Does the AC bonus from the Shield spell and the Ring of Force item stack?

[SageofProfession]

Just as the title says. This is my first campaign for Pathfinder, and I got my magus kensai into a pretty tight situation trying to back up a party member.

I guess if I were to word my question more elaborately: Does the Shield spell occupy the shield spot and eliminates the Ring of Force shield's bonus, or is it, as the spell description insinuates, a seperate bonus from outside the shield slot that also allows for the Ring's bonus?

[Hendelbolaf]

They both grant a shield bonus so they would not stack.

[Under A Bleeding Sun]

I would say the don't stack as the bonus is as if wielding a heavy shield, so my interpretation is that it should be treated as a shield bonus. Shield bonuses don't stack.

[Nefreet]

Greetings SageofProfession!

In Pathfinder, bonuses generally have a "type" associated with them. Some of the different types include Racial, Armor, Enhancement, Dodge, Shield, Circumstance, Deflection, Luck, and several others. When no type is listed, the bonus is considered "untyped".

Almost all untyped bonuses stack. The only typed bonuses that stack, however, are Dodge, Racial, and most Circumstance bonuses. Shield bonuses are one of the many that do not stack, which is what both the Shield spell and the Ring of Force Shield provide.

In case you ever have two bonuses of the same type in effect, simply go with whichever is the better of the two (the spell, in this case).

Hope that helps!