bonus. Huh?

Cheers!

 

[Ravellion]

Yes EB, but now you can also cast mage armour and wear a mithril buckler for some sweet AC.

Rav

 

[shilsen]

Although I'll reserve judgement until I see the actual wording on this, it looks like another change I prefer. 3.5e is looking better and better so far

 

[Gez]

Gee, they're going out of their way to make sure that fighter and wizard don't combine at all aren't they. The shield spell doesn't stack with a normal shield. Haste is nerfed. Monsters now get unbeatable SR and unhittable armor classes (unless you've a full attack bonus). What's the point of putting Spellsword in the DMG when the class combo it supports is suboptimal now and will be pointless under the new rules?

It was ALREADY suboptimal. Multiclassed spellcasters, especially wizards, suck. Too weak at spellcasting since they lose wizard levels, and thanks to their puny HD, BAB, saves and skill, too weak at anything else their other class focuses on.

 

[Henrix]

Re: Circumstances

I didn't think Circumstance bonuses stacked, now?

They do if they are not from the same circumstance.

 

[Gez]

That change (shield bonus) I like. I informally used it already, as I considered a shield to give a shield bonus to AC, rather than an armor bonus.


About circumstance bonuses, they do stack when, um, circumstance dictate so.