Are you considered unarmed if you were Bracers?

[grungyhobo]

Ok if a monk is wearing Bracers of armor +2 and a belt of strength +2 is he considered unarmored? Would the bracer armor bonus stack with the monk ac bouns? Also if this was a vow of poverty monk does the monk ac bonus stack w the vow ac bonus?...and if they stack would the bracers stack on that too?

[GreenETC]

Ok if a monk is wearing Bracers of armor +2 and a belt of strength +2 is he considered unarmored? Would the bracer armor bonus stack with the monk ac bouns? Also if this was a vow of poverty monk does the monk ac bonus stack w the vow ac bonus?...and if they stack would the bracers stack on that too?
In the first case, yes, Bracers of Armor (and other magic items) do not count as armor and are therefore allowed to stack with the Monk AC bonus. A Vow of Poverty Monk would also be allowed to stack his Exalted AC bonus, as well as his Deflection and Natural Armor bonuses that he gets at higher levels.

Obviously it won't stack with Bracers of Armor though, since a Vow of Poverty Monk isn't allowed to wear Bracers of Armor. :P

[Lightlawbliss]

I was part of a game at one point where VoP was made less restricted, so I see this as a legit question. (RAW the bracers can't be used by someone with VoP)

Bonuses of the same type don't stack (with a few exceptions). Bracers provide an armor bonus. I see exalted (which description puts as essentially armor bonus) and deflection bonuses in VoP. Monk is untyped, it always stacks.

[Deophaun]

IA Vow of Poverty Monk would also be allowed to stack his Exalted AC bonus...
No. The exalted AC bonus granted by the VoP explicitly does not stack with armor bonuses (such as granted from bracers of armor or mage armor)

[grungyhobo]

In the first case, yes, Bracers of Armor (and other magic items) do not count as armor and are therefore allowed to stack with the Monk AC bonus. A Vow of Poverty Monk would also be allowed to stack his Exalted AC bonus, as well as his Deflection and Natural Armor bonuses that he gets at higher levels.

Obviously it won't stack with Bracers of Armor though, since a Vow of Poverty Monk isn't allowed to wear Bracers of Armor. :P

So then what items count as making a monk armored, are you only armored if you wear a suit of armor? Can I have magic boots, bracers, belt, shirt, gloves, and cape and still be unarmored?

[Lightlawbliss]

So then what items count as making a monk armored, are you only armored if you wear a suit of armor? Can I have magic boots, bracers, belt, shirt, gloves, and cape and still be unarmored?

unarmored: not using armor. If nothing you are using is light armor, medium armor or heavy armor then your good.

[GreenETC]

No. The exalted AC bonus granted by the VoP explicitly does not stack with armor bonuses (such as granted from bracers of armor or mage armor)
I was referring to the Monk AC bonus stacking with the Vow bonus, and said that a VoP Monk couldn't wear Bracers, but I could have been more clear to state that the VoP bonus doesn't stack with Armor bonuses.

A Monk that doesn't have the VoP restrictions can wear an item in every slot, up to and including shoes, bracers, hats, belts, capes, vests, and even weapons. Just not armor.

Of course, a savvy Druid could also wear a Monk's Belt, get the AC bonus, and be a bear without even having to have Monk levels, and a Swordsage or the Moon Ranger ACF from Dragon Magazine can even get that bonus while in Light Armor.