Cloak of Mage Armor

[arnon]

A friend is playing a Wizard and is constantly on the look to creating magical items. He asked me a question:

Can you create a "Cloak of Mage Armor" (or whatever you want to call it)?

So that creating such an item, according to the formulas for creating magic items in the SRD will cost 2000 gp to create.

Use-activated or continuous: Spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp

To me it seems strange that it possible to create something that will grant a continuous +4 to AC for only 2000 gp... I'm sure I'm missing something.

 

[Starbuck_II]

A friend is playing a Wizard and is constantly on the look to creating magical items. He asked me a question:

Can you create a "Cloak of Mage Armor" (or whatever you want to call it)?

So that creating such an item, according to the formulas for creating magic items in the SRD will cost 2000 gp to create.



To me it seems strange that it possible to create something that will grant a continuous +4 to AC for only 2000 gp... I'm sure I'm missing something.

What you forget is that Mage armor has a frien called Bracers of armor. THey do same thing.

Example: To just get a armor bonus, use the armor bonus forumla ala Bracers of Armor

So what is he looking for just +4 Mage armor bonus? Is so why not just Cloak of Armor same as Bracers?
If using formula for armor bonus it cost 16K to get +4.

It mentions always compare to existing items.

Now he could buy/make a caster caster 10 2/day Mage armor: costs 8K. This is a use activated one. This would give him effectively all day Mage armor for a low price. And decent caster for dispelling.
Alternatively, he could get a Caster 15, 1/day Mage armor for 6,000. That should be most of adventuring day

 

[VanRichten]

Well lets look at it this way.

I would look at the cost for creating a suit of armor. According to it I do believe it should be around 16,000gp.

And since it is not an item normally associated with an armor bonus you charge 50% more.

Making this item 24,000gp in cost.

If your friend would like an item as he sees it. Then he should try making a cloak that is Command Word activated.

In this matter it would only cost him 2700gp (Base Cost + 50% because of an item not associated with armor bonus) but it would have the duration of a Mage Armor cast by a 1st level caster, and it would take a Standard Action to activate.

 

[Slaved]

Bracers of Armor are too expensive! Do not use them as a Guide!!!

 

[VanRichten]

To be honest Slayed Bracers of Armor follow the rules for creating armor exactly. Just you only get the enhancement bonus and no inherent armor bonus from being a suit of armor.

Bracers of Armor +1 = 1000gp

Adding a +1 to any suit of armor = 1000gp

As a side note the basis for creating Bracers of Armor is the spell Mage Armor.

 

[Slaved]

For the Armor Class Bonus that they give Bracers of Armor are too expensive.

I think that adding +3 Armor Bonus to each while keeping the costs the same would be about right. That would also make it match up better with the Mage Armor Spell as a side benefit!!

 

[Folly]

A magic item you might want to have your player look at is: Mages Battle Cloak (or something like that) from the MIC. It has a mage armor component, but also has some other benefits tied in as well.

 

[Folly]

A magic item you might want to have your player look at is: Mages Battle Cloak (or something like that) from the MIC. It has a mage armor component, but also has some other benefits tied in as well.

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

Mage Armor has another friend: 50 potions of Mage Armor in a Heward's Handy Haversack. What does that cost... 4500gp? Given that it's slotless and that you can put other stuff in the haversack, I'd put the cost of a Cloak of Mage Armor (Requires a slot, requires no action to activate a spell that's normally cast out of combat anyway) at around 5000gp.

Ken

 

[Nifft]

To me it seems strange that it possible to create something that will grant a continuous +4 to AC for only 2000 gp... I'm sure I'm missing something.

Yep, you're missing this stuff which comes right after the table:

MAGIC ITEM GOLD PIECE VALUES

Many factors must be considered when determining the price of new magic items. The easiest way to come up with a price is to match the new item to an item that is already priced that price as a guide. Otherwise, use the guidelines summarized on Table: Estimating Magic Item Gold Piece Values.

Note two things:
1/ Use existing item prices; and
2/ That table isn't rules, it's just guidelines for estimating magic item values.

Here's a bit more from that same section:

Not all items adhere to these formulas directly. The reasons for this are several. First and foremost, these few formulas aren’t enough to truly gauge the exact differences between items. The price of a magic item may be modified based on its actual worth. The formulas only provide a starting point.

Basically: mage armor lasts a long time. He should just cast it every day, or he should suck it up and buy Bracers of Armor. IMHO the smarter wizard is the one who does not rely on AC to defend himself, but tastes differ.

Cheers, -- N