MechE_ |
Canthin has the right of it, in general. However there are instances where Mage Armor is still useful. Mage Armor provides a +4 AC bonus that is Force typed, so Mage Armor would give a character wearing a breastplate a +4 AC bonus versus incorporeal attacks since the breastplates normal +6 armor bonus doesn't apply against incorporeal attacks (unless it also has the ghost touch property.) Just expounding some extra information.
bbangerter |
Natural armor provides a natural armor bonus, so it does stack with a (not-natural) armor bonus. But it does not stack with other natural armor bonuses.
For clarity, shields provide a shield bonus, rings of protection (and some other effects) provide a deflection bonus.
None of these stack with a bonus of the same type, but stack with all bonuses of different types.
Then there is the oddball dodge bonus. Dodge bonuses DO stack with other dodge bonuses, and also stack with armor, natural armor, deflection, etc.
gourry187 |
On this note if you have multiple armor bonuses, you should be using the highest.
For example ..
Haramaki + bracers of armor (+2) + mage armor = AC bonus from mage armor
Mage armor + breastplate + bracers of armor (+3) = AC bonus from breastplate
However this can change when dealing with incorporeal attacks.