Mage armor seems way more powerful than Shield. It lasts one hour per level, while shield lasts only one minute per level. And the AC bonus is exactly the same, the only difference being that Shield absorbs Magic Missiles. That doesn't sound like it compensates for Mage Armor lasting sixty times it duration. And you can cast Mage Armor on a target of your choice, while Shield can only affect the caster.
Who would choose Shield instead of Mage Armor? Did I miss something? How come a low level conjurer is much better at protecting people than an abjurator, whose specialty should be to protect people?
The big difference is that shield gives a shield bonus...that stacks with armor, or mage armor, or bracers of armor, or anything else that gives an armor bonus. So you can get both to use together.
You are missing the armor bonus TYPE. Mage Armor is just an armor bonus, meaning it won't stack with armot or - more important for the wizard himself - other items that grand anarmor bonus such as Bracers of armor. Shield on the other hand will give you a shield bonus to your AC which stacks with bracers of armor - or even mage armor itself.
Thanks a lot for the fast and efficient answer!
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Thanks a lot for the fast and efficient answer!
Shield also provides as much AC as a tower shield without having to use an arm and take negatives to you attacks and have a 50% arcane failure rate. Plus it counts against incorporeal enemies, Meaning it works GREAT for Magus type builds.
Potion of Shield is awesome for the melee characters, esp those who would otherwise prefer to use 2-handed weapons if they can afford the expense.
Shield can't be made into a potion, as it's a personal spell.
FWIW:
Mage Armor also works against incorporeal creatures. And while Bracers of Armor don't explicitly state that they do too, they are a field of force made with the Mage Armor spell, and force works against incorporeal, so I believe the Bracers of Armor are good vs. incorporeal.
Also, while it's true that a wand is more expensive than a potion, a wand charge is less expensive than a potion, and a fully charged wand is less expensive than 50 potions. It's also significantly harder for fighters to use wands on themselves than it is for them to use potions on themselves. One main pro and one main con of using wands instead of potions (though clearly with Personal spells you don't have much choice).
Mage Armor also works against incorporeal creatures. And while Bracers of Armor don't explicitly state that they do too, they are a field of force made with the Mage Armor spell, and force works against incorporeal, so I believe the Bracers of Armor are good vs. incorporeal.
Correct, deflection and force-based defenses work against incorporeal touch attacks.