MIC: Ironward Diamond....Overpowered?

[Stalker0]

Well we knew once the MIC got a look over we'd start seeing these kinds of threads, so I thought I'd get the ball rolling.

The ironward diamond greater augment crystal grants DR 5/- for 8000. The catch is that it only absorbs 50 points of damage, so 10 swings worth. BUT...the huge benefit is it stacks with other DR. You could have adamantine full plate with this crystal and have DR 8/-....not too shabby.

Compared to the DMG's mantle of faith its a great deal. The MOF costs 76,000 (almost 10 crystals worth), and its DR isn't as good.

So what do you all think, is the limited amount good enough to keep this crystal in line, is DR in the DMG so overpriced that the crystal just looks cheap but is right where it should be, or did someone go off the powergaming deep end with this one?

 

[Rystil Arden]

Well we knew once the MIC got a look over we'd start seeing these kinds of threads, so I thought I'd get the ball rolling.

The ironward diamond greater augment crystal grants DR 5/- for 8000. The catch is that it only absorbs 50 points of damage, so 10 swings worth. BUT...the huge benefit is it stacks with other DR. You could have adamantine full plate with this crystal and have DR 8/-....not too shabby.

Compared to the DMG's mantle of faith its a great deal. The MOF costs 76,000 (almost 10 crystals worth), and its DR isn't as good.

So what do you all think, is the limited amount good enough to keep this crystal in line, is DR in the DMG so overpriced that the crystal just looks cheap but is right where it should be, or did someone go off the powergaming deep end with this one?

10 swings and all its power is gone forever? That seems to me a substantial limiting factor.

 

[Tarril Wolfeye]

10 swings and all its power is gone forever? That seems to me a substantial limiting factor.

Its power is just gone for a day. It renews at dawn.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Its power is just gone for a day. It renews at dawn.

Ah, never mind then--one can just buy several for the price difference then.

 

[Someone]

(Roughly) +50 hit points for 8000 gp? Count me in!

 

[starwed]

Compared to the DMG's mantle of faith its a great deal.

Have you ever known anyone to buy one of these items?

And keep in mind that the 10 uses per day is going to make a difference, especially at the level where this thing is likely to be bought.

 

[brehobit]

Its power is just gone for a day. It renews at dawn.

OK, that's a "must have". Does it use a slot or something?

mark

 

[hong]

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.

 

[KarinsDad]

I agree with the OP.

This sounds WAY too potent for the price.

Plus, it is DR 5/-, not DR 5/evil like the mantle and it stacks with other DR.

Having a half dozen of these and switching them between combats sounds really potent. For a high level PC, it's more or less equivalent to a +6 Amulet of Health for a little over 20% of the cost. For a mid level PC, it's more or less equivalent to a +10 Amulet of Health for about 8% of the cost.

Yikes!

The bigger, better, badder syndrome of WotC strikes again.

 

[MarkB]

Bear in mind that greater Augment Crystals must be applied to an item with at least a +3 enhancement bonus, so that's potentially an extra cost compared to what you might normally have added to that armour.