Armor | Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous Wiki

Armor Check Penalty

Any armor heavier than leather, as well as any shield, hurts a character’s ability to use Dex– and Str-based skills. An armor check penalty applies to all Dex– and Strength-based skill checks. A character’s encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty.

Shields: If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, both armor check penalties apply.

Nonproficient with Armor Worn: A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he is not proficient takes the armor’s (and/or shield’s) armor check penalty on attack rolls as well as on all Dex– and Str-based ability and skill checks. The penalty for non-proficiency with armor stacks with the penalty for shields.

Arcane Spell Failure Chance

Armor interferes with the gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast an arcane spell that has a somatic component. Arcane spellcasters face the possibility of arcane spell failure if they’re wearing armor. Bards can wear light armor and use shields without incurring any arcane spell failure chance for their bard spells.

Casting an Arcane Spell in Armor: A character who casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usually make an arcane spell failure check. The number in the Arcane Spell Failure Chance column on Table: Armor and Shields is the percentage chance that the spell fails and is ruined. If the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane spell failure.

If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, add the two numbers together to get a total arcane spell failure chance.

Armor/Shield Bonus

Each type of armor grants an armor bonus to Armor Class, while shields grant a shield bonus to Armor Class. The armor bonus from a suit of armor doesn't stack with other effects or items that grant an armor bonus. Similarly, the shield bonus from a shield doesn't stack with other effects that grant a shield bonus.

Maximum Dex Bonus

This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to Armor Class that this type of armor allows. Dexterity bonuses in excess of this number are reduced to this number for the purposes of determining the wearer’s Armor Class. Heavier armors limit mobility, reducing the wearer’s ability to dodge blows. This restriction doesn’t affect any other Dexterity-related abilities.

Even if a character’s Dex bonus to Armor Class drops to 0 because of armor, this situation does not count as losing his Dex bonus to Armor Class.

A character’s encumbrance (the amount of gear carried, including armor) may also restrict the maximum Dex bonus that can be applied to his Armor Class.

Shields do not affect a character’s maximum Dex bonus, except for tower shields.