Deliberate balancing factor or coincidence?

[3d6]

Many magic items which one might wish to use at the same time use the same magic item slot. For example, a high-level cleric faces a tough choice between an amulet of natural armor, a periapt of wisdom, and an amulet of health. Is this a deliberate balancing factor, that is, characters are supposed to be forced to chose between natural armor, Wisdom bonuses, and Constitution bonuses, or is it something that can be changed with minimal balance implications?

 

[Pyrex]

It's very much designed as a balancing factor; that's why items in a non-traditional slot cost 1.5x as much and items that don't require a body slot at all cost 2x as much.

 

[3d6]

The amulet of health (physical improvement) is in the "protection, discernment" slot, without a cost increase, so even WotC doesn't actually follow those guidelines. Using the guidelines for body slot affinities, the item should be a shirt of health, belt of health, or bracers of health, which gets back to the question. Is it WotC's intention that a character have to choose between natural armor and Constitution, or is a shirt of health permissible?

 

[Slaved]

I think that it is mostly accidental as many of these items have kept the same slot that they had in earlier editions.

Ignoring the extra cost for different slots and allowing items in different slots has always made sense to me. Better customizeablity for characters without accidentally being punished for picking a build that wants two different items that happen to use the same slot in the books.

 

[Nail]

Is this a deliberate balancing factor.....?

No, IMO. It's just a legacy carry-over.

 

[Nail]

...is a shirt of health permissible?

Yes.

...so long as you accept the magic item creation rules in the DMG. If you claim these rules are not rules, then.....<shrug>....I guess your answer would be "no". I'm not convinced a straight reading backs up the "you can't make different magic items" position.

 

[Notmousse]

How is an Amulet of Health physical improvement instead of protection?

 

[wayne62682]

How is an Amulet of Health physical improvement instead of protection?

Presumably because it adds +2 to your Constitution, thus it's improving an ability score.

 

[Legildur]

How is an Amulet of Health physical improvement instead of protection?

How is it not? It grants an enhancement bonus to Constitution (health). It does not protect against attacks (except via an increased Fort save).

 

[Notmousse]

Ah right, keep getting that and the periapt confused.

It does still protect as it adds to HP, and Fort saves.