Armor with spending limit

[kpumphre]

So my character starting 11th level character has 30k gold, and a limit of no item over 8k. He is a scout and currently I have a bow which cost about 30k (legacy item currently provides +2 dex, +2str +5 to spot enhancement) I am keeping the ring of protection +2 I currently have but other than that I need to deck out my character.

My stats are
STR 22
Dex 24
Con 14
Wis 14
Int 14
Cha 11

I need armor but is their anything that wont hamper me now? Also Items I wanted the belt of battle charging but that is way out of my price range. Items can be combined but when you add the second item it is 1.5X the cost. Feat wise I do have travel devotion one time for extra movement with rapid shot.

MIC is allowed

Armor idea currently Mithril chain shirt +4 ac +6 dex is their any ideas to boost the dex

[rollforeigninit]

I'd go with a ➕1 Nimbleness Mithril Chain Shirt. Nimbleness is a bit wasted but it does what ya want. What sources are you allowed? It might help.

[Slipperychicken]

At 11th level, I wouldn't worry about the armor much. Enemies' attack bonuses should be high enough to laugh at most AC values unless you go all-in for it. Try to get your whole dex bonus and get ghost touch so incorporeals have a tougher time hitting. Also, see if you can get some useful immunities from armor enchants.

Be sure to load up on the big ammo types: Silver, Cold Iron, and Adamantine should cover most cases. Oils of align weapon will help with DR/alignment.

Also see if there's some way to get past Wind Wall. If your legacy weapon is an Energy Bow, then that'll bypass it due to being a force effect IIRC.

[kpumphre]

I'd go with a ➕1 Nimbleness Mithril Chain Shirt. Nimbleness is a bit wasted but it does what ya want. What sources are you allowed? It might help.

Most books, but not Dragon magazine how much would the shirt be? I'm thinking of trying for blur more those effects. Lately we have fought an green dragon so he would hit, and then more mobs. We should be going against mobs more right now as we stepped in to a mini war on a town that the party kind of let happen (Before my new character joined). I get +5 ac from skirmish +2 from ring of protection so I'm holding a 24 pretty steady every turn armor just helps to protect from the 15 people firing arrows back at me. I got hit 4 times yesterday and I was one of the main targets while I was on the roof. Only the assassin really got me with a big hit.

Actually he killed me till we got in to the discussion that uncanny dodge will keep his death blow from working.

Any ideas for which items grants blur?

[Seerow]

Any ideas for which items grants blur?


There is the Blurring Armor property, +1 cost grants 20% miss chance for 5 rounds, 5 times a day. Should get you through the entirety of an average adventuring day.

[kpumphre]

Yeah but how much would that and nimbleness cost me on a mithril chain shirt?

[Seerow]

Yeah but how much would that and nimbleness cost me on a mithril chain shirt?

Nimbleness is also a +1 enhancement, so both together would require a +3 item, for a total of 9000g for the enhancements. Add that to 1100 for a mithril chain shirt, and you're looking at a hair over 10 grand.


Personally I'd just not use nimbleness, you can find better stuff to spend your money on, and it cuts the price of the armor in half (from 10k to 5k).

[kpumphre]

I think their was an armor quality called light weight or something. Any idea what I'm talking about? and your right At level 16 my dex will go up to 28 but I should have the money by then to get it.

[Deophaun]

I think their was an armor quality called light weight or something. Any idea what I'm talking about? and your right At level 16 my dex will go up to 28 but I should have the money by then to get it.
I remember something like that, but I believe the cost was ridiculous, like a +3 equivalent.

There's gnomish twist cloth from Races of Stone with no Dex cap, and Nightscale armor from Underdark with a +10 cap. However, at this point I'd recommend you just get a fancy shirt and enchant it with an armor bonus. Such a shirt could have a +2 armor bonus and a +2 enhancement bonus for 8,000 gp.

[kpumphre]

well instead of doing blur on the armor I found this

RING OF ENTROPIC
DEFLECTION
Price (Item Level): 8,000 gp (11th

50% miss chance as long as I move 10 in the round as a scout that's kind of my thing

[Artillery]

well instead of doing blur on the armor I found this

RING OF ENTROPIC
DEFLECTION
Price (Item Level): 8,000 gp (11th

50% miss chance as long as I move 10 in the round as a scout that's kind of my thing

Remember that the miss chance is only against ranged attacks. You also need to have an item that gives a move speed bonus for it to be 50% and not 20% miss chance.

[ericgrau]

I'd probably get a +1 mithril shirt for 2k gold. If you were in melee I might say +2, but you aren't. Or maybe if you can't find any great items under 8k; that is a little annoying at your level.


