OK, so masterwork armor and mithral armor have reduced armor check penalties, improved max dex bonus, and reduced arcane spell failure chance.
So here's a couple questions:
1. Does a shield count as armor for armor check reductions from masterwork/mithral armor? Likewise do these factors reduce arcane spell failure chance or increase max dex bonus for shields?
2. Do the armor check reductions from mithral and masterwork armor stack?
Thanks,
Peet
Mithral: *material cut for space*
Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonuses are increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased by 3 (to a minimum of 0).
2. Do the armor check reductions from mithral and masterwork armor stack?
No. All mithral items are automatically masterwork, and the effects of being masterwork are already included in the effects of mithral.
Mithral: *material cut for space*
Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonuses are increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased by 3 (to a minimum of 0).2. Do the armor check reductions from mithral and masterwork armor stack?No. All mithral items are automatically masterwork, and the effects of being masterwork are already included in the effects of mithral.
Must have missed that with the shields. It just seemed too good to be true for casters to use a mithral shield and have no spell failure chance.
I know mithral equipment is always masterwork. But the rules don't say whether the check is included. They just say: "Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below."
So you don't have to pay extra gp to make a mithral item masterwork, but the issue of armor check stacking is never addressed.
Is there some other source that clarifies this?
Peet
Why include the cost, but leave out the effects?
The only source I know of that specifically stats that is the 3.5 D&D FAQ. Seeing as how Pathfinder copied the stats of mithral without changing them, it should still stand.
Any mithral item is masterwork, but the –3 armor check reduction for a mithral item already includes the adjustment for a masterwork item. Any mithral item has a hardness of 15, but it has no extra hit points.
Also, if you check the stats of the mithral armors in the core rulebook, they indicate that the masterwork effects are already included in the effects of mithral. (Well, the mithral shirt would have an ACP of 0 already, even if the masterwork bonus wasn't included.)
Chainmail: -5 ACP
Elven Chain (basically mithral chainmail): -2 ACP
Silken Ceremonial Armour, Haramaki, and such. No penalty for casters same with a Mithril light shield.
But Yeah Mithril is meant to include the Masterwork Reduction.