Armor made from... Bonemeal?

[RndmNumGen]

As a reference to an earlier campaign, one of my players wants to start his next character in possession of some armor made from bonemeal. He was talking about how he could eat parts of it to get some random effect - nothing particularly powerful since the players will be starting at level 1, but just silly, quirky things. I kind of like the idea, but I'm unsure about what to do for the actual stats... so I'm really open to any ideas you guys have.

If you're curious about the reference, his previous character ate the remains of a destroyed skeleton after he scored a critical hit with a mace and I described the result as 'the skeleton disintegrates into bonemeal'. So... yeah. Nothing particularly special there, just really silly fun.

[Geigan]

Is this 3.5, pathfinder, or something else? Please specify.

[ericgrau]

It would have to be refused into solid bone to be of much use. I'm not sure how it's supposed to be tough enough to protect him yet also be chew-able. Besides that it would cost a bit more to create but would have the same AC as normal armor.

[arguskos]

When it comes to bonemeal as a building material, uh, you ARE aware that bonemeal is a powder, right? Making something out of it would be like building armor out of dirt. You *could* do it, maybe, but nearly anything else would be more useful.

If the player is REAAAAAAALLY intent on it, then I'd suggest padded armor stats with some flavorful and minor bonus based on the skeletons it came from (say they were magical and give him a bonus on saves vs undead spells and abilities or something).

Making armor out of dust seems silly though, just saying.

[Thiyr]

Making armor out of dust seems silly though, just saying.

Idunno, making armor out of water is just as silly, but Riverine exists. For 1st level chars that's a touch much though.

And now I'm imagining padded armor with shards of bone sticking out of it, the wearer biting into the bones, full-mouthedly exclaiming its deliciousness as he bleeds profusely.

[arguskos]

Idunno, making armor out of water is just as silly, but Riverine exists. For 1st level chars that's a touch much though.
Riverine IS silly, but then again, when magic can be all "lolforcewaterarmor", it's less silly.

This is for a level one character. Can't afford Mealine (a hypothetical Riverine/Bonemeal hybrid) yet. :smalltongue:


And now I'm imagining padded armor with shards of bone sticking out of it, the wearer biting into the bones, full-mouthedly exclaiming its deliciousness as he bleeds profusely.
That seems most excellent, actually. Do what this guy said.

[Coidzor]

Idunno, making armor out of water is just as silly, but Riverine exists. For 1st level chars that's a touch much though.

And now I'm imagining padded armor with shards of bone sticking out of it, the wearer biting into the bones, full-mouthedly exclaiming its deliciousness as he bleeds profusely.

Yes, but at least there the water is superfluous and pointless to what the armor actually is, miniature walls of force.

[Big Fau]

Making something out of it would be like building armor out of dirt.

Just FYI, one of the best bulletproof vests in the past 20 years was made using ceramic disks. Not quite the same, but close enough.

[Worira]

No, it's... really not. One is a very hard solid object, and the other is a powder. They're not comparable at all.

[Big Fau]

No, it's... really not. One is a very hard solid object, and the other is a powder. They're not comparable at all.

I meant after mixing in the extra materials.

[Legendairy]

Check out the mud armor for wild dwarves in FR. I think you can find it in the Eaces of Faerun book. FYI bonemeal can be mixed with paste and hardened :P

[Siosilvar]

I meant after mixing in the extra materials.

Calling modern ceramics "dirt" is like calling computers "rocks".

Sure, that might be what they started as, but it took a lot to get it there.

[Worira]

Well, while you could, technically, make armour out of bone china, it wouldn't be the right type of ceramic to provide effective armour, it would use bone ash, not bone meal, it wouldn't be even remotely edible, and ceramic bulletproof plates, while good at stopping bullets, has a tendency to shatter on impact.

[Demons_eye]

Well, while you could, technically, make armor out of bone china, it wouldn't be the right type of ceramic to provide effective armor, it would use bone ash, not bone meal, it wouldn't be even remotely edible, and ceramic bulletproof plates, while good at stopping bullets, has a tendency to shatter on impact.

Easiest way to solve the entire thing is say a wizard did it and move on.

As to the player why not let him 'offer' up money to some sort of god or maybe the ancestor of the bones to apply potion effects when he 'eats' a piece of the bone.

[JaronK]

Closest I can get is the Bone Armor that Bone Knights (Five Nations) get. You could play with that to get something together?

JaronK

[arguskos]

Well, while you could, technically, make armour out of bone china, it wouldn't be the right type of ceramic to provide effective armour, it would use bone ash, not bone meal, it wouldn't be even remotely edible, and ceramic bulletproof plates, while good at stopping bullets, has a tendency to shatter on impact.
This is kinda what I'm getting at (thanks Worira). Bonemeal just doesn't work. Ceramics can make effective armor and even bone strips overlaid onto leather or metal could work (if clumsily and whatnot), but using what is pretty much dust to make armor would either require so much magic that it's really just there for coloration/texture or would require turning the dust into something that matters and using THAT.

Anyways, nitpicks aside, there is bone armor in the Arms and Equipment Guide, the Bone Knight gets his special bone armor, and I figure you could fluff this as some kind of natural armor that is fused with the character (this has the advantage of making sense to "eat" it, you break off a spar of your own body armor and consume it, taking a few points of damage and getting some minor effect).

[GoatBoy]

"Oh, he's over there, eating his armour."

[RndmNumGen]

Yes, I do know bomemeal is a powder. That is why I wasn't sure what to do. However...


Idunno, making armor out of water is just as silly, but Riverine exists. For 1st level chars that's a touch much though.

And now I'm imagining padded armor with shards of bone sticking out of it, the wearer biting into the bones, full-mouthedly exclaiming its deliciousness as he bleeds profusely.


This, this is what I am going to do. Yes. So much yes.

[Lapak]

All of you complaining about bonemeal as an armor material are being silly. It could be an extremely effective armor if used as part of the base material for cement.

You'd have to pour it in place around the character, though, so he wouldn't be able to ever take it off.

Or move.

Or breathe.

But he'd be well protected!