[3.5] Good items for a warrior by slot

[Thurbane]

Hey all,

What do people think are some of the best items for a melee type (other than weapons and armor)? Obviously, it's going to vary by level, and by the exact build (i.e. tripper, power attacker, two weapon fighting etc.), so let's assume a basic melee all-rounder.

Here's some of my favorite low-mid power items (ignoring the obvious stat boosters):

Head: Horned Helm
Face: Fanged Mask
Throat: Heartseeking Amulet
Torso: Formless Vest
Waist: Belt of Growth
Shoulders: Transposer Cloak
Arms: Counterstrike Bracers
Hands: Gauntlets of Weaponry Arcane
Ring 1: Ring of Adamantine Touch
Ring 2: Ring of Vengeance
Feet: Steadfast Boots

[Eldariel]

Waist: Belt of Battle
Legs: Anklets of Translocation, Boots of Big Stepping (unfortunately can't be worn with above), Boots of Temporal Acceleration (again), Boots of Battle Charger (again), Boots of Speed (again)
Vest: Winged Vest
Face: Blindfold of True Darkness
Arms: True Strike Gauntlets
Shoulders: Starmantle Cloak

And...I guess I'm just being silly here. I just want a bunch of Boots on.

[sdream]

For a warrior choosing to specialize in a certain weapon and TWF (yeah, yeah, not ideal, but my brother likes the idea).

Strongarm Bracers - 6k MIC - allows you to wield weapons as if you were one size larger without any penalty, and also wield normal sized weapons without penalty.

That's the only way I found to allow a longsword specialized fighter to use a longsword as a light weapon in their offhand (as only light weapons avoid another hefty penalty for TWF).

So instead of Longsword + shortsword (doing less damage offhand and missing offhand weapon specialization bonuses)

Use Large Longsword + normal longsword (get specialization bonuses on both hands, and significantly higher base damage on both).

I would also rule that a medium greatsword is the same thing as a large longsword (look at the pictures and the damage/critrange).

You can do most of the same thing with a feat (monkeygrip) but it still has some penalties. Just use the slot, and pay more to add related effects to the bracers.

Effects that should be addable easily (just 1.5x cost) would be anything strength related.

[Sinfire Titan]

For a warrior choosing to specialize in a certain weapon and TWF (yeah, yeah, not ideal, but my brother likes the idea).

Strongarm Bracers - 6k MIC - allows you to wield weapons as if you were one size larger without any penalty, and also wield normal sized weapons without penalty.

That's the only way I found to allow a longsword specialized fighter to use a longsword as a light weapon in their offhand (as only light weapons avoid another hefty penalty for TWF).

So instead of Longsword + shortsword (doing less damage offhand and missing offhand weapon specialization bonuses)

Use Large Longsword + normal longsword (get specialization bonuses on both hands, and significantly higher base damage on both).

I would also rule that a medium greatsword is the same thing as a large longsword (look at the pictures and the damage/critrange).

You can do most of the same thing with a feat (monkeygrip) but it still has some penalties. Just use the slot, and pay more to add related effects to the bracers.

Effects that should be addable easily (just 1.5x cost) would be anything strength related.

The first part is debatable, as you are technically wielding an improvised weapon. You could just take Oversized TWFing, which does what you want it to do. Monkey Grip, however, specifically states you cannot use it in the off-hand.

[Glimbur]

I like the various vests from MiC that give you DR 5/Alignment.

[industrious]

The DR shirts are really good, but the /evil one is a trap; at higher levels, you'll be facing outsiders that render the DR useless. Personally, I go with DR 3/silver or cold iron. What non-PC packs those? Silver gives a -1 to damage and cold iron makes enchancing the weapon much more expensive.

[Cieyrin]

The first part is debatable, as you are technically wielding an improvised weapon. You could just take Oversized TWFing, which does what you want it to do. Monkey Grip, however, specifically states you cannot use it in the off-hand.

Oversized TWFing would be the easier solution to this, as you don't have to go looking for Medium greatswords/Large largeswords and can just deal in Medium longswords, as well as not looking so bloody silly.

[sdream]

Oversized TWFing would be the easier solution to this, as you don't have to go looking for Medium greatswords/Large largeswords and can just deal in Medium longswords, as well as not looking so bloody silly.

Oversized TWF sounds cool (we don't have complete adventurer), but it sounds like even combining it with Monkey grip won't net you the same perks as just buying the bracers, and TWF builds with weapon specialization certainly can't afford two extra feats.

The ability to wield a large longsword in your mainhand is just a perk that provides a tiny bit more base weapon damage (avg 7 instead of avg 4.5). If the look of having perfectly matching weapons is worth 2.5 damage per hit to you, feel free to use a medium longsword in your mainhand, as Strongarm bracers state that you have no penalty for using weapons as normal for your size.

I disagree about weapons of a different size being improvised however, as PH113 specifies that a small dagger is only -2 for a human due to the size difference, not -6 due to additionally being an improvised or non-proficient weapon. Strongarm bracers (MIC 139) simply say you can wield weapons as if you were one size category larger than normal and list no exceptions other than not stacking with powerful build (IE - no to hit penalty, no hands restrictions).

You could invent something to make the item not such an awesome value, but I'm not looking for ways to hinder melee-ers in general and TWF in particular.

So for anyone looking for a TWF build, Strongarm Bracers are an awesome item that helps at low and high levels.

