touch attack help

[drakoonity]

Ok a very quick question, in a ranged or non ranged touch attack it says that I basically lose my armor bonus but what if you have a monk. Would you still add the wisdom mod to your ac as well or does that get canceled?

[Urpriest]

The Monk's Wis to AC isn't an Armor bonus, so it is retained.

[CaladanMoonblad]

AC Bonus (Ex)
When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm).

[Diarmuid]

You lose your "Armor Bonus", "Shield Bonus", and "Natural Armor Bonus" vs touch attacks.



AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.


The Monk's "AC Bonus" is a "+1 Bonus to Armor Class" which does not equal any of the types of AC bonii that are precluded by Touch Attacks.

[drakoonity]

It goes to ranged touch attacks as well right?

[Khedrac]

Correct.

Also note that incorporeal touch attacks also count other forms of defence such as armor bonuses from force effects like mage armour so typically your incorporeal touch AC (something not usually defined) is often higher than your touch AC. Monk-type AC bonuses count against these too, of course.

[Urpriest]

It goes to ranged touch attacks as well right?

Yup, ranged touch attacks have the same rules vis a vis what bonuses to AC they ignore.

[drakoonity]

Ok so lets say my monk has a wisdom of 18 and a dexterity of 17, and someone casts like shield on him. Then he got attacked by a touch attack, he would keep his wisdom and dexterity modifier, but would the ac bonus from the shield spell stay as well or would it bypass it as well?

[Urpriest]

Ok so lets say my monk has a wisdom of 18 and a dexterity of 17, and someone casts like shield on him. Then he got attacked by a touch attack, he would keep his wisdom and dexterity modifier, but would the ac bonus from the shield spell stay as well or would it bypass it as well?

Depends. If it's an Incorporeal Touch Attack, the Shield spell bonus would apply. If it's a normal Touch Attack (from a spell, say) then Shield would not apply.