MIC: Ironward Diamond....Overpowered?

[MarkB]

The point is that RAW does not directly support this interpretation and WotC has yet to errata it. Your own quote here even admits to that.

The RAW don't directly substantiate this interpretation, but they certainly provide support for it. The point is, that line is open to interpretation, and even WotC's own staff think it's more reasonable to interpret it as widely as possible - that mithral medium and heavy armour is considered one step lighter for all purposes - than to interpret it as narrowly as possible, as you are doing.

Either interpretation requires that one extrapolates from the bare "for purposes of movement and other limitations" line.

WotC's interpretation has the advantage of causing fewer inconsistencies, and being far easier to use in actual play.

Your interpretation has the advantage of... letting you use this particular item on mithral full plate. That aside, it's hard to see any merit in it - it doesn't seem to make gameplay any smoother, nor does it seem - to the majority of posters in this thread, or to the people who wrote the game - to be a logical and consistent extrapolation of the rules.

 

[Wish]

Didn't we have this argument back in 2004 when Races of Stone was published with its "Heavy Armor Optimization" feats?

 

[hong]

RAW. Core rules state that it is treated as medium under certain circumstances. It does not state under all circumstances.

Where is there a stance by WotC that it isn't, as opposed to a not-stance that it is?

 

[Cheiromancer]

Didn't we have this argument back in 2004 when Races of Stone was published with its "Heavy Armor Optimization" feats?

Here's a pretty complete discussion: Mithral Armor

 

[BASHMAN]

It's an armour crystal, which means it sits on your armour. You can only use one armour crystal at a time, but you can swap them in and out.

The way I am handling it, is that the armor crystals must be worn for 24 hours before they give their benefit. Thus, a person could not use up their 10 attacks worth of the ironward diamond, then change the batteries on their armor by swapping it out for a fresh IWD. If they take their IWD off, and put on another armor crystal, that crystal doesn't take effect for 24 hours-- and the IWD they took off won't for another 24 hours after they put it back on. So there won't be too much munchkining of the IWD.

One of my players has the Lesser IWD btw, and has been grateful for it!

 

[glass]

Unless they meant to distinguish an actual enhancement bonus (which Magic Vestment provides for a limited time) from a market price modifier...

That would be my reading of it. Under a magical vestment spell cast at the relevant level, its actual bonus is +3.


glass.

 

[glass]

Lots of replies. FWIW, I don't consider the DMG remotely vague on this issue.

Yeah I am also getting tired of the "If it's not in a core book or errata, it doesn't count" response.

But it doesn't! And I am getting tired of people insisting that it does.

I am not frustrated with people who dismiss the FAQ, when such dismissal is appropriate

I'll leave people to make up their own punchlines...

Sounds like a clencher to me.

A clincher even.

I'd say JM has it right... Using a non-primary-source 3.0 book isn't going to clinch anything.


glass.

 

[James McMurray]

I'd say JM has it right... Using a non-primary-source 3.0 book isn't going to clinch anything.

Please don't take the use of an e instead of an i as a complete reverseal of position.

It's completely and utterly plain from the FAQ combined with RotW that WotC deems Mithral Full Plate as medium armor. There's no primary source concerns because there's no contradiction: the FAQ says it's vague and offers an official way out, and RotW makes it fully official by outright declaring that mithral full plate is medium armor.

And again, what's the difference other than making a crystal that a lot of people seem to think is too powerful even more powerful by letting you wear it with mithral full plate?

 

[chaotix42]

I'd say JM has it right... Using a non-primary-source 3.0 book isn't going to clinch anything

Races of the Wild is a 3.5 book.

The Magic Item Compendium also lists Mithral Full Plate as a medium armor, in the very beginning of the armor section.

 

[IcyCool]

I'd say JM has it right... Using a non-primary-source 3.0 book isn't going to clinch anything.

What 3.0 book? Races of the Wild is one of the 3.5 "Races of" books. Masters of the Wild was the 3.0 Druid/Ranger/Barbarian book.