| 6 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
What does putting the wild armor enchant on a shield actually do?
Source Ultimate Equipment pg. 123 (Amazon), PRPG Core Rulebook pg. 463 (Amazon)
Aura moderate transmutation CL 9th
Slot armor/shield quality; Price +3 bonus; Weight —
Description
Armor with this special ability usually appears to be made from magically hardened animal pelt. The wearer of a suit of armor or a shield with this ability preserves his armor bonus (and any enhancement bonus) while in a wild shape. Armor and shields with this ability usually appear to be covered in leaf patterns. While the wearer is in a wild shape, the armor cannot be seen.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, baleful polymorph; Price +3 bonus
A) The enchant does exactly what it says it does. It adds the armor bonus of the shield. Since shields don't have armor bonus , it adds nothing.
B) The ability calls being able to be used with shields three times. Shields add their shield bonus to ac instead of their armor bonus to AC.
I don't think it's a surprise that I'm arguing for B here.
A +1 wild Darkwood Heavy wooden shield adds +3 to armor class for a cost of (16,000+300+70 (darkwood),7) = 16,377 gp. Roughly 5.5k per bonus, so if you look at the list of ways to up your armor
+1 armor (1k)
+1 shield (1k)
+1 ring (2k)
+1 amulet (2k)
+2 armor (3k)
+2 shield (3k)
+2 DEX belt (4k)
jingasa Rest in peace jingasa (5k)
Dusty Rose Prism ioun stone(5k)
+3 armor (5k)
+3 shield (5k)
+2 ring (6k)
+2 amulet (6k)
+4 armor (7k)
+4 shield (7k)
+3 ring (10k)
+3 amulet (10k)
+4 DEX belt (12k; probably get this sooner since it's not just for AC)
And so on.
Upping your AC by 5.5k per point comes on line roughly when you can afford it, and becomes slightly better than upping your ring of protection after that point.
A darkwood tower shield would provide +5 ac for roughly the same cost ((16,000+300+450 (darkwood), 30) but comes with a whopping -8 armor check penalty, limits your dex bonus, and requires a feat to not have that penalty keep you from attacking on top of its -2 to attack (which still apply per the Wild armor faq woul still apply
It absolutely should be B) and I'd be looking askance at any GM who ruled otherwise.
I guess an absolutely strict reading gives you A), but it isn't one of those where the intent could go either way, it seems extremely clear - in my humble opinion.
The intent is pretty clear. It shouldn't be an shield enchantment at all if it did nothing, especially at the price.
The wording is not, and needs errata.
-j
This may be relevant, so i will simply leave it here. Quote from the CRB, which can also be found here.
A shield bonus improves armor class and is granted by a shield or by a spell or magic effect that mimics a shield. Shield bonuses stack with all other bonuses to AC except other shield bonuses. A magic shield typically grants an enhancement bonus to the shield's shield bonus, which has the effect of increasing the shield's overall bonus to AC. A shield bonus granted by a spell or magic item typically takes the form of an invisible, tangible field of force that protects the recipient. A shield bonus doesn't apply against touch attacks.
|
A strictly literal reading of the text would actually yield a third interpretation;
C) The shield enchantment causes the bearer to retain the AC bonus from their armor while in wild shape.
This is weird because the enchantment on one item is affecting a different item... but it is technically what the words say.
If we interpret 'armor' broadly to include shields (which are, after all, found in the 'armor' section of the rules) then the Wild enchantment could even be taken as;
D) If your armor OR shield has the Wild enchantment then the AC bonuses from your armor AND shield are retained while in wild shape
Personally, I'd put the order of likelihood on intent at B > D > C > 0% = A.
This may be relevant, so i will simply leave it here. Quote from the CRB, which can also be found here.
A shield bonus improves armor class and is granted by a shield or by a spell or magic effect that mimics a shield. [...]
Unfortunately, it's not really relevant, as there are many things that "improve armor class" that are not Armor Bonuses.
The Wild weapon enchantment specifies only Armor Bonus. Most likely it is meant to say "armor and shield bonuses", so it needs errata or a FAQ entry.
Either that or it needs to be removed entirely as a Shield Enchantment. Hopefully not this.
-j
Owner - D20 Hobbies
|
The Wild weapon enchantment specifies only Armor Bonus. Most likely it is meant to say "armor and shield bonuses", so it needs errata or a FAQ entry.
There are tons of other things that are legitimately confusing (like Overrun related to charges, Elephant Stomps, and Greater Overrun). We don't need to burn a FAQ on something that shouldn't have any confusion. It is listed as a shield enhancement, so it works on shield "armor bonus" to AC.