Game where cloaks are relevant?

[ProfessorCirno]

Weapon and cloak is also possible in 3.5 with a cloak that acts as a shield ;p

 

[Connorsrpg]

Circumstance bonuses are your friend. +2 vs weather or +2 to Endurance checks to see whether you are rested under adverse conditions, etc.

I don't feel a need to quantify every one of these...just like Blacksmithing has ben relagated to character background. If you need to check it provide a bonus.

BTW: (Don't think this has been mentioned yet). Star Wars Saga - All-temp Cloak: +5 bonus to Fort vs cold/heat/weather.

That is significant, and whilst techno advanced (I assume) not magical in the slightest.

 

[Mistwell]

As a kid, one thing the cloak did was define me in whatever imaginary game we were playing. Without the cloak, I was just some nerdy kid in suburban America. But with the cloak, I was a mighty warrior, or a roguish assassin, or a wizened spell slinger. In some sense, the cloak actually was the character.

So, here's a bizarre mechanic idea: what if the cloak some how "absorbs" some of PCs essence. Every couple of levels, some bit of the character is actually assumed by the cloak rather than the character himself. Maybe a hit point or two, a +1 Ref save or BAB, maybe a couple skill points. Exactly what part of his soul goes 'into' the cloak is a PC decision.

The cloak doesn't really possess these qualities, but, without the cloak, the PC lacks these qualities. The PC is simply not so heroic without his cloak, just as that suburban kid 25 years ago was not so heroic without his cloak.

In general, this makes no difference in play-- except in a few rare moments in which the PC is particularly vulnerable.

Now it's a bad idea to have a mechanic that only weakens the PC, so there needs to something to offset this, especially at crucial moments. So whenever the PC is deprived of his cloak for dramatic reasons-- incinerated by dragon breath, snatched by malevolent fey, hung up on grasping branches in the evil forest-- he can choose to expend a "hero point" (or some similar resource) to get back double the essential points in the cloak enabling him to really shine in his moment of dire need-- and without the need of his "security blanket".

Again thinking back to being a kid, the most dramatic moments were often those when the cloak came off: the monster grabbed the hem, I tripped up, wriggled out of the cloak, then came instantly and plunged my sword into its scaly breast!

Of course, this character "essence battery" doesn't have to be a cloak: a walking stick, a hat, a waistcoat, a weapon, a pair of boots, whatever fits the player's character concept. Furthermore, I'd allow the player to redefine the item at anytime (between adventures, obviously), in order to keep up with the evolution of the character: change the item itself (eg, from cloak to walking stick), and change the nature of the "essence" it contains (eg, move a couple hitpoint back 'into' the PC and transfer +1 will save into the item). It might also be appropriate to have the cloak slowly stop storing this essence as the character levels and gains the "wherewithal" to contain all his heroism himself.

Something like this would probably work best in a low-power setting in which the characters aren't already presumed to be superheroic. It most likely doesn't do well with power-gaming, either; I'm sure there are LOTS of loopholes to exploit using a mechanic like this.

There was a mechanic in one of the later WOTC 3.5 books that read very similar to your idea, about magic items that grow with you every level.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'll just make the obligatory HERO/M&M mention- just spend the points and your cloak will do whatever you designed it to do.

 

[Markn]

In the computer game, Assassin's Creed 2, the assassin has the ability to gain certain cloaks/capes that reduce/prevent notoriety. Basically, without the cape, when certain deeds are performed, the town guards will take note and become hostile at a certain point. Once the assassin gains certain cloaks, which are tied to important families within the game, the assassin no longer gains notoriety with his actions (or at the very least, a reduced notoriety) making it more difficult to piss the guards off.

I think something like this could be introduced really well into D&D. In the end, it may be just flavor, but in the game it is mechanically tied to notoriety.

 

[Ariosto]

See, e.g., the 1st ed. Advanced D&D Wilderness Survival Guide, pp. 18 - 20, "Dressing for the Weather". Cloaks (or other forms of construction) are not called out specifically, but a wool outer garment in particular is of clear benefit in a frigid environment.

 

[Ariosto]

Also, from the 1st ed. AD&D Players Handbook, a thief's ability to hide in shadows "is a function of dress and practice". One might suppose an appropriate hooded cloak part of the customary garb; certainly any character desirous of covert action would appreciate a cloak of elvenkind!