Monks belt

[Pixie Barbarian]

So, basically, it's not very useful to non-monks. Most characters will end up with no AC bonus, and 1 or 2 extra points of unarmed damage, only after dodging an AoO.

DreadPollock

How about a psion seer with Inertial Armor?

That's 4 AC from the inertial armor plus 1 AC bonus from the belt's 5th level monk class bonus plus Wis mod (+4 to +10 depending on character level and magic items) plus Dexterity mod (+1 to +5 wouldn't be an unreasonable estimate here depending on level and magic items).

So in this example, the worst AC would be 10+1+4+1=19 and the best would be 10+1+10+5=27, before any magic items or manifested powers boosting deflection, natural armor, or insight bonuses to AC.

 

[Deset Gled]

As it is written monk ac bonus is WIS Bonus + table.
pretty simple (but thats already said)

I've got no arguements about how the item works, but I do question whether or not it should work that way. Personally, I just don't like the mechanics of it. I think it is poor form to allow an item to give access to a unique and defining class ability. If players want major class abilities, they should have to sacrifice class levels for it.

Other than my dislike for the concept, I won't claim that the item is outright broken. However, I do believe it is horribly underpriced for non-monks. An unnamed AC bonus should cost (bonus)*2500 GP. This makes it accurately priced for a character with a +4 wis bonus without considering its additional function of increasing unarmed damage. Unfortunately, this also makes it horribly underpriced at higher levels when characters can get wis bonuses of multiple times that.

At the same time, though, the item is priced fairly accurately for a monk to use, so increasing the price would hurt them. I don't like this idea either, as I feel the belt was designed primarily for monks (though I could be wrong about this. I suppose a lot more people own Belts of Giants Strength than just giants).

It's interesting to note that this item couldn't exist in 3.0; the monks AC bonus was considered a dodge bonus, and items could not (and still cannot) confer a dodge bonus.

 

[Nifft]

Wow. This is confusing. Monk's Belt, meet Rule 0.

-- N

 

[Hypersmurf]

It's interesting to note that this item couldn't exist in 3.0; the monks AC bonus was considered a dodge bonus, and items could not (and still cannot) confer a dodge bonus.

No, it wasn't; a Dodge bonus is lost when Dex bonus is lost, and the monk's AC bonus (Wisdom and level-based) was not.

If anything, it was a combination of a Wisdom bonus (that would not stack with other Wisdom bonuses) and an unnamed bonus (that would stack with pretty much anything).

-Hyp.

 

[Kershek]

There's no need to rule-0 anything. The wisdom bonus to AC is only given when you're unarmored. What non-monk is going to be unarmored? Even if they do that, they won't get more AC than the armor they would be wearing, and probably less.

 

[Deset Gled]

No, it wasn't; a Dodge bonus is lost when Dex bonus is lost, and the monk's AC bonus (Wisdom and level-based) was not.

My mistake. I got the monk's AC bonus confused with the AC bonus that the Martial Artist gets in Beyond Monks.

 

[Particle_Man]

I'm glad you posted this because I was thinking the same thing while reading the entire thread.

Let's say a high level cleric has a 22 wisdom score. In order to add the +7 to her AC, she would have to remove her full-plate armor. Let's see, why not remove a +8 AC bonus for a +7 one? Sounds pretty stupid to me.

For the duelist, on the other hand, the monk's belt is a positive boon! With most of their abilities requiring no armour be worn, they need every source of AC they can get. If the belt gives wisdom ac bonus too, so much the better.

 

[DreadPollock]

There's no need to rule-0 anything. The wisdom bonus to AC is only given when you're unarmored. What non-monk is going to be unarmored? Even if they do that, they won't get more AC than the armor they would be wearing, and probably less.

I stand by my statement. As things that can be exlploited in D&D, this rates fairly low.

I always hated items that give a character wholly new abilities or greatly enhances them anyway. I think characters should be able to stand without their fancy magical items. If a Psionic warrior or a duelist can find this useful: fine. There are still cheaper ways and easier loopholes to increasing your AC.

DreadPollock

 

[Kershek]

"Fancy magic items"? You talk like having magic in D&D is non-standard. Having them is a big part of the game.

 

[Pax]

Kershek: meet Ezrael Winterblight, who (until, as GM, I nerfed the sucker to not include wisdom bonus) was getting +24 AC from the Monk's Belt (godawful wisdom -- he's a character for a 25th level arena *shrug*).

Combined with +10 Bracers of Armor, that made for some pretty hefty AC. AC44 (and touch AC the same), before dexterity ... ?