Question about how armor and a heavy weapon harness stacks...
Heavy Weapon Harness
Price 9,000 gp; Type light; Weight 10 lbs.; AC +1; Max Dex +6; Penalty -1; Spell Failure 5%; Speed (30 ft.) 30 ft.; Speed (20 ft.) 20 ft.; Capacity —; Usage —
Known also as an "H-belt," a heavy weapon harness is an elaborate network of plastic and metal struts and straps. The harness can be worn in conjunction with any other suit of armor—the armor bonus granted by the heavy weapon harness does not stack with that granted by other suits of armor, but the armor check penalties and spell failure percentages do.
A heavy weapon harness provides its wearer with additional stability and support, allowing the user to wield heavy weapons as if they were regular firearms, using the Exotic Weapon (firearms) feat for proficiency rather than Exotic Weapon (heavy weaponry). A character with Exotic Weapon (heavy weaponry) who wears an H-belt finds the use of heavy weapons even easier, and gains a +1 circumstance bonus on all attack rolls made with harnessed heavy weapons.
Unlike most technological armors, a heavy weapon harness does not use power—its components are purely mechanical.
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.
Say I have a +1 Heavy Weapon Harness and a Chain Shirt on together what is the total bonus to AC? The armor bonuses from the 2 sets don't stack, but does the enhancement bonus apply or not?
The 2 ways I see it are here:
+1 Heavy Weapon Harness = +1 Armor (overcome by chain shirt), +1 Enhancement to Armor (stacks with total)
Chain Shirt = +4 Armor
Total = +4 Armor from Chain Shirt, +1 Enhancement to Armor from Harness = +5
+1 Heavy Weapon Harness = +1 Armor, +1 Enhancement to Armor = +2 (overcome by chain shirt)
Chain Shirt = +4 Armor
Total = +4 Armor from Chain Shirt
Thoughts?
The enhancement bonus is not applied separately to your armor class. It improves the armor bonus of the base armor. +1 heavy weapon harness grants a +2 armor bonus to your AC, not a +1 armor bonus and a +1 enhancement bonus.
You have +4 armor bonus to AC due to wearing the chain shirt. The enhancement bonus from the HWH does not "carry over" to the chain shirt.
The general rule is that bonuses of the same type do not stack, they overlap.
Ruyan.
