View source for Arcane spell failure

'''Arcane spell failure''' is the chance that a [[spell failure|spell fails]] and is cast to no effect because the caster's ability to use a [[somatic component|somatic]] [[spell component|component]] was hampered by [[armor]]. Divine casters do not suffer this form of spell failure.

[[Bard]]s and [[warlock]]s have the [[Armored Caster]] feat, which means they can ignore the arcane spell failure chance for [[light armor]] when casting spells or invocations. Taking the [[Battle Caster]] feat allows them to wear [[medium armor]] without spell failure.

== In depth ==
Most armor provides more or less arcane spell failure. Some armor reduces the amount of failure taken, while others may even increase it. For example, most Full Plate armor has a 45% arcane spell failure chance. Shields vary from a minimum of 5%. Armor made from [[mithral]] or [[zalantar]] will have a reduced spell failure amount.

For the arcane spellcasting classes [[Wizard]] and [[Sorcerer]], these are very important. Most of the time they cannot get away with wearing armor of any kind, even if they had the correct feats to do so. [[Bard]]s and [[warlock]]s usually only ever wear light armor, and no shield, for the same reasons.

However, multiclassing with an arcane spellcasting class, with light or medium armor, can mean the extra [[AC]] is better than the small chance of failure.

The [[Still spell]] [[metamagic]] feat removes the arcane spell failure check. At +1 level, multiclassed arcane spell casters, especially [[sorcerer]]s, may be able to get away with even full plate and tower shields if they can stand the lack of their highest level spells.

[[Bard]]s and [[warlock]]s may take the [[Battle caster]] feat to eliminate arcane spell failure when wearing [[medium armor]] (however, they would still need the relevant proficiency in order to wear it).
[[Category:Armor]]
[[Category:Magical concepts]]
[[Category:Character attributes]]
[[Category:Game rules]]