Special Materials

[GakToid]

Armor                     Cost    Armor    Max Dex    Armor Check    Spell Failure    Weight    Special
MW Full plate             1,650    +8         1         –5              35%            50
Mithral full plate       10,500    +8         3         –3              25%            25        Medium Armor
Adamantine full plate    16,500    +8         1         –5              35%            50        DR 3/-

Are special materials really worth the cost? Or are they simply for high level characters with too much gold?

Adamantine full plate costs nearly the same as +4 full plate. Is DR 3/- really worth it? It seems so low to be inconsequential; especially considering the damage output of your opponents at a level that you can afford it.

Mithral full plate costs nearly the same as +3 full plate and provides (assuming your dexterity is high enough) one less point of AC.

A copper for your thoughts.

-Gak Toid

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

At the basic level you are quite right.

But +5 Mithral plate offers you AC +16 as oposed to +14 for 'regular' +5 plate. Likewise +5 Adamantine plate is better than +5 plate? The bonuses really kick in at the top end of the enchantment chain.

The relative cost of the material diminishes as you pile more enchantment on it?

Another factor is the upgrade value. If you gradually build your suit of MW plate up to +10 worth of enchantments you'd lose half the value selling it to buy some adamantine/mithral plate to further improve it. If you can get the money together before you start any enchantments then it can save you a lot in the long run.

Sorry about lack of clarity, brain is rambling, but hope that gets over what I mean!

 

[James McMurray]

DR 3/- is amazing against mook hordes.

Mithral also only counts as medium armor. Compare it to other medium armors and you'll se how valuable it is to the barbarian that can't wear full plate without losing a lot.

 

[Scion]

The ability to sleep in mithrial full plate (with the endurance feat) is a huge boon

DR 3/- is also very nice, my last psion had a power that granted dr like this and everyone loved me for it if I was able to cast it on them before a battle. Every little bit helps!

I am trying to convince the marshal in our party to get the major aura that grants DR actually for just this reason. Between choosing extra ac and dr it is a tough call though.