Masterwork armor

[Trit One-Ear]

Never having played at high enough level to use masterwork armors (working on that too) I've never really understood how they work. I could make guesses, but I think it would be easier if I just asked... how? I'm pretty much at a loss here.

Trit

 

[Ryujin]

Never having played at high enough level to use masterwork armors (working on that too) I've never really understood how they work. I could make guesses, but I think it would be easier if I just asked... how? I'm pretty much at a loss here.

Trit

Masterwork armours provide a higher AC bonus, than the basic armour type, in order to provide the 'math fix.' Heavy armours start getting the extra bonus at lower levels, because they also have to balance for the fact that heavy armour users don't also benefit from increasing stats, that effect AC.

The current online Character Builder automatically applies this fix, without needing to choose a specific masterwork armour type. The older masterwork armours also provide other bonuses, like an extra point or two to a non-AC defence.

 

[Spatula]

Note that Essentials got rid of masterwork armor and replaced it with armor bonuses that scale with item level, which is slightly less confusing.

Also, AV1 adds a bunch of extra masterwork armor types beyond those in PHB1, to fill in some gaps.

Now, all that being said, masterwork armor basically replaces normal armor at the indicated +'s. So for example, there is no "full plate +6" - or rather there could be, but there shouldn't be. Instead, the players should only find "godplate +6". So if you were just using PHB1, plate armor rewards would look like this:

plate +1; armor +8; magic +1; total +9 to AC
plate +2; armor +8; magic +2; total +10 to AC
plate +3; armor +8; magic +3; total +11 to AC
warplate +4; armor +11; magic +4; total +15 to AC
warplate +5; armor +11; magic +5; total +16 to AC
godplate +6; armor +14; magic +6; total +20 to AC

If you added in the AV1 masterwork armor types, I think they begin at +2 instead of +4.

The reason for this is that PCs need a boost to AC in order to keep up with monster hit bonuses. If they're wearing heavy armor, they need a bigger boost because they're not getting the best of (Dex or Int) added to their AC. Light armor wearers are presumed to be increasing either Dex or Int as they level.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

Very clear and helpful responses. Thanks guys. So should I just assume/ensure my players get access to masterwork armor at the appropriate levels? (I plan on making the discovery of such armor fairly important/roleplay focused).

Trit

 

[Vadriar]

I used to do that. But it's not fun, in hindsight. The term math-fix really means fix. As in, repair something that does not work. Sending them on a quest to get elemental frost and fire for a set of rimefire plate is fine, but doing it every time for every player gets old fast, and they need the armor to stay competetive.

Questing for your stuff is cool, but 4E kind of assumes that players get gear when they need it.

I withheld stuff until they did the work to get the materials for it, and it gimped the party's defensive abilities. That extra 2 AC on the Paladin or Fighter does really matter.

If you want to have them quest for gear, you can try this: Give them a bit of elemental frost or sunleaves or whatever the armor needs. Say what it's for (perhaps a skill check to figure it out -- Arcana/History?). Say that it's worth x amount of gp if spent on the item it is for. Basically, it's a coupon for armor. This sunleaf gives you a 500gp discount on your next set of sunleaf hide.
Then, if they want more sunleaves, you can have them quest for it. If they don't, they can just buy the armor. If they do quest for it, they get it cheaper/free.

Something that just popped into my mind.

 

[Ryujin]

Very clear and helpful responses. Thanks guys. So should I just assume/ensure my players get access to masterwork armor at the appropriate levels? (I plan on making the discovery of such armor fairly important/roleplay focused).

Trit

Any armour that they find as part of treasure, or purchase should you allow it, should automatically either be masterwork, or at least include the extra pluses that, as Spatula stated, have become de riguer in Essentials.

Unless you plan on making the armour a story element I think it would be easier to provide it as treasure, with the type of armour found being in line with the spirit of the encounter, also taking into consideration the wants and needs of the players. For example when fighting Salamanders, they might find a suit of Armour of Resistance: Fire.