[3.5] Dastana

[Jergmo]

From Arms and Equipment Guide: Dastana: This pair of metal bracers can be worn in addition to some other types of armor to provide an additional armor bonus that stacks with both the foundation armor and any shield worn. You can wear dastana with padded, leather, or chain shirt armor. You need the Armor Proficiency (light) feat to wear dastana without penalty.

So, you can wear the dastana with most light armor. However...does it sound like you need to wear armor with it? If I were using the Defense Bonus variant, for example, could I just have my unarmored defense bonus, with a shield and dastana? :smallconfused:

[AslanCross]

No, it does not require any other armor. It's actually a shield (see the table) that explicitly stacks with other shields and armor.

[holywhippet]

I'd say no. For one thing, carrying a shield would remove your unarmored bonus. Read through the entry for the monk - they get bonuses when unarmored and unencumbered. They lose these bonuses if they are using a shield.

For another, I'd consider the dastana to be supplemental armour - especially since it requires armor proficiency to use without penalty.

[Jergmo]

I'd say no. For one thing, carrying a shield would remove your unarmored bonus. Read through the entry for the monk - they get bonuses when unarmored and unencumbered. They lose these bonuses if they are using a shield.

For another, I'd consider the dastana to be supplemental armour - especially since it requires armor proficiency to use without penalty.

The Defense Bonus variant stacks with shields. It's not monk unarmored AC.

[Darrin]

No, it does not require any other armor. It's actually a shield (see the table) that explicitly stacks with other shields and armor.

It also stacks with a Chahar-Aina, which is another shield-like item (although it looks more like armor), which also stacks with your existing armor bonus, shield bonus, and the Dastana bonus.

Oriental Adventures has a picture of both on page 76.

According to the rules in OA, you can wear a chain shirt + chahar-aina + dastana + shield for a +7 or +8 AC bonus (add an Extreme Shield from Races of Stone for a total +9 AC bonus). You can enchant each one separately, but only the highest enhancement bonus counts.

[Otodetu]

I find the item to be badly designed and unbalancing. Good thing it is not to be found in 3.5.

[Runeclaw]

The Defense Bonus variant stacks with shields. It's not monk unarmored AC.

But it doesn't stack with Armor Bonus, which is what the Dastana provides.