At 11th level, I wouldn't worry about the armor much. Enemies' attack bonuses should be high enough to laugh at most AC values unless you go all-in for it. Try to get your whole dex bonus and get ghost touch so incorporeals have a tougher time hitting. Also, see if you can get some useful immunities from armor enchants.
It's not a black and white question because of the scaling costs of AC. And foes don't hit on a 2 on all attacks, especially not secondary attacks. 1,000 gp can stop around 10% of hits, which is a no-brainer. Then the next +1 is 2,000 gp, which is a harder decision but still often worth it. Then next one is also 2,000 gp, then the next one is 3,000 gp and might not be worth it on a ranged character. Etc.

[kpumphre]

Remember that the miss chance is only against ranged attacks. You also need to have an item that gives a move speed bonus for it to be 50% and not 20% miss chance.

DAng it your right. I was thinking my class would work but it states that it has to be a magic item. Anyone know of one that is not on the foot slot?

I am within 30 85% of the time so ahh most people can get to me.

[Captnq]

How many items are you allowed to have and where can you get them from? because I can recommend a million cheap magic items that should make you disgusting, but they are all custom jobs. For example:

+1 smoking knee blade 4,320 gp. Smoking gives you a miss chance that isn't an illusion and anyone who grapples you becomes sickened. That means only move actions. So if YOU grapple someone, they can't escape, since you need to take a standard action to escape. Knee them to death.

Lets see, with your dex you need something that has a MDB of 7, so... We're sticking to light armor.... Bondleaf wrap... nah. Drow Chitin? Maybe. Leafweave? hmmm... Spidersilk? ACK! Exotic feat tax... hell no.

You need room to grow, incase you get more dex. So that leaves your two choices to be Bondleaf wrap whihc has NO Max Dex Penalty and has the advantage of being a leaving leaf bound to your body, and Nightscale, which has a max dex bonus of +10. Nightscale comes with a +2 base armor.

The price is the same 1,000 gp base, with 150 for masterwork. I recommend the nightscale as the Bondleaf wrap may be hard to come by.

Add an oil chamber to the inside of both arms. Load them with Oil of Cure Critical Wounds. You can trigger oil chambers as a swift action.

Get a suit of thistledown if you are an arcane spellcaster, should get your ASF to 0%. 250 gp.

Earthsilk Jersey, never have too much damage reduction 150 gp.

if you use holy symbols, drop the 50 gp and get it sanctified with a holy symbol on your chest.

ASAs:
Blinking +1
Displacement +1
Poison Spike +1
Quickness 5,000 gp
Restful 500 gp

Although weapon special abilites are much more interesting.
+1 Deflecting Everybright Spiked Helmet 6,310 gp - Headbutt arrows out of the air as a DC 20 reflex save. Flash to blind everyone within 20 feet twice a day at DC 14 for one round. Great for getting out of bars and away from angry husbands.

+1 Dislocator Tiny Hammer 4,301 gp - Hit yourself in the forehead for one HP of damage and teleport yourself 10 feet in any direction. Great for getting past locked doors.

+1 Eager Elbow Blade 4,320 gp - +2 to Init

+1 exit wound Caber - 8,310 gp - Let's you throw it in a line for 50 feet knocking everyone over and back 5 feet.

[ericgrau]

DAng it your right. I was thinking my class would work but it states that it has to be a magic item. Anyone know of one that is not on the foot slot?
MiC:
Panther mask (face), 2,700 gp, +5 speed when in light or no armor, and Run
Quickness (armor), +5000 gp for +5 speed

There are a few other cheap ones that grant faster forms of movement than your land speed like the ring of ascension for brief flight, but they're technically not +X to speed.

No MiC? That makes it hard to search around then.


I am within 30 85% of the time so ahh most people can get to me.
I'd get +2 armor then. And a +1 amulet of natural armor. But that's it I think. At least they can't full attack you easily.

[Captnq]

If you don't want kewl powers and just AC...

Get a pair of bracers of armor AC 2 and make them +2 EB (Yes, you can do that, up to +5 bonus, actually). Total cost 8,000 gp and it gives you armor that comes with built in ghost touch so it effects everything including flat footed and touch attacks.

Edited:
Actually, the cook thing to do is to get just AC 1 bracers then add like +2 ASAs to it. No need for that base +1 EB, so you can add two ASAs into your bracers, then another +1 ASA into your nightscale armor.

[Deophaun]

+1 smoking knee blade 4,320 gp.
He's a scout. I highly doubt he has Craft Magic Arms and Armor. 8,320.


