Skald Spell Warrior Archetype (What does overlap mean?)

[Driver_325yards]

The Skald Spell Warrior's Enhance Weapon Ability says,

Quote:

At 1st level, the spell warrior can grant a +1 enhancement bonus to the weapons (including ammunition) of allies within 60 feet. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, this enhancement bonus increases by 1. The maximum bonus gained is based upon the number of weapons affected: +5 to one weapon, +4 to two weapons, +3 to three weapons, or +2 to four or more weapons. Fifty pieces of ammunition count as one weapon for this purpose.

These bonuses can also be used to add any of the following weapon special abilities to the weapons enhanced by this ability: dancing, defending, distance, flaming, frost, ghost touch, keen, mighty cleaving, returning, shock, seeking, or speed. Adding these weapon special abilities consumes an amount of bonus equal to the special ability's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These enhancement bonuses and special abilities overlap with any enhancements or special abilities the weapon already has, though duplicate special abilities do not stack. If an affected weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other special abilities can be.

The bonus and special abilities granted by this raging song are determined when the song begins, and cannot be changed until the raging song ends and another is begun. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon.

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The "overlap" term is a new one. Does overlap mean stack?

[Chess Pwn]

I feel the meaning would be the same as before in paladin and warpriest. That it adds onto what's already there. BUT if that's not the case it means using the ability to give a +2 to a weapon that has a +2 wouldn't do anything, but giving it flaming and shocking would "overlap" or in other words both work and have a +2 flaming shocking, instead of replacing all the abilities the sword had before.

[Driver_325yards]

Ah, so overlap must mean stack. I guess they are basically saying that you can't stack (overlap) shock and shock to get 2d6.

Why not just use the word stack? Thanks though

[dragonhunterq]

Overlap does not mean stack. It has been used before with the interaction between resist energy and protection from energy, but I'm not sure how much that helps (other than to clarify they are not the same).
It means both effects are active, but only the highest one applies. It means that it doesn't remove or suppress the existing abilities, so if something removes/negates the higher ability the lower ability is still in effect.

[Driver_325yards]

dragonhunterq wrote:

Overlap does not mean stack. It has been used before with the interaction between resist energy and protection from energy, but I'm not sure how much that helps (other than to clarify they are not the same).

It means both effects are active, but only the highest one applies. It means that it doesn't remove or suppress the existing abilities, so if something removes/negates the higher ability the lower ability is still in effect.

If what you are saying is true, then the "though duplicate special abilities do not stack" must be redundant?

[dragonhunterq]

yup! either that or they used 'overlap' when they should have used 'stack'.

They used 'overlap' though so RAW 'duplicate abilities do not stack' is redundant.

[Tarpeius]

Pardon my thread necromancy, but this looks to be in dire need of an errata entry. "Overlap" is used elsewhere precisely to be "does not stack," which makes the contrasting clause, "though duplicate special abilities do not stack" a tad nonsensical. Is there an official response in another thread?