Bonus Stacking from Different Sources but Same Ability Score


Rules Questions


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

I want to see if there is any official rulings or forum consensus (what is that?) on some of these duplications of bonuses.

Situation #1:

If a Fighter 3 (Trench Fighter)/Gunslinger 5 has a Dexterity of 20, what is the bonus to damage from Trench Warfare and Gun Training?

Trench Warfare:
Starting at 3rd level, a trench fighter can select one specific type of firearm (such as a machine gun, revolver, or rifle). He gains a bonus equal to his Dexterity modifier on damage rolls when firing that type of firearm. Every 4 levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), the trench fighter picks up another type of firearm, gaining these bonuses for those types as well. Furthermore, when behind partial, normal, or improved cover, a trench fighter gains an additional +2 AC bonus from the cover.]

This ability replaces armor training 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Gun Training:
Starting at 5th level, a gunslinger can select one specific type of firearm (such as an axe musket, blunderbuss, musket, or pistol). She gains a bonus equal to her Dexterity modifier on damage rolls when firing that type of firearm. Furthermore, when she misfires with that type of firearm, the misfire value of that firearm increases by 2 instead of 4. Every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), the gunslinger picks up another type of firearm, gaining these bonuses for those types as well.

Is it +5 as even though they are different sources, they both apply Dexterity so it is only applied once?

Is it +10 as they are from different sources so they are applied separately?

Situation #2:

If a Paladin 2/Swashbuckler 2 has a Charisma of 20 and activates Charmed Life, what is the bonus to saving throws from Divine Grace and Charmed Life?

Divine Grace:
At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all Saving Throws.

Charmed Life:
At 2nd level, the swashbuckler gains a knack for getting out of trouble. Three times per day as an immediate action before attempting a saving throw, she can add her Charisma modifier to the result of the save. She must choose to do this before the roll is made. At 6th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the number of times she can do this per day increases by one (to a maximum of 7 times per day at 18th level).

Is it +5 as even though they are from different sources, they both apply Charisma so it is only applied once?

Is it +10 as they are from different sources so they are applied separately?

Thoughts:

We know that a Gunslinger (Mysterious Stranger)/Swashbuckler with a Charisma of 20 has a Grit/Panache Pool of 10 as it says that the classes pool and the abilities stack when contributing to the pool.

Grit:
A mysterious stranger is a force to be reckoned with. Instead of using her Wisdom to determine the number of grit points she gains at the start of each day, she uses Charisma. This ability works in all other ways like the Gunslinger’s grit class feature.

Grit, Luck, and Panache:
Grit, luck, and panache represent three different means by which heroes can gain access to the same heroic pool, using it to accomplish fantastic feats. For characters with a mix of grit, luck, and panache, they pool the resources together into a combined pool. (Those who use panache and luck gain twice their Charisma bonus in their pool.) For feats, magic items, and other effects, a panache user can spend and gain luck points in place of grit or panache points, and vice versa.

Those are different sources that are specifically called out to stack even if generated from the same ability score.

My initial thoughts on situation #1 and #2 would be that they do not stack.

I was wondering if there was any FAQ or other developer insight to this or just messageboard feedback.

Thanks!


Nope, here is an FAQ about it.


In both situations, you're stacking class features which give the same benefit (which is an attribute to a given statistic). The attribute effects would not stack, but because they are different features, other effects from both features would stack.

The only reason Grit stacks with Luck or Panache is because you have special exceptions which state that they do, and that their attribute modifiers stack.

You lack those exceptions in relation to the two situations, which then defaults to the FAQ Ridiculon linked, which means they won't stack.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Ridiculon wrote:
Nope, here is an FAQ about it.

That is what I was looking to see.

Thanks!

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

#1 = 5
#2 = 5
#3 = I seem to recall a special case for this.


The parenthetical part of "Grit, Luck, and Panache" was rewritten to say "(Those who use panache and luck DO NOT gain twice their Charisma bonuses in their pools.)" (emphasis mine). See the corresponding section of the PRD.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
David knott 242 wrote:

The parenthetical part of "Grit, Luck, and Panache" was rewritten to say "(Those who use panache and luck DO NOT gain twice their Charisma bonuses in their pools.)" (emphasis mine). See the corresponding section of the PRD.

I am not seeing that. What section are you specifically referring to so I can reference it?

Thank you!


Hendelbolaf wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:

The parenthetical part of "Grit, Luck, and Panache" was rewritten to say "(Those who use panache and luck DO NOT gain twice their Charisma bonuses in their pools.)" (emphasis mine). See the corresponding section of the PRD.

I am not seeing that. What section are you specifically referring to so I can reference it?

Thank you!

This section that cite:

PRD - Sleuth Investigator wrote:

Grit, Luck, and Panache

Grit, luck, and panache represent three different means by which heroes can gain access to the same heroic pool, using it to accomplish fantastic feats. For characters with a mix of grit, luck, and panache, they pool the three resources together into a combined pool. (Those who use panache and luck do not gain twice their Charisma bonuses in their pools.) For feats, magic items, and other effects, a panache user can spend and gain luck points in place of grit points or panache points, and vice versa.

A luck user does not count as a grit or panache user for the purpose of meeting feat prerequisites.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Bonus Stacking from Different Sources but Same Ability Score All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.