Can you tell me if this character is too powerful?

[werk]

I've also barred the dastana, treating it instead as a shield.

I believe from previous threads (I don't have A&EG either) that the dastana is best described as a shield that requires no hands and provides a stackable bonus for AC. It's basically a new armor slot with no requirements or penalties.

 

[Macbrea]

The Dastana was a piece of armor that went on the fore arm of a samuri. It was designed to be a blocking tool for blades while not preventing them from using the katana two handed.

In oriental adventures, a setting in which there was only about 5 types of armor. It could only be used on light armors. These were basicly padding and a type of leather. It provided a +1 unnamed bonus to the wearer of the armor and required the user be profiencent in light armor to be able to use. The issue comes in when you allow it plus a shield to be used. Many GMs balk at the concept of enchanted shields plus enchanted dastana at the same time. Which they should easily do. The L5R setting only shield available was a huge turtle shield that was carried more to stop rocks from falling on your head when you approached a castle wall then a shield you fought with.


Done Correctly it would have been the following:

Dastana
Requirement: Exotic armor feat - Dastana
Bonus : Provide +1 Shield bonus to ac.
Restriction: Can only be worn with Light armors.
Armor check Penalty: -2
Weight: 5 lbs.

 

[Saeviomagy]

So, barring silly things like exotic proficiencies and the like...

it's a buckler.

 

[boolean]

So, barring silly things like exotic proficiencies and the like...

it's a buckler.

Without the -1 to attacks.

And you get to keep the AC bonus when attacking with both hands.

So it's more like a buckler with the Improved Buckler Defense feat for free.

 

[Shin Okada]

The Dastana was a piece of armor that went on the fore arm of a samuri. It was designed to be a blocking tool for blades while not preventing them from using the katana two handed.

Wait a minute. Does OA says so? I am a Japanese but never heard of that word except in AEG (I don't have OA). And, that "Dastana" word is definitely not a Japanese word.

 

[NimrodvanHall]

*deleted for beeing slightly and utterly off topic*

 

[Macbrea]

Wait a minute. Does OA says so? I am a Japanese but never heard of that word except in AEG (I don't have OA). And, that "Dastana" word is definitely not a Japanese word.

Here is the piece of armor from the wizards of the coast, that in the L5R setting they call the Dastana. You may be able to give us the correct term for this part of the japanese armor.

 

[Shin Okada]

Here is the piece of armor from the wizards of the coast, that in the L5R setting they call the Dastana. You may be able to give us the correct term for this part of the japanese armor.

Hmm. Usually, gauntlets and arm guard parts of Japanese armor are called "Kote". Don't pronounce it like "cote". Pronounce it as separate "Koh" plus "Teh", but shorter. Though their front arm parts are rarely solid as shown in the picture. They are usually made of cloth with small armor plates sewn onto. Or sometimes, made of chainmail. And often, they cover upper arms (and shoulders), too. Sometimes, two of them cannot be separated.

And frankly speaking, I cannot understand why they should be treated differently when gauntlets and vambraces are just considered to be part of armor.

Maybe Dastana is a word from other culture which means corresponding parts of armor in their culture. But I don't know. At least that word is neither Japanese nor Chinese I believe.

Edit : Use the following to see some Japanese Kote. You may not read texts if your PC can't handle Japanese language. But you can click sumbnail to see larger pictures.

http://museum.umic.ueda.nagano.jp/hakubutsukan/kachu/contents/kote.html

 

[Macbrea]

It's hard to say.. there were two odd pieces of armor in the Rokugan setting. Most people
complain about the Datana. Though the Chahar-aina is just as bad.


Chahar-aina: This "four mirror armor" can be worn over certain other types of armor to
provide an additional armor bonus that stacks with both the foundation armor and any shield
worn. A character can wear a chahar-aina effectively over padded, leather, or chain shirt
armor. A character needs Armor Proficiency (medium) to wear a chahar-aina without penalty.

Dastana: These large metal bracers can be worn in addition to some other types of armor to
provide an additional armor bonus that stacks with both the foundation armor and any shield
Worn. A character can wear dastana with padded, leather, or chain shirt armor. A character
needs Armor Proficiency (light) to wear dastana without penalty.

 

[Shin Okada]

Well, for me, it seems obvious that DMs should just ignore anything from OA. That is not a 3.5e supplement and neither balanced nor realistic. :\