Armor for tiny creatures

[Yogibear41]

In the players handbook it states that for creatures of tiny or smaller size the AC bonus of armor should be divided by two.

Now I know the general rule is to round everything down, but for tiny creatures wearing say padded armor and/or a buckler the +1 bonus would be rounded down to nothing, should this be the case? or should it always at least give a +1 bonus?

Also, I am of the understanding that this rounding down of bonus's has no effect on an items magical enhancement bonus, such that even if the armor was halved originally each enhancement bonus is still worth what it would normally be worth. For example a +2 padded armor would still give a +2 to AC even if its original +1 was rounded down to +0.


Also is their anything preventing some sort of shield type barding to give something non-humanoid in shape a shield bonus?

Thanks for the help :smallsmile:

[Erik Vale]

First, are you the DM, if so, you decide.
Second, if not, ask your DM, as they have the most relevent answer.
Third, it says 'should', which means that you don't have to, I would choose not to half then round down padded armour, buckler I might though. I'm not sure for enchantment bonus but I doubt that's halved.

As for non humanoid sheilds, I believe there is the dancing enchantment for them. As a DM would say if they have a manipulating appendige [i.e. arm, tenticle], then I would say as normal, if not, then they have nothing to hold the shield [i.e. dog], in which case it should require magic, as they can't manipulate the shield so it stays in the same place, becoming armour.

[Humble Master]

On all of these it would basically come down to DM ruling. On the first question RAW the armor would not give any bonus but it does make sense for it to give at least some help guarding against attacks. The second question is a little harder. Technically, the bonus from magical armor is an Enhancement bonus, not an armour bonus to AC so I don't think you would divide it. However this is taken from the SRD:

Since enhancement bonuses to armor or natural armor effectively increase the armor or natural armor's bonus to AC, they don't apply against touch attacks. It doesn't say anything specifically about what you are asking but the "effectively increase the armor or natural armor's bonus to AC" line blurs things a bit. Finally, RAW you can only make barding out of armor but again with DM fiat you could make shields to.

[Yuki Akuma]

A shield bonus to AC represents being able to interpose some object strategically to deflect blows. If you don't have arms, you're not getting a shield bonus to your AC. If you have arms, use a shield.

[Yogibear41]

Pseudo-Dragon holding a shield? yes/no?

Was thinking more along the lines of some special arm plating, made of mithril to function as a buckler.


And the special light elven material from races of the wild (thistledown I believe) to be a padded armor for it.


Trying to keep ACP and arcane spell failure at 0 and have the ability to still make somatic components for arcane spells.