Bracers of Mighty Striking: Near Useless?

[theNater]

However there is not much beside that bracers that a 2h guy can use in his shield slot.

There are 3 arms slot items that are not shields.
Bracers of Defense are an okay choice for anybody who ever gets hit by a melee attack.
Bracers of Mighty Striking are good for any character who makes a lot of melee basic attacks.
Bracers of the Perfect Shot are good for any character who makes a lot of ranged basic attacks.
If you have a character that uses no shield, never makes basic attacks, and never gets hit with melee attacks, then there are no good options for arms slot items. I doubt that a character wielding a two-handed melee weapon meets all of these criteria.

Unless the 1h weapon dealing the same damage than the 2h weapn AND allowing a shield is merely 1 feat away. At the moment there's no compensation at all for certain 2h weapons, the bracers might have been a compensation if they could be applied to standard action attacks instead of basic attacks

Even with that feat, you can do more damage by forgoing the use of a shield. Also note that that feat is not a good choice for an axe-wielder focused on damage.

There's been a lot of focus on fighters in this thread, but please note that rogues, two-weapon rangers, and strength clerics will often be in melee and are not proficient with shields by default. They will get some opportunity attacks and may charge occasionally. Bracers of Mighty Striking are a viable choice for such characters.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Or perhaps forego the slot and buy items (or more powerful items) that are actually useful on a regular basis?

 

[theNater]

Or perhaps forego the slot and buy items (or more powerful items) that are actually useful on a regular basis?

I might be missing an item, but I sure don't see anything a character could spend the 520 gold the bracers cost on that provides a bigger benefit on a regular basis.

Any level 1 or 2 member of the big three(weapon/implement, armor, neck item) would be more valuable, of course, but I assume that the character already has those if he's looking at the arms slot items.

What would you recommend?

 

[DLichen]

Gauntlets of destruction - GET IT NOW

Assuming you are at that level of course, the wondrous items have much higher level reqs this time around.

 

[theNater]

Gauntlets of destruction - GET IT NOW

Assuming you are at that level of course, the wondrous items have much higher level reqs this time around.

Gauntlets of destruction are indeed mighty. But when I'm jingling 520gp in my pocket and considering spending it on a pair of bracers of mighty striking, the gauntlets of destruction aren't really an option.

 

[DLichen]

That's true, but I would personally find more utility in a belt of vigor if 520 gp is all you have.

 

[Mirtek]

No it's not the only method, it's just an optional suggestion mentioned for DMs who don't want to figure out their own treasure. Calling it the "new paradigm" is a bit extreme.

No, he is indeed right. This IS the new paradigm. Figuring out your own treasure like with the old random tables is the optional method.

 

[Mirtek]

There are 3 arms slot items that are not shields.

And only two of them are relevant for this topic

Bracers of Defense are an okay choice for anybody who ever gets hit by a melee attack.

If it at least would be once per encounter it would be an okay choice, but as it's once per day it's a "I only take it because I am so rich and can afford to waste my money and there's nothing else to buy" choice

Bracers of Mighty Striking are good for any character who makes a lot of melee basic attacks.

When he should normally want to make an at-will instead of a basic attack whenever possible

Gauntlets of destruction - GET IT NOW

Assuming you are at that level of course, the wondrous items have much higher level reqs this time around.

Gauntlets are a different slots so they have no influence at all on the armslot problem

 

[DLichen]

When you have +6 bracers of mighty striking, your basics do more damage than at-wills.

This is even more of the case if you have a warlord in your party giving you random basic attacks.

 

[Danceofmasks]

And charging gives you a hit bonus as well as being a basic attack.
It's actually quite neat, 'cos you have to charge to the nearest square to attack 'em from, but ... nearest is defined as any square that's the lowest # of squares away.