[RPG] How to interpret “add +1/3 to natural armor bonus”

character-creationpathfinder-1e

I am new to Pathfinder and am building a Half-Orc Druid.

Half-Orcs

Favored Class Options

The following options are available to all half-orcs who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies
each time you select the class reward.

Druid: Add +1/3 to the
druid's natural armor bonus when using wild shape.

I do not understand how to interpret the "+1/3" text. There are two values separated by a slash. I assume the slash represents a condition. If so, what is this condition?

Furthermore, if I chose this bonus each time I selected the class reward, how would it accumulate on my AC?

Best Answer

This doesn't make any sense unless you look at what a Favored Class Ability is (emphasis mine):

Instead of receiving an additional skill rank or hit point whenever they gain a level in a Favored Class, some races have the option of choosing from a number of other bonuses, depending upon their Favored Classes.

So what this means is that, because you're a Half-Orc, each time you level up you have the option to choose a +⅓ bonus (read as "plus one-third of a point bonus") to natural AC while in wildshape, instead of skill points. You don't get the +⅓ at first level, once, for being a Half-Orc – as a Half-Orc you get the option every level.

But what good is choosing a fraction of a +1? Normally fractions of bonuses are rounded down, but if you choose this option three times, during three level-ups, it will add up to a full +1 since ⅓ + ⅓ + ⅓ = 1. Over the course of multiple levels, that can mean a significant boost to your wildshape AC.

Related Topic