Bard in Full Plate with 0% Spell Failure

[Gnome]

I'd like to get others' input on the legality of this. Specifically, there's a feat (I don't remember the name) in Complete Arcane that lets arcane spellcasters wear armor that is one size category heavier than normal without chance of spell failure, assuming that they can cast spells in armor at all. So, a bard taking the feat could cast spells in, say, breastplate armor. W00t.

Now, how about full plate armor made of mithral? From the SRD:

Most mithral armors are one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations. Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light.

To me, this would mean that full plate mithril armor would be treated as medium armor for purposes of arcane spell failure (falling under the "other limitations" bit), but one would still nead heavy armor proficiency, since it is still technically heavy armor.

So, do others agree that a bard with 1 level of fighter and the aforementioned feat from Complete Arcane should be able to cast spells in full plate with no chance of spell failure? if so, this could make a cool martial bard build.

 

[Pasus Nauran]

No. The feat to which you are referring is: Battle Caster, and it has the prerequisite:

Ability to ignore arcane spell failure chance from armor

.

As such, it only applies to a select set of classes and prestige classes, such as Warmage.

 

[IcyCool]

I'm fairly certain that in either the Errata, one of the newer books, or the FAQ, it specifies that mithral armor is, in fact, one category lighter. So mithral full plate would be medium armor.

 

[IcyCool]

As such, it only applies to a select set of classes and prestige classes, such as Warmage.

Or, you know, Bard. (See title of thread).

 

[shmoo2]

No. The feat to which you are referring is: Battle Caster, and it has the prerequisite:

.

As such, it only applies to a select set of classes and prestige classes, such as Warmage.

Bards can cast spells while wearing armor (from the srd):
"A bard can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance."

Why couldn't a bard take the Battle Caster feat?

 

[Shin Okada]

I'm fairly certain that in either the Errata, one of the newer books, or the FAQ, it specifies that mithral armor is, in fact, one category lighter. So mithral full plate would be medium armor.

Races of Wild lists armores made of Mithral actually one categoly lighter. Mithral Full-Plate is listed as medium armor on table.

 

[Gnome]

Races of Wild lists armores made of Mithral actually one categoly lighter. Mithral Full-Plate is listed as medium armor on table.

Cool; that opens-up even more options then. Just taking the Medium Armor Proficiency feat would be enough without having to dip into fighter, or one could take a level of barbarian.

I want to roll-up a martial bard now; maybe a dwarf (despite the CHA penalty).

 

[Drowbane]

Cool; that opens-up even more options then. Just taking the Medium Armor Proficiency feat would be enough without having to dip into fighter, or one could take a level of barbarian.

I want to roll-up a martial bard now; maybe a dwarf (despite the CHA penalty).

See if your DM will let ya use FR's Gold Dwarves.... -2 Dex, +2 Con. (I use them as my base dwarves... -2 dex makes as much if not more sense than -2 cha... and hurts the race less)

Dwarven Bard w/Battlecaster in Mythril Fullplate... nice image.

 

[was]

It's possible, but that mithril fullplate would be very expensive.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, definitely works.

Bye
Thanee