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View Full Version : DnD 3.5 spell: Bone Armor--Where is it?



Protecar
2010-02-08, 11:55 AM
Subject title says it all. I managed to find a pdf that(I think) compiled a truly complete list of official wizard spells for 3.5. But, for some reason, it mentions this level one spell called Bone Armor but doesn't cite where it's found. Google-fu proved failing to find it. :smallconfused: Anybody happen to know?

sonofzeal
2010-02-08, 02:18 PM
Doesn't appear to exist. May be a 3rd party unofficial spell.



"Death Armor", however, is in Ghostwalk on page 50, Magic of Faerun on page 87, and Spell Compendium on page 60.

Protecar
2010-02-08, 02:21 PM
Hmm...that's odd. Can you give me the gist of the spell? Bone Armor allegedly was supposed to be a long term spell(hr/level) that gave +7 to AC but only until you took a certain amount of damage(like...10hp/level I think).

sonofzeal
2010-02-08, 02:25 PM
"Black aura deals 1d4 +1/two levels damage to creatures attacking you."

That's the short version. There's also "Wall of Bones" ("Creates a bone wall.") and "Iron Bones" ("Corporeal undead gains +6 natural armor bonus"). No "Bone Armor" in my indexes though. If it's official, it may be Dragon Magazine.

Kylarra
2010-02-08, 02:35 PM
It might be from the adaptation of Diablo 2 to D20?

Andras
2010-02-08, 03:38 PM
It might be from the adaptation of Diablo 2 to D20?

This seems pretty likely.

sonofzeal
2010-02-08, 03:41 PM
That'd be 3rd party then. A shame, really, because it sounds like a fun spell.

Quietus
2010-02-08, 03:45 PM
You could always just refluff (greater) mage armor. +x to AC, and just decide that it looks like armor of bones wrapping itself around you?

You don't even need to worry about how much damage it's taken. :smallsmile:

Dusk Eclipse
2010-02-08, 06:20 PM
The Bone Knight PRG class from 5 nations get an amor made of bones, it is a divine prestige class.

Irreverent Fool
2010-02-08, 07:22 PM
Greater Mage Armor + Stoneskin?

obnoxious
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NemoUtopia
2010-02-08, 07:25 PM
I recall the 3.0 arcane caster installment having a necromantic focused class that had a class feature called bone armor. But it's probably referring to the Diablo II -> d20.

Word of advice though: Spell research and the feat Spell Thematics solve everything :smalltongue:

Protecar
2010-02-08, 07:58 PM
Darn. It sounded like such a sweet spell too. I'm no DM, and my DM isn't exactly crazy-flexible in regards to RAW so I don't think I'm going to get him to let me start spell-crafting just yet. Oh well. Thanks guys.

Irreverent Fool
2010-02-08, 08:36 PM
Darn. It sounded like such a sweet spell too. I'm no DM, and my DM isn't exactly crazy-flexible in regards to RAW so I don't think I'm going to get him to let me start spell-crafting just yet. Oh well. Thanks guys.

If you're playing a wizard, spell research is in the RAW. No flexibility required.

obnoxious
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JoshuaZ
2010-02-08, 08:43 PM
If you're playing a wizard, spell research is in the RAW. No flexibility required.



Yes, but the DM still needs to approve of the spell. If it is a spell that is in a reputable third party book and is reasonably balanced they should do so. If you need to try and homebrew one up, we have a homebrew forum where you can make requests.

Zaq
2010-02-08, 08:46 PM
...Odd AC bonus requiring an HP sacrifice? That just screams Secret College of Necromancy to me (a 3rd party book which gets an A- on fluff and a D+ to C- on crunch). Let me check... yup, SCoN pg. 23. It's got your typical SCoN strange wording, in that it never specifies what "absorbing hp of damage" really means, since AC means that there's no damage being taken...

I really like SCoN, but it's not something you really use in a game. It's something you read, think about, and try to model in the game. Fun read, but...

