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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Angel Tarragon" data-source="post: 2597182" data-attributes="member: 23733">E.N. Armoury: Chainmail Bikini[imager]http://www.rpgnow.com/products/product_4686.jpg[/imager] EN Armoury: Chainmail BikiniDisclaimer: I recieved this product free as a review copy.Chainmail Bikini is a supplement for D20 fantasy games that allows the GM and her players to use supplementary rules found within to give their game a feel similar to that which is found in the fight scenes in Hollywood movies.The beginning of the product starts with giving a history of how the bikini armor came into existence and its effect on the development of the bikini throughout history. Interestingly enough, though the bikini has existed as armour since the 7[sup]th[/sup] century, it only came into use as an article of clothing since the beginning of the 20[sup]th[/sup] century.In order to gain the maximum effectiveness from wearing bikini armour a character needs to possess a feat called Exotic Armour Proficiency (which is presented in the product) and the standard armour proficiency of the appropriate weight of the armour (light, medium or heavy).Naked Defense is presented in the product as a means of furthering the style of fighting while scantily clad or naked. I find this to be unique because the mechanic presented actually makes sense when applied to the game as a whole. When fighting scantily clad characters gain a +1 armour bonus to their AC. In order to be considered scantily clad a character be wearing no armour or robes. This does not mean the character has to be naked. The character can be wearing underwear armour (more on this later) and still be considered scantily clad. A character that is wearing absolutely nothing gains a +2 armour bonus to AC. The rules for naked defense are optional, but without it bikini armour is practically useless.The product then delves into the multitude of bikini armours that are available (modified from table 7-6 in the PHB). All the armours that are presented in the PHB have a bikini equivalent. The armour bonus for wearing bikini armour is the same as wearing the full version of the armour, but in order to gain the full bonus the character needs the Exotic Armour Proficiency feat. A character that wears bikini armour and doesn’t have the feat suffers a -4 penalty to their AC. Wearing bikini armour is the equivalent of being scantily clad.Also of merit is how fantasy races perceive bikini armour. Although humans invented bikini armour, the elves actually proclaim that they did. Halflings love bikini armour, but imagine looking at one while it is wearing it. That is a mental image that is a bit unsettling. Dwarves are another story and prefer wearing full armour over bikini armour. Gnomes like bikini armour and are actually the first race that developed the concept of swimsuit competitions. Orcs can it, but their generally less than beautiful looks don’t make them look good in it, actually preferring halters and dominatrix outfits.Craftsmanship of the armour is delved into as well. This is ingeniously implemented and allows for armour to be improved. There are eight kinds of improvements and each have a way of improving armour. Buoyancy is a trait that can be added that allows for better movement in water. A Custom Fit is similar to masterwork armour in that allows the wearer to peruse it exactly as masterwork, without it having to be. The Durability and Hardened traits allow +2 to its hit points and hardness, respectively. Armour fitted with the Mobility trait allow the wearer to gain the benefits of wearing it as if it were one category lighter. Quick Release is a trait that allows for armour to be fitted with hooks and eyes that when depressed allow the armour to fall off in two rounds or less. Reduced Weight and Superb Balance are my favorites. They allow the armour’s weight to be reduced by half and increase the maximum allowable Dex bonus by +1, respectively.Beauty is an optional rule that is included as well. It is presented as an ability score, but is not determined by random means like other ability scores. You can choose how beautiful your character is, descriptively and assign a score. If your GM determines that your description and score do not match, then they may overrule you on what the score actually is. Your beauty can fluctuate when dealing with people of higher and lower stations and when dealing with members of other races.Feats are included as well and give the product a bit of humorous taste. There are a multiple of feats that can effect how physically endowed a character is to how well you can fight defensively and take a hit. There are too many to list and well, I can’t give away the entire product.Two prestige classes are presented within. The Nereid Diva effects how well a character can hold their own in a beauty contest and boosts you beauty score as you gain levels. The Bolojiutsu Striptease allows a character to hone their combat skills and beauty to help them while in battle. Mostly females are drawn to this prestige class, but some men enter into it as well.Naturally the product also has rules and guidelines for characters that wish to enter and compete in beauty contests. Interestingly though, is the fact that it is presented, but the author suggests that one is unlikely to occur within the course of an adventure. Personally I see these rules as an opportunity to use in a homebrew adventure as it is just unfolding. A sample beauty contest is included so to familiarize a GM with how one works and the rounds that ensue. The first round is the Swim Suit Competition (not surprising), followed by an Adventuring Gear round, then the Dance and Socializing Competition followed by a Combat Competition and finalized with a Swim Race. The swim race determines the winners of the Beauty Contest competition. Prizes are given to five individuals that win; first place, second place and so on. Individuals in 4[sup]th[/sup] and 5[sup]th[/sup] place receive a vial of water that when drunk have their aging halted for a year.  Second and 3[sup]rd[/sup] place winner can choose an item worth up to 5,000 gp or a vial of water that will halt their aging process for five years. The fist place winner can choose between having a magic item worth no more than 25,000 gp commissioned or a vial of water that halts the aging for fifty years. Those that choose to gain age defying the water are demanded that it be poured into the city’s communal water supply instead of keeping it, as this is apparently a tradition.What product would be complete without new spells and/or magic items? Certainly not EN Armoury: Chainmail Bikini. Bards, sorcerers and wizards gain access to the first level Endow spell. Casting it allows you to benefit from the Anatomically Over-Endowed feat. In a nutshell it provides creatures that are interested in you a penalty to hit damage you, and you gain a bonus on any Charisma based checks against them. Among the magic items is the Armour of Quick Don (+2 glamered bikini full plate), the Charm of Beauty (makes the wearer more physically appealing), and the Shirt of Heroic Drama (when it takes a certain amount of damage in a single round, it tears and allows the character that is wearing it to use their Charisma modifier as a bonus to a single attack roll), among others The Shirt of Heroic Drama makes me think back to episodes of The Incredible Hulk.Finally Chainmail Bikini includes a deity whose portfolio encompasses fulfilling desires, sex and sexual escapades (and occasionally love) and a tale of one of her worshippers know as Don Juan, aka Quick Don. ConclusionEN Armoury: Chainmail Bikini is a wonderfully done product that includes plenty of humor and expends the base of the game into something not usually covered. It is nowhere near as rude as I initially put it up to be before reading it. It is informative and well presented. I would recommend it to any group of mature roleplayers that wish to include the element of fantasy battle included in some Hollywood movies. This reviewer gives Chainmail Bikini four stars.</blockquote>

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