lets say were infusing a regular shield that gives plus 2 to ac when held. does the infusion make it plus 3 or does it replace the plus 2 and make it plus 1?
lets say were infusing a regular shield that gives plus 2 to ac when held. does the infusion make it plus 3 or does it replace the plus 2 and make it plus 1?
Infusions only work on non-magical items. I believe any +x item is considered magical.
Also, rules as written don't allow items over +3 from what I recall. Is there any item in the game with a +4 that isn't an artifact? For that matter, are there even any artifacts with that high of a bonus?
And, it is perfectly reasonable for a DM to rule that a +2 infusion brings the item TO a +2, rather than adding +2. So, infusing a +1 item with a +2 bonus makes it a +2 item, not a +3 item.
Also, rules as written don't allow items over +3 from what I recall. Is there any item in the game with a +4 that isn't an artifact? For that matter, are there even any artifacts with that high of a bonus?
There are no actual rules specifying any limit on the AC bonus provided by a magic item.
And, it is perfectly reasonable for a DM to rule that a +2 infusion brings the item TO a +2, rather than adding +2. So, infusing a +1 item with a +2 bonus makes it a +2 item, not a +3 item.
DMs are free to rule however they want about anything, but that's very much not what the actual rules say, and since this is such a core part of the 2014 Artificer class it's likely players will be unhappy with it.
The +2 baseline bonus is a feature of the shield. Eqiuping any shield raises your AC by 2. If the shield is enchanted (infusion or otherwise) you get of +x ON TOP of the base line +2 AC of the shield. So a +3 enchanted shield adds a total of +5 to AC, but it is NOT a +5 item by the normal definition.
Armor doesn't add AC, it replaces the base AC value. If the armor is enchanted, then its Bonus value is Added to the AC total. There is no conventional way to get gear with a bonus higher than +3.
Next..... neither the new or previous Artificer rules allow you to stack the bonus on top of an existing magic item. Infusions explicitly state a non-magic item is used as the base, and the new Replicate Magic item feature outright creates the magic item in question. Shield +2 is just a normal Shield +2. You can NOT take an existing +2 shield and add +2 on top of it. Same goes for Armor.
Enhanced defense only lets you add a single +1 to armor or a shield (+2 at 10th level). If a player is using both and one of these is already magical and one is not there's a case to be made that the total AC is the same either way if you want to go RAI.
Adding it to the shield gives you the RAW "infused item in your hand" as a spellcasting focus, if you're being a stickler about that. (Only the Armorer can use armor as a focus.)
But: you might not always be carrying the shield, and it can be taken from you. However, you can also give it to another party member easily.
Adding it to the armor means it can't be taken from you and it's always there, but now if you're super nitpicky, it's not in your hand, so maybe you need to hold another focus RAW.
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lets say were infusing a regular shield that gives plus 2 to ac when held. does the infusion make it plus 3 or does it replace the plus 2 and make it plus 1?
Total +3 ac.
So when you get +2 infusion, you can make a +3 armor a +5 armor? That seems super unbalanced.
Infusions only work on non-magical items. I believe any +x item is considered magical.
You can only infuse non-magic items. So at lvl 10 your artificer will have the equivalent of +2 armour.
Also, rules as written don't allow items over +3 from what I recall. Is there any item in the game with a +4 that isn't an artifact? For that matter, are there even any artifacts with that high of a bonus?
And, it is perfectly reasonable for a DM to rule that a +2 infusion brings the item TO a +2, rather than adding +2. So, infusing a +1 item with a +2 bonus makes it a +2 item, not a +3 item.
There are no actual rules specifying any limit on the AC bonus provided by a magic item.
DMs are free to rule however they want about anything, but that's very much not what the actual rules say, and since this is such a core part of the 2014 Artificer class it's likely players will be unhappy with it.
pronouns: he/she/they
Ok I see whats wrong here.
The +2 baseline bonus is a feature of the shield. Eqiuping any shield raises your AC by 2. If the shield is enchanted (infusion or otherwise) you get of +x ON TOP of the base line +2 AC of the shield. So a +3 enchanted shield adds a total of +5 to AC, but it is NOT a +5 item by the normal definition.
Armor doesn't add AC, it replaces the base AC value. If the armor is enchanted, then its Bonus value is Added to the AC total. There is no conventional way to get gear with a bonus higher than +3.
Next..... neither the new or previous Artificer rules allow you to stack the bonus on top of an existing magic item. Infusions explicitly state a non-magic item is used as the base, and the new Replicate Magic item feature outright creates the magic item in question. Shield +2 is just a normal Shield +2. You can NOT take an existing +2 shield and add +2 on top of it. Same goes for Armor.
Enhanced defense only lets you add a single +1 to armor or a shield (+2 at 10th level). If a player is using both and one of these is already magical and one is not there's a case to be made that the total AC is the same either way if you want to go RAI.
Adding it to the shield gives you the RAW "infused item in your hand" as a spellcasting focus, if you're being a stickler about that. (Only the Armorer can use armor as a focus.)
But: you might not always be carrying the shield, and it can be taken from you. However, you can also give it to another party member easily.
Adding it to the armor means it can't be taken from you and it's always there, but now if you're super nitpicky, it's not in your hand, so maybe you need to hold another focus RAW.