[Barbarian MD]

Hey all,

What do people think are some of the best items for a melee type (other than weapons and armor)? Obviously, it's going to vary by level, and by the exact build (i.e. tripper, power attacker, two weapon fighting etc.), so let's assume a basic melee all-rounder.

Here's some of my favorite low-mid power items (ignoring the obvious stat boosters):

Head: Horned Helm
Face: Fanged Mask
Throat: Heartseeking Amulet
Torso: Formless Vest
Waist: Belt of Growth
Shoulders: Transposer Cloak
Arms: Counterstrike Bracers
Hands: Gauntlets of Weaponry Arcane
Ring 1: Ring of Adamantine Touch
Ring 2: Ring of Vengeance
Feet: Steadfast Boots

Could you provide a brief description of what these are, and what books they're from? I've never heard of many of them, and now I'm curious.

[Godna]

Where can i find the rules for putting a magic item in a different slot, because i remember there being rule for that and rules for putting the +6 strength from the belt of giant's strength on other items. or something like that


and how much it costs to get a spell casted with permanency

[Keshay]

Where can i find the rules for putting a magic item in a different slot, because i remember there being rule for that and rules for putting the +6 strength from the belt of giant's strength on other items. or something like that


and how much it costs to get a spell casted with permanency

The SRD: http://www.d20srd.org/ There's a search function in there.

Answer to the first question is under Magic Items-> Creating Magic Items -> Body Slot Affinities: Wondrous items that don’t match the affinity for a particular body slot should cost 50% more than wondrous items that match the affinity.

The rule for Permanancy is under the spell description for Permanancy. Not all spells are lsited, but you'll notice that all spells of the same level all cost the same, so if you DM allows non-listed spells to be permananced, there's your baseline.

[Godna]

I mean the GP cost of it and i found the rules for adding the STR bonus to the items

it ends up costing 36,000 to add +6 STR to the belt of battle

[Paulus]

The SRD: http://www.d20srd.org/ There's a search function in there.

Answer to the first question is under Magic Items-> Creating Magic Items -> Body Slot Affinities: Wondrous items that don’t match the affinity for a particular body slot should cost 50% more than wondrous items that match the affinity.

The rule for Permanancy is under the spell description for Permanancy. Not all spells are lsited, but you'll notice that all spells of the same level all cost the same, so if you DM allows non-listed spells to be permananced, there's your baseline.

You don't have to use the permanency spell to make a spell continuous, though it would seem debatable on this forum, you can pretty much make whatever item you want provided there is DM approval -as always- you simply use the chart for determining the price of a magic item which gives the price situation for items with a certain continuous spell etc. Its side by side (or rather, below) the wondrous item lists and rules etc in the DMG.

Works for me and my Dm, I've made quite a few items, including a Pen of Calligraphy and Illustration (PEN.C.IL.) so I never have to buy ink again.

[Keld Denar]

Face: Third Eye - Clarity (MIC) 1/day get out of stun free, immediate action
Head: Scout's Headband (MIC) 3 charges per day, get See Invis or True Seeing
Neck: CON CON CON CON CON CON CON CON CON!!!!!
Vest: Resistance as much as you can get. Better here than cloak. Bolt Shirt (MIC) is also nice for 5k gold 1/day Dim Door to get out of a bad situation.
Cloak: Minor Displacement (DMG). Major is a trap, minor is great. Otherwise Winged (DMG) or Phoenix Cloak (MIC) depending on base land speed.
Belt: Str
Arms: Armbands of Might (MIC) +2 Str checks and +2 damage when you PA for 2, dirt cheap.
Hands: Gloves of Fortunate Striking (MIC). Cheap, 1/day attack reroll. Buy 3-4, swap out as needed between encounters.
Boots: Speed (DMG). At high levels, the caster has more important things to do than Haste you. BYOH.
Animated Shield with Death Ward and Energy Immunity (MIC both). 1/day Immunity to many very bad things.

The MIC has rules for adding basic stats with slot affinity to items for just the difference in price. IE, Belt of Battle of Str would be 12k + 36k, rather than 36k + 12k*1.5. This particularly helps out melee characters, as they tend to be very gear dependant. Basic stats include stats, skills, resistance, natural armor, and deflection.

[Thurbane]

Could you provide a brief description of what these are, and what books they're from? I've never heard of many of them, and now I'm curious.
All items are from the magic item compendium...

Belt of Growth - 1/day affected as enlarge person for up to 10 minutes
Counterstrike Bracers - 2/day take one free attack of opportunity after enemy’s failed melee attack
Fanged Mask - Make bite attacks; 3/day stun creature you bite
Formless Vest - 1/day take half critical hit or sneak attack damage
Gauntlets of Weaponry Arcane - Weapons overcome damage reduction as silver weapons
Heartseeking Amulet - 3/day treat next melee attack as melee touch attack
Horned Helm - Gain secondary gore attack dealing 1d8 damage + 1/2 Str bonus
Ring of Adamantine Touch - Melee attacks treated as adamantine for overcoming DR
Ring of Vengeance - 3/day when critical hit is scored on you, attacker takes 5d6 points of damage
Steadfast Boots - +4 bonus to resist being moved, constantly set against charge
Transposer Cloak - 3/day switch positions with another creature within 30 ft.

[Zaydos]

Mine, still avoiding the I buff stat X items, would be:
Waist: Belt of Battle (it's fun)
Head: Angelhelm
Ring: of Adamantine Touch
Ring: of the Darkhidden
Arms: Strongarm Bracers
Feet: Anklet of Translocation
Torso: Shirt of Demonskin