Protecar
2010-02-08, 09:47 PM
...Odd AC bonus requiring an HP sacrifice? That just screams Secret College of Necromancy to me (a 3rd party book which gets an A- on fluff and a D+ to C- on crunch). Let me check... yup, SCoN pg. 23. It's got your typical SCoN strange wording, in that it never specifies what "absorbing hp of damage" really means, since AC means that there's no damage being taken...

I really like SCoN, but it's not something you really use in a game. It's something you read, think about, and try to model in the game. Fun read, but...

Aw. Sad day. Is there a place online I can find this book then? Just to take a peek?

Kaerou
2010-02-08, 09:49 PM
Darn. It sounded like such a sweet spell too. I'm no DM, and my DM isn't exactly crazy-flexible in regards to RAW so I don't think I'm going to get him to let me start spell-crafting just yet. Oh well. Thanks guys.

Can't you just ask him if its fine to handwave your mage armor to be 'be a spiral of floating bones' ICLy?

No balance problems, just thematics.

Protecar
2010-02-08, 09:55 PM
Can't you just ask him if its fine to handwave your mage armor to be 'be a spiral of floating bones' ICLy?

No balance problems, just thematics.

He might go for that. He's a new DM and a bit of a stickler thus far: (i.e. he nixed the entire Necro spell school from my wizard because he said it was "evil" and said I couldn't use it.)

But I primarily wanted the spell because I liked how it was different than mage armor with the nice +7 AC with a drawback(the dismissal of the spell after a certain amount of damage if I recall correctly).

JoshuaZ
2010-02-08, 10:13 PM
He might go for that. He's a new DM and a bit of a stickler thus far: (i.e. he nixed the entire Necro spell school from my wizard because he said it was "evil" and said I couldn't use it.)



All of it? Is speaking with dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/speakwithDead.htm) evil? Is letting the restless dead find peace (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/undeathtoDeath.htm) evil? Is preserving a body (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gentleRepose.htm) so it can be respectfully buried evil? Is he aware that there are even core necromancy spells that are on the Paladin list?

All of that said, if you are a specialist wizard, necromancy is one of the weaker schools, so having it as a banned school is actually probably close to optimal.

Splendor
2010-02-08, 10:24 PM
The Pale Master 3.0 prestige class got a class ability called Bonemail but that gave natural armor.

If you're a wizard just take greater mage armor. Complete Arcane page 114. Lasts 1hr/Lv and grants +6 Armor bonus.

Protecar
2010-02-08, 10:32 PM
@JayZ: I know, I know. I gave up trying to reason with him on it. He didn't like the idea of me animating the dead. Which was my real passion. No big, but it's kinda indicative of how he'd take a stance on other things.

@Splendor: I want Greater Mage Armor too--but the bonuses would stack if I could get him to allow them both. GMA is an armor bonus and Bone Armor is a natural armor bonus(at least, I believe they would stack).

Splendor
2010-02-08, 11:14 PM
For Natural Armor Just use Alter Self and turn into a Lizardman (+5 NA), Troglodyte (+6 NA) or a Tren (+8 NA). Alterself doesn't last hours but it does last 10min/Lv.

My DM disliked my 27 AC last night at 3rd level. (Mage armor, Alterself into Tren, 16 Dex, a MW dueling cloak, and Luck of Hero's).

Set
2010-02-09, 02:39 AM
Random spell I found on my website from ages ago (submitted to Relics & Rituals 2, but didn't make the cut).

Bone Armor.

Animates a skeleton to serve as armor for the caster.

Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Touch
Target, Effect or Area: Animates a skeleton to serve the caster as armor
Duration: 13 hours
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Description
An apprentice necromancer named Hadat crafted this spell as a necromantic variation on the popular armor spell, which he could not cast. The somatic component of the spell reflects his rather unhealthy obsession with the dead, but in Glivid-Autel, such behaviors are considered desirable by certain undead necromancers...

