shield + shield spell

[Jeff Clem]

Does using a shield and casting a shield spell bonus stack?

[Quantum Steve]

No. Both give a shield bonus to AC. Same typed bonuses don't generally stack.

[CRobledo]

meaning use the larger of the two bonuses.

[Bizbag]

They do overlap, though, so if you still are protected from magic missiles even if you don't get an AC bonus from the spell, as well as the +4 bonus against incorporeal attacks.

[James Risner]

Jeff Clem wrote:

Does using a shield and casting a shield spell bonus stack?

Nothing stacks of the same type. So shield bonuses don't stack.

There are a couple exceptions, but they are spelled out (like Dodge bonuses.)

[Jeff Clem]

Cool thanks for the input.

[Ravingdork]

Bonuses of the same type only occasionally stack. Dodge bonuses, racial bonuses, circumstance bonuses (from different circumstances), and untyped bonuses all stack with themselves, even with themselves. Bonuses of different kinds always stack.

So, to answer your question: No, they don't stack.

If you had a heavy shield and the shield spell, you would have a +4 shield bonus to AC (from the shield spell, which is higher).

If you had a +5 heavy shield and the shield spell, you would have a +7 shield bonus to AC (from the heavily enchanted magical shield, which possesses the higher overall bonus).

I hope that helps.

[thaX]

Bizbag wrote:

They do overlap, though, so if you still are protected from magic missiles even if you don't get an AC bonus from the spell, as well as the +4 bonus against incorporeal attacks.

I would not gloss over this point. It isn't completely useless to use the spell when already wielding a shield.

[Azten]

You could shield bash with an actual shield and lose it's bonus to armor class... but not the bonus from the Shield spell.

[Ravingdork]

The shield spell will also protect your from incorporeal touch attacks, unlike your mundane shield.