+1 Deflecting Everybright Spiked Helmet 6,310 gp
I'm unsure if this is even a weapon (I don't know of a "spiked helmet" weapon anywhere. And while armor may include a helmet, but that does not make helmets themselves armor, and you can't add armor spikes to things that aren't armor). Anyway, even assuming this works:

Equivalent of +3 armor (+1 enhancement bonus + Everbright) means 9,000 for that ability alone, plus the addition of the cost of a +2 weapon (+1 enhancement bonus + Deflecting) is 8,000. How are you getting 6,310 from 17,000? Do you think he has Artificer levels somewhere?

+1 Dislocator Tiny Hammer 4,301 gp
8301 gp.

+1 Eager Elbow Blade 4,320 gp8320... and even here he's better off getting a Warning weapon. But that's neither here nor there, he said he's not allowed the MIC

+1 exit wound Caber - 8,310 gp16,310...

[TuggyNE]

+1 smoking knee blade 4,320 gp. Smoking gives you a miss chance that isn't an illusion and anyone who grapples you becomes sickened. That means only move actions. So if YOU grapple someone, they can't escape, since you need to take a standard action to escape. Knee them to death.

Sickened does not interfere with action economy; you're thinking of nauseated, which I doubt Smoking gives.


Add an oil chamber to the inside of both arms. Load them with Oil of Cure Critical Wounds. You can trigger oil chambers as a swift action.

Is it available as anything other than a potion? I think not.

[Captnq]

He's a scout. I highly doubt he has Craft Magic Arms and Armor. 8,320.


I don't recall him stating where he was getting the equipment from at all. Hence the part where I said, "How many items are you allowed to have and where can you get them from?"




I'm unsure if this is even a weapon (I don't know of a "spiked helmet" weapon anywhere. And while armor may include a helmet, but that does not make helmets themselves armor, and you can't add armor spikes to things that aren't armor).


Tah-Dah

HELMET, HORNED
- RACES OF FAERUN (3.0)
Martial Light Melee Weapon
[Non-Standard Limb, Reach-0]
Cost: 25 gp
Damage (s): 1d3
Damage (m): 1d4
Critical: x2
Weight: 4 lb
Type: P
Editor: I will defeat you with my Spear and MAGIC HELMET! I love Elmer Fudd. Anyrate, nostalga aside, If you don’t have anything in your head slot, buy one of these. It can be used if you are swallowed, it can hold WSAs, and it just looks cool. Do the classic Viking helmet, get antlers, have a single horn like a unicorn. Either way, it’s awesome.

HELMET, SPIKED
- RACES OF FAERUN (3.0)
Martial One-Handed Melee Weapon
[Non-Standard Limb, Reach-0]
Cost: 10 gp
Damage (s): 1d2
Damage (m): 1d3
Critical: x2
Weight: 3 lb
Type: P
Editor: Not as much damage as the horned helmet, but it can be wielded with two hands (yes, I know how strange that is.) so you can do x2 damage from power attack.





Equivalent of +3 armor (+1 enhancement bonus + Everbright) means 9,000 for that ability alone, plus the addition of the cost of a +2 weapon (+1 enhancement bonus + Deflecting) is 8,000. How are you getting 6,310 from 17,000? Do you think he has Artificer levels somewhere?


Why are you assuming he's crafting his own stuff?

It's a +1 EB and a +1 WSA and Everbright is a +2,000 gp.

Oh, that's right. Armor is squared x1,000 weapons squared x2,000. Duh.

It's 10,320 gp then. So the everybright would have to go. How strict is he about that 8,000k limit? Because it's the masterwork and base weapon cost that puts it over, not the weapon ability itself.



8320... and even here he's better off getting a Warning weapon. But that's neither here nor there, he said he's not allowed the MIC


BTW, Eager is also from arms and equipment, not just MIC. If we're discounting MIC, then we go back to the original versions.

[Captnq]

Sickened does not interfere with action economy; you're thinking of nauseated, which I doubt Smoking gives.


Tah-Dah. You are right though, it is nauseated. Sorry I remembered it wrong.

