DF: Armor Layering and Enchantments

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

What if you never bother to track penetrations at all?

Then it becomes even more efficient, as one of the few balancing factors is the 'destroyed after 5 penetrations' part.

[vierasmarius]

My preferred solution, especially if you're ignoring item durability, is to simply not allow enchantments to stack. If you're wearing a breastplate with Fortify 1 and throw on a tabard enchanted with Fortify 2, you only use the best (DR +2) instead of adding them together. This also neatly solves the problem of layering dozens of enchanted t-shirts.

[Kalzazz]

According to PK in this thread, Kromm answered this as a no as far as stacking goes

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...hlight=fortify

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

According to PK in this thread, Kromm answered this as a no as far as stacking goes

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...hlight=fortify

Interesting. Maybe this should be UFAQ'd?

[Kromm]

Here as with Armor spells, Haste spells, Might spells, and almost every other spell with variable levels of effect, only the spell with the most powerful effect counts. As a broad principle, no spell ever stacks with itself or with any spell explicitly ruled out in either spell description.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Here as with Armor spells, Haste spells, Might spells, and almost every other spell with variable levels of effect, only the spell with the most powerful effect counts. As a broad principle, no spell ever stacks with itself or with any spell explicitly ruled out in either spell description.

For some reason I have problems remembering that the static enchantments are spells.

Of course, the armor penetration thing is a separate book-keeping issue; I should spare some brain cells to repricing the enchantments for "no penetrations"

[Stix4armz]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Here as with Armor spells, Haste spells, Might spells, and almost every other spell with variable levels of effect, only the spell with the most powerful effect counts. As a broad principle, no spell ever stacks with itself or with any spell explicitly ruled out in either spell description.

Technically the Fortify and Deflect enchantments are separate spells than Armor or Shield spells though even if they have the same effect. So if my character has Fortified armor he could also benefit from an Armor buff from the party's cleric or wizard right?

I just want to make sure its individual spells cannot stack on themselves and not spells with the same effect cannot stack on each other.

[Kromm]

The rules grow vague when the stacking is of effects (rated as bonuses to DB, DR, ST, or whatever) rather than spells. My feeling is that it's fairest to allow stacking of one instance apiece of different spells that produce the same effect. Thus, someone could fairly benefit from Armor (which increases the DR of a living subject, not her armor) and Fortify (which increases the DR of clothing or armor); she would enjoy the bonus of the biggest Armor spell and the biggest Fortify spell, but never two Armor spells or two Fortify spells. Likewise, she could get bonus IQ – raising Will and Per – from Wisdom, and then extra Will from Strengthen Will and extra Per from Alertness, and then an even better Vision bonus from Keen Eyes . . . but if any of the four spells were cast more than once, only the largest one would matter.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Here as with Armor spells, Haste spells, Might spells, and almost every other spell with variable levels of effect, only the spell with the most powerful effect counts. As a broad principle, no spell ever stacks with itself or with any spell explicitly ruled out in either spell description.

Why isn't treating Fortify as an ongoing spell effect here rather than a permanent improvement in the material strength of the armor inconsistent with treating it as not a spell effect for meteoric iron (and other anti-magic) weapons?

[Kromm]

Basically, "It's magic!" Use whatever in-world justification you like – or ignore the ruling if you prefer – but the official word has the benefit of explaining why somebody would spend 8,000 energy on a Fortify +5 t-shirt instead of a mere 250 energy on five Fortify +1 t-shirts. And no, it doesn't have to make sense in terms of materials properties or whether the item "knows" it's being worn or layered . . . because it is magic. How does an Armor spell "know" that its subject is living, and how does Body of Flames distinguish 6 lbs. of clothing from 6 lbs. of armor?