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The_JJ
2010-03-24, 01:39 PM
Alright,
Heavy armors are treated as medium, and medium armors are treated as light, but light armors are still treated as light. Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are lessened by 3 (to a minimum of 0).

Which is all very well and good but then...
Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.

Bolded for emphasis.

So do all mithral armors in fact have a net armor check penalty cancel score of -4?

So would a Mithral breastplate have -0 to check penalty?

Compare Mithral breatplate: 5 AC, max dex 5, no check pen at 4200 gp to say a Studded Leather +2: 5 AC, max dex 5, no check pen. 4175 gp.

But then compare Mithral breatplate +1: 6 AC, 5200 gp, max dex 5, no check pen to Studded Leather +3: 6 AC, max dex 5, no check pen. 9175 gp.

An official ruling would be the best.

wormwood
2010-03-24, 02:06 PM
Nope, it doesn't stack. Mithral items are always masterwork and the price is included in the extra cost of the item, per the SRD. This would imply that the bonuses are also included.

For further evidence, the Magic Item Compendium shows a mithral breastplate as having -1 ACP, 15% ASF, +5 max dex bonus.

The_JJ
2010-03-24, 02:08 PM
Alright, thanks. Still a pretty good deal at lower levels, -1 check pen for 4000 gp.

Lord Vukodlak
2010-03-24, 02:11 PM
Mithral reduces the check penalty on armor by 3.
ALL mithral armor is treated as masterwork, you can't have non masterwork mithral armor so the bonus is included in the special materials description.


Examples from the DMG,
Mithral full plate of speed has a check penalty -3, Three less then standard fullplate

Elven Chain, which is a suit of mithral chainmail has a check penalty of -2, three less then the standard of -5 for that armor.