Mage Bracers

[Gay Lord]

Just a thought for a replacement item.

 

All the bracers of defense, ranging from AC 8 to AC 3, could be replaced with a single set of bracers. These would use the Mage Armor spell from Spell Revisions, which starts at AC 6 and scales up to AC 3 at 12th level I think.

 

The bracers would work 3x per day, and would cast at the level of the user. In this way, a newbie could strap them on and get the lowest setting, while high level characters could get the AC 3 benefit. The bracers could be used by everybody, except wizard slayers. It can be dispelled, which is partly why it works 3x per day, but I think it a cleaner way to handle protective bracers, by having only one type that scales, instead of a bunch of different types.

[Salk]

I actually like the bunch of different types, even because they have a solid AD&D tradition.

 

Also, IR is already introduces the X times / day ability for many items and I'd not wish to see more.

[Jarno Mikkola]

The bracers would work 3x per day, and would cast at the level of the user.

3 times per day, what are you trying to say? That the spell would last 8 game hours, and the bracers would have only 1 charge?

Besides the usability thing, you have to realize that the 3 charges per 8 hours would make some mages very unhappy especially in long journeys when the charges are not refreshed in the period you suggest as the party doesn't actually sleep when they travel.

 

Also, IR is already introduces the X times / day ability for many items and I'd not wish to see more.

Nor wouldn't I, at it would brake the spirit of the bracers(constant effect), as said.

[Demivrgvs]

IR is already introduces the X times / day ability for many items and I'd not wish to see more.

Actually I'm not sure I added a lot of x/day abilities, and if I did I'm going in the opposite direction with v3.

 

The reasons behind this can be reduced to two main things:

1) x/day abilities can be used without the item equipped (most of the times it requires a willing player to exploit this, but weapon's abilities are "exploitable" even by "fair" players like me)

2) too many x/day abilities transform a plain fighter into an archmage

[yarpen]

Demi, is there a possibility that Bracers of AC5 when equipped render illusion of wearing chainmail? You know, in it's history it's told that they were created for a fighter who wasn't capable of wearing armors anymore and he used bracers with illusion to show enemies that he's still armed.

 

Also, I really do hate non-armored characters animations.

[Salk]

You know, in it's history it's told that they were created for a fighter who wasn't capable of wearing armors anymore and he used bracers with illusion to show enemies that he's still armed.

 

If it was really an illusion it should not grant any protection now, should it?

[Demivrgvs]

"His companion, the sorceress Nadalarin, created these bracers for him. She also cast a permanent illusion over him so that his men would think he still wore his heavy chain. Tapid died twenty years later, his hands wrapped around the neck of an orc chief when old age took him."

 

The bracers are real, they don't cast an illusion.

 

If I'll ever be able to consistently use repeating EFF opcodes (I pray at Taimon's temple every week) I could do things like that, such as making Cloak of Displacement not work against a creature under True Seeing.

[yarpen]

Still I think that this little gameplay detail would be quite awesome! Please? (You don't need to make it dispellable, that'd be quite stupid )

[Gay Lord]

I suggested 3x to be equal in duration to permanent bracers. Those bracers cover you 24 hours a day, so I thought 3 * 8 hours.

 

Having the protection expire and be dispellable appeals to me, as it makes magical defense more realistic to me. I realize that that's subjective. Also, IIRC, one of the descriptions says that gladiators wore it. How could that be? I can't see mage gladiators. This would allow non-mage characters who don't wear armor to have protection. Druids, clerics, kensai, monks, rogues... it could help many.

 

1) x/day abilities can be used without the item equipped (most of the times it requires a willing player to exploit this, but weapon's abilities are "exploitable" even by "fair" players like me)

2) too many x/day abilities transform a plain fighter into an archmage

Perhaps being a purist I don't think in terms of ways to cheat or exploit. Perhaps I'm also assuming parties sleep regularly and they don't. I'm of the opinion that people who want to cheat can find ample instruction on how to use CLUA to do so. I also don't think using a first level mage spell is the path to fighter archmagehood .

 

In any case, I think it would be a neat item, but perhaps that's just me. If you don't want to include it Demi, that's fine. Could you perhaps give me some links to learn how to make items for my own game?

 

If it was really an illusion it should not grant any protection now, should it?

Ghost Armor is an illusion.

[yarpen]

In any case, I think it would be a neat item, but perhaps that's just me. If you don't want to include it Demi, that's fine. Could you perhaps give me some links to learn how to make items for my own game?

It isn't 'neat' item, it's just stupid that for armor effect you don't need to constantly wear those bracers. You can put them on, cast armor and take them off and take instead of gauntlets of ogre strenght. It violates philosophy of making all of the items usefull. One of the main rules is: always have some equipped effects with exception of armors and weapon.

[Salk]

Ghost Armor is an illusion.

 

Not in the unmodded game.

 

Ghost Armor

(Conjuration/Summoning)

Level: 3

Range: 0

Duration: 5 turns

Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: The caster

Saving Throw: None

 

By means of this spell, the wizard creates a magical field of force that serves as if it were field plate armor (AC 2). It is cumulative with Dexterity and, in the case of fighter/mages, with the shield bonus. The armor spell does not hinder movement, adds no weight or encumbrance, nor does it prevent spellcasting. It lasts until successfully dispelled or until the duration runs out.

[Gay Lord]

Not in the unmodded game.

 

Ah, my mistake then. I seem to recall dropping the spell with a thief's Detect Illusion ability.

 

It isn't 'neat' item, it's just stupid that for armor effect you don't need to constantly wear those bracers.

As I said, I don't normally think of ways to cheat or exploit the game rules. If there were a way to make the spell cancel when the bracers were removed, great. I assume that that's not possible or would require too much scripting.

 

What I think is stupid is saying mages can't wear armor and then giving them items with the exact same function. Why not just let them wear armor and cast spells then?

 

If wizards are denied armor, then the defenses they raise should be vulnerable in some way, to maintain that aspect. Having those defenses dispellable is one way to go.

[Demivrgvs]

Not in the unmodded game.

Ah, my mistake then. I seem to recall dropping the spell with a thief's Detect Illusion ability.

SR's Ghost Armor works like that.

 

It isn't 'neat' item, it's just stupid that for armor effect you don't need to constantly wear those bracers.

As I said, I don't normally think of ways to cheat or exploit the game rules. If there were a way to make the spell cancel when the bracers were removed, great. I assume that that's not possible or would require too much scripting.

Well, one thing is not caring about exploits you have to actively look for, but in this case it would be plain stupid for a player to keep the bracers equipped if the armor-like effect lasts 8 hours.

 

Also, IIRC, one of the descriptions says that gladiators wore it. How could that be? I can't see mage gladiators.

You're calling these bracers Mage Bracers, but these are Bracers of Armor, and in PnP a lot of characters use these instead of armors (e.g. duelist, monks, ...).

 

What I think is stupid is saying mages can't wear armor and then giving them items with the exact same function. Why not just let them wear armor and cast spells then?

Well, armors grant A LOT more protection. A non-magical Full Plate grants AC 1, while the best Bracers of Armor in PnP offer AC 2 (in BG the best ones offer AC 3 and cost like a full plate +5 with AC -4).

 

If wizards are denied armor, then the defenses they raise should be vulnerable in some way, to maintain that aspect. Having those defenses dispellable is one way to go.

Nice concept, but it's almost impossible to implement.