Giving Clothes a Magical Armour Bonus...Is it wrong?

[FCWesel]

A player asked if he could get his clothing enchanted as armour is to protect him. Is there some unbalancing factor that I am forgetting that makes this unwise?

I mean, he's not getting a bonus out of it really. Clothing won't have a base AC bonus, it won't add to any skill checks as leather doesn't have a check penalty.

Sure it would be lighter then armour though movement penalties would be minor.

It would still take up the "Armour Slot" and would preculde the use of items with a armour bonus, such as bracers of armour.

Any thoughts or ideas?

 

[kreynolds]

This was discussed fairly recently. Anybody remember the title of that thread? If so, I'm sure one of us can search for it.

 

[drnuncheon]

IMO, I would not let him. The bonus that magic armor gives is an enhancement bonus - it enhances what is already there. If there is nothing there to enhance - like an undead's Con score - then it does nothing.

If you do decide to let him, remember that he'd still have to pay the 150 gp to make the clothing masterwork.

J

 

[Crothian]

Well, it's armor that doesn't need a feat to use. Also, wizards and Sorcerers have no fear of arcane spell penalty. So, one gets all the good from armor (AC bonus) and none of the penalties

 

[nute]

Perfectly legal, I'd say. Remember that the hardness and hit points of most clothes are 0/1. Masterwork clothes wouldn't add anything to that - unless your campaign has ripstop denim and/or kevlar fiber. In which case, I'd go ahead and say the clothes count as padded armor.

Remember, that any bonus would be an ENHANCEMENT bonus, not an armor bonus (very simple reasoning - clothing is not armor, thus you would not use Craft Magic Arms and Armor, you'd use Craft Wondrous Item).

So a +3 Fancy Shirt of Protection would not stack with a +3 Ring of Protection, for example.

~M.

 

[Hypersmurf]

A ring of protection gives a deflection bonus.

-Hyp.

 

[nute]

Aha! So it does. Give it an Insight bonus to AC, then, and let it stack with everything! Perfectly legal!

 

[hammymchamham]

I don't see a problem with allowing clothes to have a magical armour bonus the same way magical leather does. After all, the spell "Magical Vestments" allows you to cast it on clothers or armour.

 

[LokiDR]

Recent arguments include
Armor with no arcane spell casting penality and Magic Clothes

My opinion would be that any clothes enchanted as armor would count as armor for abilities like monk AC bonus.

 

[hammymchamham]

My opinion would be that any clothes enchanted as armor would count as armor for abilities like monk AC bonus.

I'd agree with that. And be under the "light armor" section with a +0 bonus. Didn't one of the QUIN books have something like that? I haven't bought any so thats just hearsay