Masterwork Armor

[SlyFlourish]

Before I totally unbalance my PCs, is it typical to give the masterwork version of an armor that has the right bonus? For example, should I assume that if I'm giving away +4 plate armor that the armor is Warplate? The PHB just says that the cost of the type of armor is included with the magical armor cost.

As DMs, do you guys give away masterwork-level armor at +4 or do you make them work for it?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

If I drop it as a parcel yes...if they make it I make them jump through some rp hoops...

if they keep an old armor and just transfer the enchantment I don't give it at all...


but I am sure befor ethis thread is done I will be told I am doing it wrong...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking, but I'll try to answer what I think your asking.

Masterwork armor- or any masterwork item- is merely a mundane item that has been made so well it confers some bonus to the task it's meant to perform. This bonus is fairly trivial, usually +1, possibly with some additional considerations. In any city of sufficient size, a PC should be able to find masterwork items.

Anything beyond that is magical...and is something that must be bought with gold the PCs have found or discovered as treasure or the spoils of battle.

IOW, I don't give it away, the PCs earn it.

Did that help?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking, but I'll try to answer what I think your asking.

Masterwork armor- or any masterwork item- is merely a mundane item that has been made so well it confers some bonus to the task it's meant to perform. This bonus is fairly trivial, usually +1, possibly with some additional considerations. In any city of sufficient size, a PC should be able to find masterwork items.

um...I think you are thinking 3e...not 4e in 4e masterwork armor (only mw in the game so far) only every aapears in magic items...of +3 or higher

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Oooooooops!

 

[pascalnz]

mini ninjad!!

I think your thinking of 3.x amrour there dannyalcatraz.

masterwork is one of the least intuitive parts of 4th. it's one of the few things they really could have done better.

as it stands. you can not "craft" masterwork armour. i.e. you can't have nonmagical warplate. the plussage of the armour and it's enhancement bonus are symbiotic. to have+4 armour it must be warplate and vica versa.
if you swap one plus 4 warplate to a mundane suit , it becomes +4 warplate.

the reason for it.
armour gets masterwork stuff as a math patch so that the chance a monster will hit stays around the same.
also, it makes sure people in plate stay the same as those light armour.

heavy armour wearers need the bonuses to stay level. masterwork is not some kewl bonus on top of regular armour, it's an integrel part of it.

 

[ForbidenMaster]

If I drop it as a parcel yes...if they make it I make them jump through some rp hoops...

if they keep an old armor and just transfer the enchantment I don't give it at all...


but I am sure befor ethis thread is done I will be told I am doing it wrong...

Why, so that PCs are completely unbalanced in relation to each-other and the monsters they will be fighting? Fact of the matter is that masterwork armor is a key part of the 4th edition math, and if you take it out you are overly hampering your PCs. It is already difficult trying to keep up your AC to match the monster to-hit increase and is nearly impossible to do so at late epic. Not giving out masterwork armor, especially at high levels where it is most needed, should not be recommended for any reason.

 

[filthgrinder]

Looks like we got an "official" answers via Twitter:

@SlyFlourish Always give out the highest masterwork available for that level. The math assumes this.

 

[pascalnz]

ohh gmforpowergamres I almost forgot.

your doing it wrong

 

[ForbidenMaster]

ohh gmforpowergamres I almost forgot.

your doing it wrong

He can have all of the badwrongfun he wants, but he shouldnt recommend something that is contrary to the rules without noting as such.