Do same type bonus's that apply to semi-different things stack?

[Origomar]

For example lets say i have something that gives me a +2 morale bonus vs arcane spells

And i also have something that gives a +1 morale bonus against fear effects.


If someone casts an arcane spell that is a fear effect on me do i get a +3 or +2 bonus to resisting it?

[Daefos]

I would say they don't stack. They may technically apply to different things, but in that particular case they're both applying to the same effect, and fall under the "same-type bonuses don't stack" rule.

I don't have any rules to back that up though, so maybe I'm dead wrong.

[tedcahill2]

I think your simplifying the language, making it sound like they might stack. When I read it I expand it like so:
+2 morale bonus to saves v arcane spells is +2 to fort, ref, and will v arcane spells

+1 morale bonus v save against fear is +1 morale bonus v will save against feat.

So they are both moral bonuses to will saves, and thus don't stack.

I also have no ruling to back that up, so I could be wrong.

[Necroticplague]

For example lets say i have something that gives me a +2 morale bonus vs arcane spells

And i also have something that gives a +1 morale bonus against fear effects.


If someone casts an arcane spell that is a fear effect on me do i get a +3 or +2 bonus to resisting it?

+2. What they apply to in general is irrelevant. What's relevant is what you're trying to apply them to in this instance. In this case "does it apply to this roll". In this case, you're trying to add a morale bonus to this roll twice, which doesn't work.

In most cases, modifiers to a given check or roll stack (combine for a cumulative effect) if they come from different sources and have different types (or no type at all), but do not stack if they have the same type or come from the same source (such as the same spell cast twice in succession). If the modifiers to a particular roll do not stack, only the best bonus and worst penalty applies. Dodge bonuses and circumstance bonuses however, do stack with one another unless otherwise specified.
The bolded part indicates that stacking is determined in a vacuum, and it's only this situation that's relevant. The italicized + underlined portion indicates that both conditions need to be met, not just one. So no matter if they are different sources, if they're the same type, they don't stack.

[Genth]

+2. What they apply to in general is irrelevant. What's relevant is what you're trying to apply them to in this instance. In this case "does it apply to this roll". In this case, you're trying to add a morale bonus to this roll twice, which doesn't work.

The bolded part indicates that stacking is determined in a vacuum, and it's only this situation that's relevant. The italicized + underlined portion indicates that both conditions need to be met, not just one. So no matter if they are different sources, if they're the same type, they don't stack.

I don't know, I agree with you in this instance, but the language can be unclear - what happens if you are a Barbarian under the effect of Inspire Courage? You gain an effective +2 to your attack roll thanks to the morale bonus to strength, in addition to the morale bonus directly to your attack roll. Yes, the rage is doing it indirectly, but it is still giving a morale bonus to that specific roll.

[Technetium43]

Rage gives morale bonus to strength. Strength gives bonus to attack. Bard Song gives morale bonus to attack. No conflict. One is 'ability score' typed (by pathfinder parlance), and one is morale.

[Necroticplague]

I don't know, I agree with you in this instance, but the language can be unclear - what happens if you are a Barbarian under the effect of Inspire Courage? You gain an effective +2 to your attack roll thanks to the morale bonus to strength, in addition to the morale bonus directly to your attack roll. Yes, the rage is doing it indirectly, but it is still giving a morale bonus to that specific roll.

Except that a morale bonus that increases your Stregnth isn't a morale bonus to your attack roll. Just like how Bull's Strength stacks with enchanted weapons, because an enhancement bonus to your STR isn't an enhancement bonus to to your attack roll.

[KillianHawkeye]

There's no conflict if it happens indirectly like that. It's just like how you can have an enhancement bonus on your armor and another one on your shield and get to add them both to your AC. Neither one affects your AC directly, they're just increasing the armor bonus and shield bonus.