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Can I get a ruling from an official source on this?
Does Mage Armor provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
Does Shield provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
I'm not looking for house rule interpretations or strict readings from the PRD. I can see that it states it protects against incorporeal touch attacks, but that is not my question.
I'm only looking for a yes/no answer.
Can I get a ruling from an official source on this?
Does Mage Armor provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
Does Shield provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
I'm not looking for house rule interpretations or strict readings from the PRD. I can see that it states it protects against incorporeal touch attacks, but that is not my question.
I'm only looking for a yes/no answer.
No and No.
I'd say: Yes and Yes.
I have an amazingly cogent argument that would definitely convince even the the most skeptical, but ....
:)
Can I get a ruling from an official source on this?
Does Mage Armor provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
Does Shield provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
I'm not looking for house rule interpretations or strict readings from the PRD. I can see that it states it protects against incorporeal touch attacks, but that is not my question.
I'm only looking for a yes/no answer.
I understand that you don't want "interpretations", but in some things the rules are clear. Remember that these rules are "exception based". So the rule is 'armor and shield bonuses do not count against touch attacks', whereas in the mage armor spell "since mage armor is made of force, incorporeal creatures can't bypass it the way they do normal armor". A very specific exception, far more concise than almost any other in the game. It is directly addressing incorporeal creatures ability to ignore armor, and makes an exception. Shield is simpler, but both are simply referencing the basic rules for incorporeal creatures, Bestiary pg. 301. Note: the mage armor description is verbatim from 3.0, and the line about force effect has been in shield since 3.5.
Oh, and most likely your virtual demand for an official ruling will actually decrease your chances of getting one. But you will get LOTS of unofficial advice.
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I'd say: Yes and Yes.
I have an amazingly cogent argument that would definitely convince even the the most skeptical, but ....
:)
You mean like the RAW?
Touch AttacksSome attacks completely disregard armor, including shields and natural armor—the aggressor need only touch a foe for such an attack to take full effect. In these cases, the attacker makes a touch attack roll (either ranged or melee). When you are the target of a touch attack, your AC doesn't include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. All other modifiers, such as your size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) apply normally. Some creatures have the ability to make incorporeal touch attacks. These attacks bypass solid objects, such as armor and shields, by passing through them. Incorporeal touch attacks work similarly to normal touch attacks except that they also ignore cover bonuses. Incorporeal touch attacks do not ignore armor bonuses granted by force effects, such as mage armor and bracers of armor.
I was going to post this originally but when the OP asked for yes/no answers only, and no quotes from the PRD, I didn't. But really, how clear could it be?
So, the OP asked:
Does Mage Armor provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
Does Shield provide protection from all touch attacks? (Yes/No)
No/No
Do they protect against some touch attacks?
Yes/Yes
In the case of Incorporeal Touch Attacks, both Shield and Mage Armor protect against them, since they are both force effects. The rules are specifying an exception in the case of the Incorporeal Touch Attacks, meaning that they are normally bypassed by other forms of Touch Attacks.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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No and No as well.
However, if you're looking for a spell that does help touch AC in all cases, there are alternatives - cat's grace and any of the polymorph spells that decrease your size and increase your dex. You also might want to invest in magic that gives you a miss chance, such as blur or displacement.
No and No as well.
However, if you're looking for a spell that does help touch AC in all cases, there are alternatives - cat's grace and any of the polymorph spells that decrease your size and increase your dex. You also might want to invest in magic that gives you a miss chance, such as blur or displacement.
Just to be argumentitive Cats grace does not help touch AC in ALL cases (though it does in MOST cases).
Flatfooted.
Dex is already at max allowable for armor.
Subject is wearing something that gives a +dex enhancement bonus of at least 4.
To the OP: No and no.
Cat's grace does help touch AC in all cases. Flatfooted AC is AC without Dex bonuses, not touch AC.
Here's the link: flatfooted
And yes, you're technically correct that if you have a +4 or greater enhancement bonus to Dex cat's grace won't help.
No and No as well.
However, if you're looking for a spell that does help touch AC in all cases, there are alternatives - cat's grace and any of the polymorph spells that decrease your size and increase your dex. You also might want to invest in magic that gives you a miss chance, such as blur or displacement.
Just to be argumentitive Cats grace does not help touch AC in ALL cases (though it does in MOST cases).
Flatfooted.
Dex is already at max allowable for armor.
Subject is wearing something that gives a +dex enhancement bonus of at least 4.
To the OP: No and no.
Cat's grace does help touch AC in all cases. Flatfooted AC is AC without Dex bonuses, not touch AC.
Here's the link: flatfooted
And yes, you're technically correct that if you have a +4 or greater enhancement bonus to Dex cat's grace won't help.
I think he meant, 'if you're flatfooted when you are attacked by a touch attack.'
I think he meant, 'if you're flatfooted when you are attacked by a touch attack.'
Quite so, and if I misunderstood I apologize to the author of that quote.
Now here's the funny thing in older editions it was explained (when you found it usually in expanded releases) that nothing asides from pure air could pass through a barrier made of force not even magic hence it did work as a protection versus touch attacks at least with shield and mage armor as they automatically protected you from all angles. However I haven't found a specific explanation of force in pathfinder yet. It's perhaps one of the few things they forgot or just thought it was obvious. As players and GMs my group has always said yes but I'd rather look for a way to contact Paizo directly about it than take what anyone has said here as your answer.
They've already officially ruled on it. Read the PRD. That is the official rules document. Accept no substitutes.
Or house rule it.
Now here's the funny thing in older editions it was explained (when you found it usually in expanded releases) that nothing asides from pure air could pass through a barrier made of force not even magic hence it did work as a protection versus touch attacks at least with shield and mage armor as they automatically protected you from all angles. However I haven't found a specific explanation of force in pathfinder yet. It's perhaps one of the few things they forgot or just thought it was obvious. As players and GMs my group has always said yes but I'd rather look for a way to contact Paizo directly about it than take what anyone has said here as your answer.
I don't believe it was ever the case that Shield or Mage Armor protected against regular old touch attacks, but, regardless, the answer is No/No for Pathfinder (it's as people have already said).