Shield bonus + armor bonus.... stack?

[Halivar]

Quite simply: do magical AC bonuses to armor and shields stack?

I remember that, for instance, bracers of armor and magic armor bonuses do not stack. But what about shields?

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Armor provides an armor bonus, shields provide a shield bonus. So they stack.

 

[Halivar]

Thanks, Dr. Zoom.

(+5) armor + (+5) shield = I'll never wield a greatsword again (*snicker* just kidding).

Seriously, I can't believe the issue has never come up because no one in our group has ever used a shield.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

I have a dwarf cleric with +3 full plate and a +3 heavy black dragonhide shield. Thats a +11 armor bonus and a +5 shield bonus (the enhancement bonuses enhance the armor or shield bonuses, adding to each bonus respectively). With my +1 dex bonus and +2 ring of protection, My AC is 29. Not bad for 10th level.

 

[Shin Okada]

AFAIK, it is different between 3.0 and 3.5.

In 3.0, physical amor, physical shield, bracers of armor, mage armor spell, all provide Armor Bonus. So basically, they don't stack. But physical armor and physical shield are noted as special exception which do stack.

So in 3.0, if you are wearing Bracers of Armor +5 and +3 Large Shield, you get only +5 Armor Bonus in total.

Now, in 3.5, you get Shield Bonus instead of Armor Bonus, from physical shields and some spells. So in 3.5, if you are wearing Bracers of Armor +5 and +3 Large Shield, you get +5 Armor Bonus and +5 Shield Bonus to your AC, +10 in total.