Take a feat get armor prof... no drawbacks?

[Jer]

If you're building a swordmage, it makes sense.

So here's a related question - what about multiclassing to fighter? I'm assuming from the write-up on multiclassing that was on Wizard's site a while back that you don't automatically get the armor proficiencies of the fighter class if you multiclass to it - is this correct? (I'm assuming it must be because if not it pretty much wipes out the need for the entire armor proficiency feat chain, but I'd like to know).

 

[Gort]

This just made me notice something weird. The warlord in my game starts with proficiency in chainmail, and took the feat to upgrade to scalemail.

The weird thing is, you need 13 str and con to take scalemail proficiency, so she can't do it. However, you need 13 str and con to take chainmail proficiency in the first place! That's just a bit strange really.

 

[CrimsonNeko]

Multiclassing is a bit weird. Yeah, you do get the prof I think when you full out multi-class, but that'll be at 11, if you took the 4 feats to give you fighter abilities. Multi-classing is a much more gradual process now....

 

[Valerion Steele]

This just made me notice something weird. The warlord in my game starts with proficiency in chainmail, and took the feat to upgrade to scalemail.

The weird thing is, you need 13 str and con to take scalemail proficiency, so she can't do it. However, you need 13 str and con to take chainmail proficiency in the first place! That's just a bit strange really.

when you get the proficiency by class you need not fulfill the requirements for those i think

 

[Aservan]

The chain goes like this

Cloth (everybody starts with this one)
|
Leather (everybody except Wizard)
|
Chainmail (Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Warlord start with)
|
Scale (Fighter & Paladin only)
|
Plate (Paladin Only)

Hide is not in the chain but branches off of Leather. Only Fighters, Paladins and Rangers have hide proficiency to start.

So if you want to climb the armor chain you can skip hide which means a wizard can have plate for 4 feats. Much of the time she would be better off starting at leather. Both for the hot chick in leather fantasy and because then she can add her Int to AC.

At higher levels it gets murkier. Armor can be be built of enchanted materials that alter the math somewhat. Each level of better material in light armor only yields a one point advantage. Each material level of a Heavy armor is worth a three point advantage. So Godplate is worth a base +13 to AC with a minimum +6 magic bonus for a total of +19 to AC. There are advantages at high levels for being able to wear heavy armor. Characters without a huge Dex or Int certainly benefit from better armor.

Interestingly bang for buck scale is the best heavy armor in the game. It has no armor check penalty and with Armor Specialization Scale you can loose the movement penalty as well. It never lags more then 1 point behind plate either.

 

[Surgoshan]

At higher levels it gets murkier. Armor can be be built of enchanted materials that alter the math somewhat. Each level of better material in light armor only yields a one point advantage. Each material level of a Heavy armor is worth a three point advantage. So Godplate is worth a base +13 to AC with a minimum +6 magic bonus for a total of +19 to AC. There are advantages at high levels for being able to wear heavy armor. Characters without a huge Dex or Int certainly benefit from better armor.

You get +6 magic items starting at ~level 26. By that time you'll have been able to add +7 to any single stat, which could bring a 17/18 to a 24/25, giving you a bonus of +7 to AC. So a 26th level rogue wearing Starleather would have +17 to AC, whereas the defender would have +20. Also, your defender will probably have a heavy shield for a further +2 AC.

But the defender (unless he takes feats) will have penalties to move or check. It balances. The defender will need those 5 AC a lot more than a striker or wizard would, and the -4 to his physical skill checks is a pretty bit hit.

 

[Cadfan]

Are there cost issues with things like godplate? That is, does +6 godplate scale (+19 ac) cost the same amount as +6 starleather (+10 ac)?

 

[Surgoshan]

Best I know, a level 26 item (magic +6) is a level 26 item is a level 26 item and will have the same base cost regardless.

 

[Sashi]

It specifically says that the requirement for a masterwork armor is that the armor has a high enough magic modifier.

This means that at 16th level you have the potential to jump your AC by 4 points (+3 scale to +4 Wyrmscale) and then again at 26th (+5 Wyrmscale to +6 Elderscale). You'd think they would have smoothed this out a bit?

I guess it's supposed to be DM's discretion about when to actually provide the party with masterwork armors, I guess it relies on DM's discretion. I think I'll treat masterwork as having a minimum enhancement bonus requirement AND adding 2 to the level of the item. Making it possible to actually have a level 32 item.

 

[Surgoshan]

Turns out it says that the cost of masterwork armor is included in high level items. So apparently all 16th+ items are masterwork? Or somehow +6 leather is as expensive as +6 feyleather? I don't get it.