Elephant's Hide Wildshaping Feat

[Wormwood74]

I am wondering if Elephant's Hide wildshape feat +7 natural armor bonus (from the Complete Divine), stacks with some other common druid sources of armor bonuses:

So, would the elephant's hide bonus stack with the following while wildshaped:

* The armor bonus from +1 leather armor of the wild?
* Barkskin spells or potions?
* The shield bonus from an animated shield (released prior to wildshaping so it doesn't transform with the rest of your equipment?)

Thank you for the help!

[DukeofDellot]

It's a "Natural" armor bonus, so it stacks with bonuses of other types, but not with feats, items, or abilities that grant a "Natural" armor bonus (such as amulets of Natural Armor, or Barkskin)

...

Barkskin give a Natural Armor bonus, right?

[Wormwood74]

I believe barkskin is a natural armor bonus, but I'm not sure if the armor bonus from the +1 armor of the wild stays an armor bonus while wildshaped, or becomes a natural armor bonus because it merged with my animal form.

[Urpriest]

I believe barkskin is a natural armor bonus, but I'm not sure if the armor bonus from the +1 armor of the wild stays an armor bonus while wildshaped, or becomes a natural armor bonus because it merged with my animal form.

It would only become a natural armor bonus if it said it did, and I'm fairly sure it doesn't.

[DukeofDellot]

The bonuses are Armor (from the base item) and Enhancement (From the +1), and both of these bonuses stay... as per this link.

Remember that bonuses of different types do stack, but bonuses of the same type do not (with exception of Dodge bonuses and untyped bonuses).

[Starbuck_II]

It's a "Natural" armor bonus, so it stacks with bonuses of other types, but not with feats, items, or abilities that grant a "Natural" armor bonus (such as amulets of Natural Armor, or Barkskin)

...

Barkskin give a Natural Armor bonus, right?

No, barkskin is an ehancement to your Natural armor.

So if as spell increased your Innate natural armor (from+0 to a number) than it stacks.
Example, Metal Skin is a Wu jen spell that changes Base NA (to +8 from whatever it was) not an ehancement bonus so Barkskin stacks.

[Moriato]

I am wondering if Elephant's Hide wildshape feat +7 natural armor bonus (from the Complete Divine), stacks with some other common druid sources of armor bonuses:

Refresh my memory, does Elephant's hide say it give you a "natural armor bonus" or does it say it gives you an "enhancement bonus to natural armor"?

If it says it gives you a natural armor bonus, then it stacks with barkskin and amulets of natural armor (pretty sure this is the case)

If it gives you an enhancement bonus to natural armor, then it would not stack with barkskin or amulets of natural armor.

Either way it will stack the armor and sheild, as thay give an armor bonus, and natural armor does stack with armor bonuses.

[Starbuck_II]

The feat says it doesn't stack with any Natural armor bonus. So I think that means it is an ehancement bonus.

[DukeofDellot]

What? really?

...

A spell that increases a bonus rather than just making a new type of bonus...

Why can't they choose a mechanic and stick with it?

[Urpriest]

The feat says it doesn't stack with any Natural armor bonus. So I think that means it is an ehancement bonus.

Nope. Pretty sure it's the opposite.

The feat says it grants a natural armor bonus, which doesn't stack with any natural armor you already have. So if you wildshape into a creature with +4 natural armor and use this feat, you get +7 natural armor, not +11. However, enhancement bonuses to natural armor are different, and you would be able to apply one such bonus (like Barkskin, or Amulet of Natural Armor) to your new +7 natural armor.

[Urpriest]

What? really?

...

A spell that increases a bonus rather than just making a new type of bonus...

Why can't they choose a mechanic and stick with it?

It's the same way with normal armor, and with shields. It's not all that odd.