New Armor Enhancement

[CuriousBard]

I'm interested in exploring the addition of an enhancement that will reduce the type of armor by one step (from heavy to medium, medium to light, etc). I'm aware that this is already possible with using Mithril as the crafting material, but Light armor is still considered uneffected and remains Light. This magical enhancement would reduce Light to nothing......in essence, Light armor is no more encumbering than common clothing.

Here's the situation.......

Some PrC's have abilities that only function when not wearing any armor. An example is the Duelist. I have a player in my group that has worked hard to develop a character idea that involves him owning a special rapier and a shirt of mithril chain that both have significant histories. Being the Rogue/warrior type and swashbuckler that he is, he'd love to take Duelist when he begins to qualify. The problem is, his light armor that is in essence a part of him disallows him from using many of the Duelist skills and powers.

So my solution is to come up with an Armor Enhancement called "Feather Light" or something similar. My question is though, would that be akin to a +2 or +3 bonus? More? Less? I'm personally thinking something along the lines of +2 or +3. I realize that someone with money could make Heavy armor out of Mithril to reduce it to Medium and then take this enhancement to reduce it further to Light. Not bad being able to run around in Full Plate as if it were Leather. Quite a bit of coin, mind you, but not bad for those that have the money to burn.

 

[Crothian]

Personally, I'd just house rul that Mithral makes light armor as normal clothing.

 

[pontus]

Can this be combined with the benefits of mithral? A feather light mithral breastplate would be an excellent compliment to my monk and duelist levels.

Or maybe not.

 

[bmcdaniel]

I would say that it is a +1 enchantment, with the prerequisite that it only works on Mithral armor, and only changes armor that is light without being made of mithral to none. It also does not change the arcanse spell failure chance.

This allows your PC to get what he needs without making the ability so attractive that everyone will scramble for it.

You should particularly avoid making it stackable with the step-category available from mithral, or else you will see everyone wearing mithral, featherlight full plate!

 

[Nish]

Well, one problem with making only work on Mithril armor is when you want a nice light suit of leather...

 

[Ravellion]

Only have it available for Padded, Leather, Studded and Chain Shirt armours. There, no Mithril breast plate cheesiness.

However, I would just talk with your player, and customize the entire situation just this once.

Rav

 

[drowdude]

This magical enhancement would reduce Light to nothing......in essence, Light armor is no more encumbering than common clothing.

This has alot of connotations to it. Will it completely eliminate the ACP, Max Dex, & ASF penalties then?

 

[Domon]

not necessary. after all, it's always armor even if not consideret it.

feather light :

-5% SF, +2 max dex, penalty reduced by 2, consider a light armor as no armor.

would be a good +3 modifier...

 

[slave269]

Bastion Press Incs' book Arms and Armor there is an armor enhancement called weightless. It is as follows.

WEIGHTLESS: Armor given this enchantment has no weight at all. In addition to not encumbering the wearer, weightless armor reduces the armor check penalty by 5 (although not to below 0), increases the maximum Dexterity bonus by 4, and reduces the arcane spell failure percentage by 10. Additionally the move rate of the wearer is not reduced by weightless armor.
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, levitate; Market Price: +2 bonus.

Though it doesnt say in the book if you can treat a PC as not wearing armor for the purpose of class skills. I cant see why this couldnt be assumed to be the case. One thing I am not to keen on is that it is only a plus two market modifier. Please gimme your thoughts on this before I let my PCs get a gander on this and other things from the aforementioned book!

 

[CuriousBard]

If it makes ANY armor weightless, I'd probably make it something more like a +4 or even +5 bonus. Something that simply lowered it by one step (heavy to medium, medium to light, or light to nothing.....but still keeping some form of Max Dex, ACP, etc), then I'd make that +2.