Defense doesn't stack because if something will deflect a shot, then layering it can't add anything.

It's like holding a shield in hand, but then ducking behind cover. If the cover is blocking the shots, holding that shield behind the cover won't do anything more.

Except that the shield may not protect your lower legs all that well while the cover does. If a larger portion of your body is protected then it seems reasonable that Defense would stack.

What about those riot shields in season 6 of clone wars, do we have stats for those?

Infinite Soak!

I win Star Wars!

Defense doesn't stack because if something will deflect a shot, then layering it can't add anything.

It's like holding a shield in hand, but then ducking behind cover. If the cover is blocking the shots, holding that shield behind the cover won't do anything more.

Except that the shield may not protect your lower legs all that well while the cover does. If a larger portion of your body is protected then it seems reasonable that Defense would stack.

RAW, riot shields and cover stack or riot shields and armor stack, since the item qualities Defensive and Deflection 'increase melee/ranged defense by the weapon's Defensive/Deflection quality.' Reference the applicable section of the FAQ:

"Q. Some armor, talents, and item qualities provide a static defense value, while others specifically increase a defense value. How do they interact?

What about those riot shields in season 6 of clone wars, do we have stats for those?

Have you looked at the riot shields in Far Horizons?

Ok, maybe I should be wearing my dunce cap here.

The way I had originally read the rules, "Defense does not stack", meant to me that if you are wearing armor with defense 1, and take cover, then your defense does not change to two 2, it stays at 1. Is this not correct? After reading these post about the the same source of defense and all that makes me think I am wrong.

I don't want to wear this dunce cap any longer, some one please help me out here.

I am asking as RAW/RAI, I know I can house rule, but we try to stick as close to the book as we can.

As far as armor layering, I did house rule that my BH player could wear his lament armor with an overcoat on top of it that was modified to be fitted over the armor for an added one Soak. I also added that this coat would negate the cooling effects of his under suit, and in hot climates, he would overheat very quickly.

I am asking as RAW/RAI, I know I can house rule, but we try to stick as close to the book as we can.

RAW from the FAQ:

"Q. Some armor, talents, and item qualities provide a static defense value, while others specifically increase a defense value. How do they interact?

A. When a character can choose between two static defense values, (for example, if he is in cover and is wearing armor that has a defense value), he chooses the better of the two values. Then any armor, talents, and item qualities he has that “increase” his defense value are added to the static value he chose. (Cover has been clarified in the errata to reflect this.) "

The way I had originally read the rules, "Defense does not stack", meant to me that if you are wearing armor with defense 1, and take cover, then your defense does not change to two 2, it stays at 1. Is this not correct? After reading these post about the the same source of defense and all that makes me think I am wrong.

There seems to be a lot of persistent confusion around here. Here are the rules, copied straight from EotE page 207.

DEFENSE: "Multiple sources of defense do not stack."

So that is the general rule. But there is always room for special rules: for example, if a rule says to increase a defense rating, you can increase it. And if a character is in armor and behind cover, one could consider treating it as "improved cover," granting more than 1 ranged defense to the character...depending on the situation at hand, and how the PC is utilizing that cover.

And if a character is in armor and behind cover, one could consider treating it as "improved cover," granting more than 1 ranged defense to the character...depending on the situation at hand, and how the PC is utilizing that cover.

Is this part RAW or interpretation? As you've written here, it sounds like armor and cover stacking in a way, which contradicts the FAQ.

In my mind, this is a narrative game with the purpose of emulating the Star Wars setting. It leans much less upon "science" then it does "fiction". The game would be bogged down by a mess of complicated rules if it tried to be more realistic.

For all the action he sees, Han Solo bombs around the galaxy in a long sleeve shirt and a vest and his co-pilot is basically naked! I can't remember any character that's shown to be sporting multi-layeredd sets of armor. Storm Troopers, Vader and Boba Fett are among the most protected folks in the setting.

I think some concessions were made to keep the game fun, fast-paced and setting-appropriate while allowing a group of players to emulate the action and characters presented in this setting. No game will perfectly match every player and GMs expectations or style of play. Some folks will be able to play with these rules as written and have a blast, others will need to tweak them to suit their needs.

If someone wants to have various types of protection to stack, I say go for it- but set some type of rules (like limiting the number of layers, play around with encumbrance, maybe make stacking armor a talent, etc.) so that your players will know what to expect and how far they can go with it.

For my money the D20 Saga rules did something neat that fit the setting very well; you got a base defense that you added either armor or half your level to. At low levels it made sense to sport some kind of protection, at higher levels, you were better off wearing the Han Solo starter kit, or going full monte like Chewie!

Thanks for taking off my dunce cap Domingo. It seems that according to the FAQ, than the Defense values of Cover and Armor do indeed stack up. My player will be happy about this. But what is good for the PCs is also good for the NPCs. Not that many of my NPCs wear armor that has a defense rating.

Domingo, can you provide the link to the FAQ page that this is on. Thanks.

RAW from the FAQ:

"Q. Some armor, talents, and item qualities provide a static defense value, while others specifically increase a defense value. How do they interact?

A. When a character can choose between two static defense values, (for example, if he is in cover and is wearing armor that has a defense value), he chooses the better of the two values. Then any armor, talents, and item qualities he has that “increase” his defense value are added to the static value he chose. (Cover has been clarified in the errata to reflect this.) "

Thanks for taking off my dunce cap Domingo. It seems that according to the FAQ, than the Defense values of Cover and Armor do indeed stack up. My player will be happy about this. But what is good for the PCs is also good for the NPCs. Not that many of my NPCs wear armor that has a defense rating.

Domingo, can you provide the link to the FAQ page that this is on. Thanks.

Incorrect, or better depends on the source. All (I'm pretty sure AFB) base worn Armor has a Static Defence value and all Cover is Static Defence as well, so their Defence values do not stack. You would instead choose whichever had the highest value and go with that. However if you are wearing Laminate (Defence 0, Soak +2) and get behind Cover (Defence 1) you would get Defence 1 and +2 Soak.

The important thing is the description of the protection. If it has a "+" in front of the value or says "Increase(s)" then it will stack, if not it doesn't.

And if a character is in armor and behind cover, one could consider treating it as "improved cover," granting more than 1 ranged defense to the character...depending on the situation at hand, and how the PC is utilizing that cover.

Is this part RAW or interpretation? As you've written here, it sounds like armor and cover stacking in a way, which contradicts the FAQ.

It's an interpretation, and it's situational. The RAW suggests that particularly sturdy cover can provide more defense. Armor + cover could be interpreted as particularly sturdy cover, on a case-by-case basis. No contradiction, just a reasonable ruling for the occasional instance.

Thanks for taking off my dunce cap Domingo. It seems that according to the FAQ, than the Defense values of Cover and Armor do indeed stack up. My player will be happy about this. But what is good for the PCs is also good for the NPCs. Not that many of my NPCs wear armor that has a defense rating.

Domingo, can you provide the link to the FAQ page that this is on. Thanks.

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/StarWarsRPG/edge-of-the-empire/support/SWE02_FAQ_HiRes.pdf

It would seem that, based on info on page 226, 206, and the Errata, that the line about "multiple sources of defense do not stack" is taken to mean that ranged defense doesn't stack with general defense. So Deflection and Cover stack. Armor, with a general defense rating, doesn't stack with cover or Deflection, or for that matter Defensive rating or guarded stance. If armor had a specific ranged or melee defense, then it would stack with such things.