So this one a player brought up to me and I realized I didn't have the proper answer. This is the unarmored training Equipment Talent:
Unarmored Training
Your deft movements, physical conditioning, and expert use of your chosen weapons allow you to create a protective barrier around yourself as effective as any true suit of armor. When unarmored and unencumbered, you gain a +3 armor bonus to your AC. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 points of base attack bonus you possess. Characters who gain Acrobatics as a class skill may instead choose to have the armor bonus increase by +1 for every 3 ranks in the Acrobatics skill they possess.
This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when you are flat-footed. You lose these bonuses when you are immobilized or helpless, when you wear any armor, or when you carry a medium or heavy load. These bonuses do not stack with the AC bonus class feature of the monk or similar abilities.
This bonus depends on an intricate awareness of the practicioner’s body and balance, and as such is lost when the target is under any shapeshift other than blank form, or is polymorphed into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type.
Does this count shields as armor worn? I just naturally assumed it didn't, but upon actually reading it over more it doesn't specifically call it out and I wanted some other opinions.
Not to drop in on an unrelated thread but I don't really think this is worth its own thread... I was kinda interested in the interaction between this and the Armor as DR rules and thought I'd make note of it (unless I'm doing it wrong of course)
Basically unarmored characters become significantly harder to hit than normal fighters (Since their bonuses still apply to Defense) but have none of the damage resistance that their fellows have.. Is that about right? If it is I adore the fact that it technically turns unarmored training on its head in a way. Whilst normal unarmored training can be / is seen as just a pretty good way to get AC, but has the disadvantage of not being able to get magical qualities without a feat, but as far as what little I know it's generally seen as "Generally if you want to go light armor then you might want to go unarmored training"
Whilst in the alternate rules, it instead means that you're going for a very different playstyle than those using light armor. Truly using your abilities to avoid attacks, but the attacks that DO pierce your defenses are going to hurt a lot.