Spell Effect
With imploring gestures and caresses over an intact (non-undead) skeleton of his general size, the caster causes the skeleton to fly apart and re-assemble around his body as a protective shell. It moves as he moves, never impeding his movement and serving as +4 armor protection with no chance of spell failure, no armor check penalty and no maximum dexterity limitation. It will not take hold if the caster is already wearing any sort of armor, although it will fuse itself over normal, or even magical, clothing. The bone armor weighs 10 to 20 lbs. (depending on the skeletons freshness), but it supports its own weight, leaving the caster entirely unencumbered by its presence. Throughout the duration of the spell, the bones re-knit themselves if damaged, so long as the caster remains alive beneath them.

The bone armor confers an armor bonus, and as such does not stack with the bonuses conferred by the mage armor spell, or any form of mundane physical armor (but does stack with the bonus conferred by a shield).

If the caster is slain while under the protection of this spell, the bone armor draws power from the casters death and rises as a free-willed Skeleton of medium-size (or as appropriate to the casters size), attacking any living creatures nearby indiscriminately, starting with the closest, for 1 minute / caster level or until it is destroyed. If the caster is merely dropped to Disabled or Dying, the armor remains functioning as armor until the moment of the casters actual death.

Material Components: An intact humanoid skeleton of the same size as the caster. (Note that if the caster is not humanoid, the skeleton must be of an appropriate racial type and size to match.)

Temotei
2010-02-09, 02:42 AM
Take that feat that gives your spells a theme and cast some armor spell. Win. :smallamused:

faceroll
2010-02-09, 03:27 AM
Hmm...that's odd. Can you give me the gist of the spell? Bone Armor allegedly was supposed to be a long term spell(hr/level) that gave +7 to AC but only until you took a certain amount of damage(like...10hp/level I think).

Maybe it's in the d20 Diablo 2 book?

Schylerwalker
2010-02-09, 02:08 PM
Well, as everybody is saying, there is a bone armor spell for the Necromancer in the third party book, Diablerie, which is the D20 adaptation of Diablo II. I do not know of any other bone armor spell.

sonofzeal
2010-02-09, 02:11 PM
Take that feat that gives your spells a theme and cast some armor spell. Win. :smallamused:
Isn't that feat called "good roleplay"? (I joke, I joke, I've seen the feat in question. It's still something that should be up to the to RP, though)

Sinfire Titan
2010-02-09, 03:00 PM
It may have been renamed in the Spell compendium. Check the front of the book.

JeenLeen
2010-02-09, 03:08 PM
He might go for that. He's a new DM and a bit of a stickler thus far: (i.e. he nixed the entire Necro spell school from my wizard because he said it was "evil" and said I couldn't use it.)

But I primarily wanted the spell because I liked how it was different than mage armor with the nice +7 AC with a drawback(the dismissal of the spell after a certain amount of damage if I recall correctly).

There's a feat, Spell Thematics, in one of the setting books. It lets you have your magic have a certain theme, such as bones and skulls, for this example. (I think you also get a + to the DC for others to make a spellcraft check to identify the spell, or something like that.)

Not that it should cost a feat, but if you really want it and the DM says he's unwilling to alter the fluff, this is a RAW way to get alter fluff.

Optimystik
2010-02-09, 03:13 PM
Isn't that feat called "good roleplay"? (I joke, I joke, I've seen the feat in question. It's still something that should be up to the to RP, though)

I agree, especially since clerics explicitly get to do this in FR. For example, a Banite casting an inflict spell has his hand turn dark and glow with green light - a Yurtrus cleric doing the same has his hand turn pale and sickly.

Protecar
2010-02-09, 03:27 PM
Thanks again for all the replies: I did find the spell that was referred to in the "Secret College of Necromancy" book--thanks to whoever mentioned this book.

As to the other suggestions: although I do like the flavor of the spell, there's something about actually having a spell that armors you with undeath(something I like for the sorcerer/binder/Anima Mage I'm making) in a unique fashion that I enjoy.

As an aside: I got my DM to approve the spell, but nixed the idea of me having an eternal wand of it as part of my starting equipment(although he said he might be willing to let me have one if it was nerf'd to about 1 charge/day. :D)

Thanks to all the advice!

Wings of Peace
2010-02-09, 04:03 PM
It might be from the adaptation of Diablo 2 to D20?

*High Five* You're one of the only people I've met who know about that. And even fewer realize it's a WoTC book!