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View Full Version : Does Magic Armor apply to touch AC? PF/3.5



Aeromyre
2010-06-07, 08:19 AM
Hey everyone, I was wondering if the modifiers of magic armor apply to a character's touch armor class. in the Pathfinder book it says:
"When you are the target of a touch attack, your AC doesn’t include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. All other modifiers, such as your size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) apply normally."

I also read somewhere else that items like Ring of Protection do because the count towards your deflection modifier.

Thanks in advance

Amphetryon
2010-06-07, 08:21 AM
Unless magic armor in PF specifically adds a deflection bonus (it doesn't by RAW in 3.5), the answer is no.

Optimystik
2010-06-07, 08:22 AM
Yes and no. It will not stop a normal touch attack (because it is an armor bonus as you said), however it will stop a touch attack from an incorporeal creature (like a ghost) because it is a force effect.

Citation: (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/theBasics.htm#armorBonus)

"An armor bonus applies to Armor Class and is granted by armor or by a spell or magical effect that mimics armor. Armor bonuses stack with all other bonuses to Armor Class (even with natural armor bonuses) except other armor bonuses. An armor bonus doesn't apply against touch attacks, except for armor bonuses granted by force effects (such as the mage armor spell) which apply against incorporeal touch attacks, such as that of a shadow."

EDIT: Oops, it seems I was confusing "magic armor" with "Mage Armor." :smallredface:

Aeromyre
2010-06-07, 08:25 AM
Awesome guys thanks for the help :D

RelentlessImp
2010-06-07, 08:26 AM
More specifically:

Any armor is an Armor bonus - even on +X armor, the enhancement bonus of a piece of armor is still an Armor bonus, which specifically does not apply to Touch attacks, along with Shield bonuses created by corporeal shields (enchanted or not - again, the enhancement bonus on a shield is still a Shield bonus) and that created by the Shield spell.

Mage Armor and Shield (spells) have an extra line that allows their bonus to apply to an "incorporeal touch attack", or a touch attack made by incorporeal creatures; such as a Shadow's STR damage touch, or a Ghost's 1d4 drain touch.

The only things that apply to normal touch attacks are all +AC bonuses EXCEPT Armor, Shield, or Natural Armor bonuses. This includes Size, Deflection, Dodge, Profane, Sacred, Morale, etc as ones that do apply.

Curmudgeon
2010-06-07, 09:38 AM
Note that the magic enhancement on normal armor is not a force effect, so it won't help even with incorporeal touch attacks. But Bracers of Armor are force effects.
These items appear to be wrist or arm guards. They surround the wearer with an invisible but tangible field of force, granting him an armor bonus of +1 to +8, just as though he were wearing armor. Both bracers must be worn for the magic to be effective. The rules in Magic Item Compendium for common magical effects (see pages 233-234) treat armor bonuses in arms (bracers) and body (robes) slots identically, though this straight armor boost cannot be added to anything which provides a nonmagical armor bonus; also, magic robes and armor both occupy the body slot, so they can't be stacked together. But this does clarify that robes with armor enhancements, including a Robe of the Archmagi, will boost AC vs. incorporeal touch attacks. (You no longer have to argue about the implications of Mage Armor as a possible crafting requirement in Robe of the Archmagi.)