Uller
Adventurer
Okay...In my group, we have 2 experienced player/DMs(35+ years of gaming between us) and 4 rather inexperienced ones. The newbies are often dreaming of the day their characters reach higher levels to see what they can do, while the other experienced player and I don't really care for highlevel games.
Consequently, most of our games run around 7th level or so because that's where we have the most fun. But, we want the new players to experience for themselves a high level game, so I've offered to run a one-shot adventure for 15th level characters(and I purchased Lord of the Iron Fortress for this purpose). The idea is that the exploits of these characters may serve as the historical basis for a campaign which we will start after this adventure(with low level characters). So I created a brief history of the world and asked each player to create a background for their characters(I gave them some incentive...extra points for point buy
). I gave them rather free riegn in what they could do and I am rewarding them based on the quality and usefulness of their ideas.
One player's idea is that in the early history of the world, a powerful Elven Sorcerer emerged and created a powerful suit of armor that allowed him to freely cast spells in it(yeah...I know what you're thinking...so am I). This great elven hero died a fitting death, battling hordes of orcs and demons. His protege' took up the armor and became his mentor...madly pursuing the enemies of the elves until he too died.
This has apparently happened over and over again, throughout history. Each time, a worthy elf discovers the armor and becomes the original sorcerer and basically goes on a rampage against evil until meeting his or her death.
So now this player's PC has discovered the armor and has donned it...he has arrived at the last great city of the elves(where the PCs will begin their adventure) and is ready to make his attack upon the enemy.
Now...before you say "What a powergaming munchkin!" let me say that I don't think that is the case here. The player is very new to D&D and gaming in general, and I'm not sure she understands the balance issues here. Plus, I think it is a really good idea so I don't want to tell her "no, you can't do that!" I told her that I'd think about it. I really want to give her an opportunity to play the character she has invisioned here.
So...obviously this suit of armor is an artifact of some sort. I'm thinking this would be Mithral Full-Plate. It seems to have at a minimum the following abilities:
-The wearer may cast spells with no chance of arcane spell failure.
-It somehow takes over the will of the wearer and/or turns them into the reincarnation of the orginal elf champion who created it.
-Upon the death of the wearer, the armor somehow disappears and is hidden in a suitable location until another worthy elf champion appears to claim it.
I'd probably add one or more of the following:
- some reasonable enhancement bonus(maybe +3)
- Give the wearer some Spell Resistance
- Ghost Touch?
- Fortification?
- Protect the wearer as per Protection from Evil
Obviously this armor is intelligent and is able to impose its will on the wearer. I would say its alignment is CG, NG or CN and its purpose is the slaying of demons and/or devils as they are the primary enemies of the Elves in this world.
I also need a gp value for this because I instructed the players to use the wealth guidelines for 15th level characters to purchase magic items and equipment(with my approval, obviously).
I'm actually not too concerned about the no arcane spell failure here...A 15th level sorcerer certainly can come up with some hefty AC boosting spells and magic items anyway(and most of those don't encumber the character in anyway). But I don't want it to be free...
Any suggestions?
Consequently, most of our games run around 7th level or so because that's where we have the most fun. But, we want the new players to experience for themselves a high level game, so I've offered to run a one-shot adventure for 15th level characters(and I purchased Lord of the Iron Fortress for this purpose). The idea is that the exploits of these characters may serve as the historical basis for a campaign which we will start after this adventure(with low level characters). So I created a brief history of the world and asked each player to create a background for their characters(I gave them some incentive...extra points for point buy
). I gave them rather free riegn in what they could do and I am rewarding them based on the quality and usefulness of their ideas. One player's idea is that in the early history of the world, a powerful Elven Sorcerer emerged and created a powerful suit of armor that allowed him to freely cast spells in it(yeah...I know what you're thinking...so am I). This great elven hero died a fitting death, battling hordes of orcs and demons. His protege' took up the armor and became his mentor...madly pursuing the enemies of the elves until he too died.
This has apparently happened over and over again, throughout history. Each time, a worthy elf discovers the armor and becomes the original sorcerer and basically goes on a rampage against evil until meeting his or her death.
So now this player's PC has discovered the armor and has donned it...he has arrived at the last great city of the elves(where the PCs will begin their adventure) and is ready to make his attack upon the enemy.
Now...before you say "What a powergaming munchkin!" let me say that I don't think that is the case here. The player is very new to D&D and gaming in general, and I'm not sure she understands the balance issues here. Plus, I think it is a really good idea so I don't want to tell her "no, you can't do that!" I told her that I'd think about it. I really want to give her an opportunity to play the character she has invisioned here.
So...obviously this suit of armor is an artifact of some sort. I'm thinking this would be Mithral Full-Plate. It seems to have at a minimum the following abilities:
-The wearer may cast spells with no chance of arcane spell failure.
-It somehow takes over the will of the wearer and/or turns them into the reincarnation of the orginal elf champion who created it.
-Upon the death of the wearer, the armor somehow disappears and is hidden in a suitable location until another worthy elf champion appears to claim it.
I'd probably add one or more of the following:
- some reasonable enhancement bonus(maybe +3)
- Give the wearer some Spell Resistance
- Ghost Touch?
- Fortification?
- Protect the wearer as per Protection from Evil
Obviously this armor is intelligent and is able to impose its will on the wearer. I would say its alignment is CG, NG or CN and its purpose is the slaying of demons and/or devils as they are the primary enemies of the Elves in this world.
I also need a gp value for this because I instructed the players to use the wealth guidelines for 15th level characters to purchase magic items and equipment(with my approval, obviously).
I'm actually not too concerned about the no arcane spell failure here...A 15th level sorcerer certainly can come up with some hefty AC boosting spells and magic items anyway(and most of those don't encumber the character in anyway). But I don't want it to be free...
Any suggestions?
