
Darthslash |
I read thru the rules for polymorph fairly closely, and I see the sentence that covers my question, but its a little vague and I'm not satisfied. A little help please. Rules posted below:
Polymorph: A polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature. While these spells make you appear to be the creature, granting you a +10 bonus on Disguise skill checks, they do not grant you all of the abilities and powers of the creature. Each polymorph spell allows you to assume the form of a creature of a specific type, granting you a number of bonuses to your ability scores and a bonus to your natural armor. In addition, each polymorph spell can grant you a number of other benefits, including movement types, resistances, and senses. If the form you choose grants these benefits, or a greater ability of the same type, you gain the listed benefit. If the form grants a lesser ability of the same type, you gain the lesser ability instead. Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume. If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing. The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form.
In addition to these benefits, you gain any of the natural attacks of the base creature, including proficiency in those attacks. These attacks are based on your base attack bonus, modified by your Strength or Dexterity as appropriate, and use your Strength modifier for determining damage bonuses.
If a polymorph spell causes you to change size, apply the size modifiers appropriately, changing your armor class, attack bonus, Combat Maneuver Bonus, and Stealth skill modifiers. Your ability scores are not modified by this change unless noted by the spell.
Unless otherwise noted, polymorph spells cannot be used to change into specific individuals. Although many of the fine details can be controlled, your appearance is always that of a generic member of that creature's type. Polymorph spells cannot be used to assume the form of a creature with a template or an advanced version of a creature.
When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function). Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form. While in such a form, you cannot cast any spells that require material components (unless you have the Eschew Materials or Natural Spell feat), and can only cast spells with somatic or verbal components if the form you choose has the capability to make such movements or speak, such as a dragon. Other polymorph spells might be subject to this restriction as well, if they change you into a form that is unlike your original form (subject to GM discretion). If your new form does not cause your equipment to meld into your form, the equipment resizes to match your new size.
While under the effects of a polymorph spell, you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision), as well as any natural attacks and movement types possessed by your original form. You also lose any class features that depend upon form, but those that allow you to add features (such as sorcerers that can grow claws) still function. While most of these should be obvious, the GM is the final arbiter of what abilities depend on form and are lost when a new form is assumed. Your new form might restore a number of these abilities if they are possessed by the new form.
I bolded the relevant section to my question.
I have Hide armor plus 2. (Hide+2 armor) Armor Special Abilities wrote:
In general, magic armor protects the wearer to a greater extent than nonmagical armor. Magic armor bonuses are enhancement bonuses, never rise above +5, and stack with regular armor bonuses (and with shield and magic shield enhancement bonuses). All magic armor is also masterwork armor, reducing armor check penalties by 1.
Even after my armor merges into my body while polymorphed, do I still retain the +2 bonus to my armor class? I know I loose the +4AC for hide armor, but I don't know what happens to my +2 enhancement bonus.
Help me Oh-Bee-One Kenobi, your my only hope!!!

Bizbag |
The hide armor in question provides a +6 armor bonus to AC, so none of it applies to your AC when polymorphed. As Majuba says, the +2 Enhancement bonus is a bonus to the armor, not you - thus, a Magic Vestment spell that added +3 to your armor would be a non-stacking Enhancement bonus to your armor's AC bonus, for a total of +7 Armor bonus to AC.

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Polymorph effects specifically block all item related armor and shield bonuses, including armor, shield and various wondrous items that provide such bonuses such as bracers of armor or snakeskin tunics. There are three common ways to get an armor bonus while polymorphed:
1. Mage Armor spell
2. Barding appropriate for the form assumed
3. For Druids wild armor
Note also the shield spell will work as well.
if there any more I will be glad to steal them and edit my post as necessary, taking all the credit.
If you are using a non-druid polymorpher consider mage armor + shield spell to boost ac. For druids you can use the same effects until you can get wild armor.

Bizbag |
Though they don't work in this instance, I've always thought that bracers of armor should apply their bonus to polymorphed creatures since it is still a protective force effect surrounding the creature.
I think of it differently - the protective force bubble is the Deflection bonus of a Ring of Protection. The Bracers are force, yes, but in the shape of armor on the body itself.