Cloak of Mage Armor

[Nifft]

Its a bit obtuse to be sure.

Nah, check out the link I provided, which contains this:

The physical attacks of incorporeal creatures ignore material armor, even magic armor, unless it is made of force (such as mage armor or bracers of armor) or has the ghost touch ability.

Spelled out clear as day.

Cheers, -- N

 

[darthkilmor]

Nah, check out the link I provided, which contains this: Spelled out clear as day.

Cheers, -- N

I saw that right after I posted, doh! A mention in the bracers of armor entry would be handy though : )

 

[Kat']

It's unclear. I'd say it protects from incorporeal attacks, but not from incorporeal touch attacks. Of course, that would only be my interpretation.

 

[Nifft]

It's unclear. I'd say it protects from incorporeal attacks, but not from incorporeal touch attacks. Of course, that would only be my interpretation.

Could you provide an example of the former that is NOT the latter?

Thanks, -- N

 

[Hyperfist]

It is effective against incorporeal attacks, whereas bracers fo armor are ineffective against regular touch attacks.

 

[Hyperfist]

double posted...oops

 

[Folly]

It is effective against incorporeal attacks, whereas bracers fo armor are ineffective against regular touch attacks.

Nifft is getting at the fact that there are not incorporeal touch attacks, but that there are incorporeal creatures that make touch attacks. Thus you would resolve an attack from an incorporeal as an incorporeal attack, and the touch attack as a touch attack.

 

[gabriel_z]

Hi All,
I'm Arnon's friend who originally asked the question.
I feel that the discussion drifted from the original question, and I would like to clarify my point.

Origianlly posted by SRD
Armor bonus (enhancement) Bonus squared x 1,000 gp +1 chainmail
Use-activated or continuous Spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp2 Lantern of revealing

In my opinion that for the creation of a cloak of mage armor the second rule should apply for the following reasons:
1. Mage Armor gives an armor bonus and it doesn't stack with other armor bonuses.
2. The "Armor bonus (enhancement)" is for adding enhancement bonus to already existing armor bonus, so it stacks.
3. Mage Armor gives a +4 bonus and if we look at an equivalent in the armor table :

Armor Cost Armor Bonus Maximum Dex Bonus Armor Check Penalty Arcane Spell Failure Chance Weight1
Scale mail 50 gp +4 3 –4 25% 30 lb.

so for 40 time the Scale Mail price you get the same AC without the penalties.
4. My intention is to make the "cloak of mage armor" with caster level 1 so it will only cost 2000gp whereas bracers of armor are caster level 7 which is more difficult to dispell. Making the cloak with caster level 7 will cost 14000gp according to the table.

 

[jaelis]

Actually, an incorporeal touch attack is a specific thing. See for instance the monster entries... they list "incorporeal touch," which the incorporeality entry explains as ignoring armor and shield bonuses except for those provided by force attacks.

For example, a ghost wizard would make an incorporeal touch attack to deliver a draining touch, but a regular touch attack to deliver a shocking grasp spell. The latter would ignore mage armor and bracers or armor, while the former would not.

However, as far as I know the armor bonus from bracers of armor functions exactly like that of armor with the ghost touch property, for touch attacks, incorporeal touch attacks, or anything else. The only difference is that the bracers cannot be worn by an incorporeal creature.

---
As for a cloak of mage armor, I'd be OK with a 2000 gp item that lets you cast the spell 5 times per day at CL 1. The benefit of continuous use clearly has to follow the example of the bracers... maybe a small discount for lowering the caster level, but nothing much.

 

[Folly]

Actually, an incorporeal touch attack is a specific thing. See for instance the monster entries... they list "incorporeal touch," which the incorporeality entry explains as ignoring armor and shield bonuses except for those provided by force attacks.

Sorry, I was using the wording that others in the thread where using instead of looking up the specific wording. What I meant is that there are the incorporeal touch and then there are touch attacks. They are two separate attacks and are resolved using their own rules.