Two Wild Shape Effect Problems

[LordBalkoth]

First, how do you deal with maximum dexterity and Wild armor? For example, let's say the druid has 16 base Dexterity and +6 Dexterity from an item. That's 22 total. But he's wearing Hide Armor which is 4 max Dex and 4 Armor, so a total of 18 in Caster form (with 2 dex modifier being overkill). When he shapeshifts, though, the maximum dexterity is gone. A related problem -- say that Druid gets Enlarged and thus gains 2 Str and loses 2 Dex. He'd still be at 20 Dex and thus still at 18 AC (prior to other modifiers including size modifiers)...but the engine just says "Hey, you lost 2 Dex so you MUST have lost 1 AC!"

Second, how do you deal with the natural armor bonus given by shapeshifting? It stacks with the natural armor enhancement bonus of Barkskin (or Amulet of Natural Armor) but if you list them both as "AC: X natural" they won't stack. Listing the natural armor bonus (from shapeshifting) as "AC: X" will give the bonus to touch AC and CMD. The least bad option seems to be "AC: X shield" but if/when the Druid gets a Wild Shield things are back to being messed up.

[Nylanfs]

Barkskin and Natural Armor isn't an enhancement, they give a Nat AC.

[LordBalkoth]

Barkskin and Natural Armor isn't an enhancement, they give a Nat AC.

Really? (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/barkskin/)

"The enhancement bonus provided by barkskin stacks with the target’s natural armor bonus, but not with other enhancement bonuses to natural armor."

Really? (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/amulet-of-natural-armor/)

"This amulet, usually containing some type of magically preserved monster hide or other natural armor—such as bone, horn, carapace, or beast scales—toughens the wearer’s body and flesh, giving him an enhancement bonus to his natural armor from +1 to +5, depending on the kind of amulet."

[Blahness98]

There is a simple way to do the belt of Dex. DON'T make it an effect. Instead, you can CTRL+Scroll the dex bonus up by 3 (as that is what a +6 would net you). That way, all the skills and things related also will go up by 3. Then in the inventory tab, there is a place for armor. Click the check box and enter in the max dex of 4 and the ACP of -3. That will limit your dex bonus on armor to the +4 and it will also apply the armor check penalty to skills. When he wild shapes, just remove the tick and you're back at a +6.

The natural armor issue, that I don't know about..

[LordBalkoth]

When he wild shapes, just remove the tick and you're back at a +6.

I was playing around with the idea of house-ruling Wild Shape to keep the maximum dex bonus but remove the necessity of the Wild property to keep the armor bonus. My player also was toying with the idea of getting special armor made for his shape-shifted forms that the party would put on him. In both of those scenarios this solution doesn't work.

That said, overall it's a good temporary solution that I'm a bit ashamed of not having thought of. Thanks.