Swordsages get:
Starting at 2nd level, you can add your Wisdom modifier as a bonus to your armor class
I have a warblade who has an 8 WIS (-1 mod), and was thinking of taking a two level dip into swordsage.
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Sign up to join this communitySwordsages get:
Starting at 2nd level, you can add your Wisdom modifier as a bonus to your armor class
I have a warblade who has an 8 WIS (-1 mod), and was thinking of taking a two level dip into swordsage.
It says you can add your Wisdom modifier as a bonus. It does not say you have to, or that it just happens whether you want it to or not. It is your choice. If your modifier is negative, you presumably would not choose to add it.
A positive modifier is called a bonus, and a negative modifier is called a penalty.
A bonus is ALWAYS positive. If you don't have have a Wisdom bonus, you can't add it to your AC, but you also can't add your Wis modifier, or Wis penalty. So where the rules say "add your ability bonus", you only do that if your modifier is positive, by definition.
The text says you can add your Wisdom modifier as a bonus, which is confusing phrasing, in my opinion, because they're switching terms non-meaningfully. It ~should~ be the same term for both, either as modifier or bonus.
To me, the argument's there that this class feature should always be non-negative. Still, I'd say talk to your DM.
Carrying an animated shield negates the class feature entirely, bonus or penalty, and the animated shield doesn't interfere with your attack routines. So for 9kgp, you can bypass the need to discuss the ruling at all.