Except that such an item cannot be lost, stolen or sundered and thus is inherently more powerful (i.e., more expensive) than a standard item. Occupying the "body slot" only addresses part of the advantage of such a thing.
Inherent abilities in place of gear?
- Thread starter Alzrius
- Start date
Except that such an item cannot be lost, stolen or sundered and thus is inherently more powerful (i.e., more expensive) than a standard item. Occupying the "body slot" only addresses part of the advantage of such a thing.
Shin Okada
Explorer
Right. But on the other hand, the PC can't freely swap item of that slot to another one. MIT P.218 clarifies that only the first worn item confers its magical abilities upon wearer. So, for example, when he has a scribed magic tattoo which occupies a head slot, he can't use the power of a magic helmet, because the tattoo is clearly the "firs worn" one.
It can't be sold for buying better items, also.
And in overall, in most campaigns, those differences will be very insignificant, I guess. Sundering opponent's items, especially something not held, rarely saves one's life and usually a very bad tactical choice. Regarding theft, if someone can steal experienced adventurer's gear, that one can do much nastier thing to that character.
And then there is the always worn/on payoff.
How many times have you played when the PCs were ambushed at night without their armor on? We had a group that happened to way too often. (Evil DM that he was).
There is a reason that making effects permanent via the permanency (or wish) spell is so expensive.
As far as sundering goes - there is a school of thought that says sundering a spell component pouch/holy symbol is a tremendously good tactic.
Shin Okada
Explorer
The only item the PCs can be benefited from not wearing when asleep are medium armor and heavy armor. You don't need to remove other worn items from your body. Adventuring wizard will be wearing his Headband of Intellect and Bracers of Armor (if he is using) while asleep anyway.
It's quite different issue. Spell Component Pouch and Holy Symbol are far much important than most of the magic items. And also, easily identifiable. And, when a play group's consensus is that such tactics is mandatory, both PC and NPC spellcaster will simply starts to carry 10 each of spell component pouches and holy symbols.
Alzrius
The EN World kitten
I said in my initial post that I was open to any third-party materials.
The tattoo idea is a good one. The only problem (for me) is that I don't want a tattoo-covered wizard. I know I shouldn't complain about the fluff since that is a mechanical solution, but still...
Doesn't the Modern version have this also; Table 3-3 on page 55?
Marred_Bard
First Post
I understand you're arguing from the point of the rules, but there's a certain illogic to your statements ~ I may choose not to remove my Talisman of Natural Armor +3 when I sleep, but I'm not going to choose to sleep in my Boots of Spider-Climb if I can avoid it. The point is that while rules-based arguments have the books to back them up, if a player chooses to roleplay things which have no rules-basis (such as moving at half-speed because of sore feet on the days where I had slept in my footwear), that's no less valid.
Correct and it also depends on how much the DM wants to insert "real world" logic in.
In the campaign I played in where we constantly got ambushed at night while not wearing armor - we also had to constantly "take care of" our equipment. We had to have oil and sharpening stones, etc., or else our weapons got less effective. {I had a lot of problems with the DM's house-rules overall anyway.}
prospero63
First Post
What's the objective here? Are you trying to have the benefits of the items without having any of the drawbacks of them? IOW, are you simply looking for game flavor text (has no actual game effect, it's just for flair, flavor and coolness) or are you trying to legitimately change the rules so that you are getting something and giving up less?
Elethiomel
First Post
This is a false dilemma - there are more options than the two you presented. The OP could, for instance, be looking for a system that has the same amount of advantages and drawbacks as items do, but different kinds of advantages and drawbacks.
If you want this, you pretty much have to make your own tools -there isn't much in the game that works this way. There are a few effects, however, and you should aim to get use of as many of them as you can.
I second the recommendation of Permanency and Incarnum. They are probably the most direct ways of accomplishing this. You could multiclass into Totemist or Incarnate and then take the Soulcaster PRC, then use Permanency and the other options as you increase in level. Methods I can think of include:
Permanency, as noted. Remember that many sources countain additional spells which can be made permanent. Try to see if your DM will allow dispelled Permanent spells to only be suppressed like magic items, otherwise the potential to waste lots of exp is huge.
Scribe Magic Tattoo, also as noted.
If your character is the kind who would do it, there's a spell called Extract Gift in Fiendish Codex I which gets you ability score and skill bonuses through negotiating with demons. (Might be able to use with other outsiders if the DM is generous)
There is some precedent to using Wish to make magical effects permanent and/or "absorb" magic items (And by precedent I mean the Simbul has done it, see the 3.0 FRCS). Probably not useful to you, but talk to your DM. At the very least you can get inherent bonuses to abillity scores.
If I think of anything else, I'll post it.
I second the recommendation of Permanency and Incarnum. They are probably the most direct ways of accomplishing this. You could multiclass into Totemist or Incarnate and then take the Soulcaster PRC, then use Permanency and the other options as you increase in level. Methods I can think of include:
Permanency, as noted. Remember that many sources countain additional spells which can be made permanent. Try to see if your DM will allow dispelled Permanent spells to only be suppressed like magic items, otherwise the potential to waste lots of exp is huge.
Scribe Magic Tattoo, also as noted.
If your character is the kind who would do it, there's a spell called Extract Gift in Fiendish Codex I which gets you ability score and skill bonuses through negotiating with demons. (Might be able to use with other outsiders if the DM is generous)
There is some precedent to using Wish to make magical effects permanent and/or "absorb" magic items (And by precedent I mean the Simbul has done it, see the 3.0 FRCS). Probably not useful to you, but talk to your DM. At the very least you can get inherent bonuses to abillity scores.
If I think of anything else, I'll post it.
