Rules of the Game Part 2

[Hypersmurf]

Consider, as an alternative, NWN's system where all bonuses stack, but you're limited to a max of +10 (excluding base and stat).

... so Armor Class is limited to 20 plus stat bonuses? Breastplate (+5 Armor Bonus), Mage Armor (+4 Armor Bonus), Dodge feat (+1 Dodge Bonus), and... we're done?

Or do I not understand?

And if all bonuses stack, does that mean that a +6 Belt of Giant Strength (36k gp) costs the same as +2 Gauntlets of Ogre Power and four Pale Blue Ioun Stones (to max out the possible +10 to Strength)?

Does the +10 bonus limit include racial bonuses? Size bonuses?

-Hyp.

 

[the Jester]

The place we stumbled early was when we decided that enhancement bonuses counted against incorporeal and touch attacks. We've known better for quite a while, though.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The place we stumbled early was when we decided that enhancement bonuses counted against incorporeal and touch attacks.

It comes from the same mistake as the one I described earlier. If Enhancement bonuses added directly to AC, then they would count in your Touch AC; since Touch AC only ignores Armor and Natural Armor bonuses, an Enhancement bonus to AC would still count.

But since the Enhancement bonus only adds to an Armor bonus - which is ignored - then, as you know, they don't count towards Touch AC.

I nearly mentioned that as the other common misconception, but the boards were running so slowly I gave up

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

... so Armor Class is limited to 20 plus stat bonuses? Breastplate (+5 Armor Bonus), Mage Armor (+4 Armor Bonus), Dodge feat (+1 Dodge Bonus), and... we're done?

Or do I not understand?

It is left as an exercise for the reader to arrive at an appropriate definition of a "base" bonus to AC. Hint: consider the derivation of the acronym.

And if all bonuses stack, does that mean that a +6 Belt of Giant Strength (36k gp) costs the same as +2 Gauntlets of Ogre Power and four Pale Blue Ioun Stones (to max out the possible +10 to Strength)?

It is also left as an exercise for the reader to arrive at an appropriate costing formula for magic items, in the context of aforementioned stacking system.

Does the +10 bonus limit include racial bonuses? Size bonuses?

You tell me.

 

[Epametheus]

NWN stacking?

The +10 cap that Hong mentioned only applies to stats, if I remember right. Magic items can add a total of +10 to any stat, and a bunch of +2 stat items (or casting a stat-buffing spell when you already have appropriate items equipped) for 1 stat will add up.

basically, if you have a +6 strength belt and then your armor and your sword also give a +6 to Str each, you still only get +10 total bonus. My Paladin with Bull's Strength and a +2 or 3 Str item usually had a +5 or +6 bonus to his Str stat at all times.

There's no such cap on armor; I easily pulled off a 30+ AC.

Granted, it's NWN, so I had a L10 Paladin that could duel Adult Red Dragons, yet my elven rogue who should auto-detect traps failed to notice all the 100+ point traps on a regular basis. NWN really isn't the best example of how to do something.

Edit: did NWN even have the size bonuses and penalties? I uninstalled it like a year ago, so I don't remember all that many details.

 

[Hypersmurf]

It is left as an exercise for the reader to arrive at an appropriate definition of a "base" bonus to AC. Hint: consider the derivation of the acronym.

Hmm? The base figure for Armor Class is 10. It says so in the PHB.

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Hmm? The base figure for Armor Class is 10. It says so in the PHB.

-Hyp.

Don't make me fly over and hurt you, smurfboy.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Don't make me fly over and hurt you, smurfboy.

It just sounds like your "everything stacks, to a limit of +10" needs a whole bunch of explanations, examples, and exceptions... and ends up with no particular advantage over the current system.

-Hyp.

 

[trentonjoe]

It just sounds like your "everything stacks, to a limit of +10" needs a whole bunch of explanations, examples, and exceptions... and ends up with no particular advantage over the current system.

-Hyp.

If I could interupt the battle of Oceania....this seems like an appropriate time to ask this question.

You cannot stack bracers of armor and magic vestment right?

 

[Hypersmurf]

If I could interupt the battle of Oceania....this seems like an appropriate time to ask this question.

You cannot stack bracers of armor and magic vestment right?

Magic Vestment increases the Armor bonus of a suit of armor (or clothing) or the Shield bonus of a shield.

If you cast it on a shield, the shield bonus will stack with the Bracers; if you cast it on armor or clothing, the Armor bonus will overlap with the Bracers.

Edit - unless you're playing Neverwinter Nights, in which case the answer is apparently "It is left as an exercise for the reader to arrive at an appropriate answer".

-Hyp.