SMOKING (3.0)
- LORDS OF DARKNESS (3.0)
Price: +1 bonus
Property: Any Weapon
Caster Level: 5th
Aura: Faint; (DC 17) conjuration
Activation: Standard (command)
Saving Throw: Fortitude (DC 14)
Upon command, a smoking weapon fills the wielder’s area (a 5-foot square) with noxious smoke equal to a stinking cloud spell. The smoke affects any creature that enters the wielder’s area (such as to make a grapple attempt) and provides concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance) for the wielder. The wielder is not affected by the nauseating fumes and can see through them normally. The smoke dissipates instantly if the wielder leaves the smoke-filled square, forming again in whatever area the wielder ends his movement. A creature with a face larger than 5 ft. by 5 ft. still only has one square enveloped in smoke; only attacks that cross or enter the smoke-filled area are subject to the miss chance.
Construction: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, stinking cloud.
Editor (stinking cloud): Living creatures in the cloud become nauseated. This condition lasts as long as the creature is in the cloud and for 1d4+1 rounds after it leaves. (Roll separately for each nauseated character). Any creature that succeeds on its save but remains in the cloud must continue to save each round on your turn.
Editor (nauseated): Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.
Editor: I don’t understand why this is a weapon ability and not an armor ability, but hey, 3.0 stuff is strange. That said, this is a grappler’s dream. Get these in a spiked gauntlet and jump your target. He’ll be so busy puking he won’t even be able to escape. On top of that you get 20% miss chance that stacks with blurring or displacement? Awesome. Too Awesome. I’d consider banning this.




Is it available as anything other than a potion? I think not.

Sigh...



Magic oils are similar to potions, except that oils are applied externally rather than imbibed. A potion or oil can be used only once. It can duplicate the effect of a spell of up to 3rd level that has a casting time of less than 1 minute.


Any potion can be made as an oil. And like I SAID in my original post, while these suggestions are all RAW, they are custom jobs. You'll have to find someone with craft potion and ask for oil made just for you. This isn't off the rack stuff.

Ya know, you do have a point, let's not assume the DM is going to let us make a potion based off the lowest available caster level. You should be safe and make it oil of cure serious wounds. I mean, technically a runescared berserker doesn't cast Cure Critical Wounds, but that shouldn't matter if an artificer is emulating a runescarred berserker's cure critical wounds.

It's a fuzzy area.

[Deophaun]

Tah-Dah
Of all the stupid... Sure, Forgotten Realms, why the hell not?

It's hilarious that it actually doesn't do anything unless you're a tiny creature, as it has a reach of 0 and also must be used on a charge.

It's a +1 EB and a +1 WSA and Everbright is a +2,000 gp.
No MIC, remember? Everbright is therefore a +2 weapon/armor enhancement from Magic of Faerun.

[Captnq]

Of all the stupid... Sure, Forgotten Realms, why the hell not? It's hilarious that it actually doesn't do anything unless you're a tiny creature, as it has a reach of 0 and also must be used on a charge.


The head slot was confirmed as a valid attack location for monks under 3.5. So if a monk can attack you with his head, elbows, knees, hands, and feet, then a normal fighter can use A helmet, elbow blades, knee blades, boot blades, and dual wield.



No MIC, remember? Everbright is therefore a +2 weapon/armor enhancement from Magic of Faerun.
[/quote]

You really want to play this? Okay...
+1 weapon of your choice with the following WSAs from the DM2:
Caustic Surge (+2,000 gp), Brutal Surge(+2,000 gp) 6,300 gp and change.

+2d6 energy damage 2 times a day and a bull rush once a day so he can push people back without going with them, then charge after them to use his scout skirmish ability.

Both WSAs were changed to +1 Bonuses in the MIC.

For the win.

[kpumphre]

MiC:
Panther mask (face), 2,700 gp, +5 speed when in light or no armor, and Run
Quickness (armor), +5000 gp for +5 speed

There are a few other cheap ones that grant faster forms of movement than your land speed like the ring of ascension for brief flight, but they're technically not +X to speed.

No MiC? That makes it hard to search around then.


I'd get +2 armor then. And a +1 amulet of natural armor. But that's it I think. At least they can't full attack you easily.

MIC is allowed

Custom items I can't get since I can not make it myself. Also the price max is 8k

I am a scout level 11. I"m an archer. I'm doing good damage 1d10+8+5d6 right now

[Deophaun]

The head slot was confirmed as a valid attack location for monks under 3.5. So if a monk can attack you with his head, elbows, knees, hands, and feet, then a normal fighter can use A helmet, elbow blades, knee blades, boot blades, and dual wield.
The fighter can't use the spiked helmet, though. Because A) he needs to charge with it--a monk headbutting someone is cool; a guy in a Kaiser Helmet running with his head down is not--and B) he can't charge into your space, unless he's making an overrun/bull rush attempt, in which case, he's not attacking with the helmet anyway. So not only is the fluff ridiculous, the weapon doesn't even work for anything that's not tiny. It's a stupid, stupid "weapon."

You really want to play this?
It's not a matter of playing: Those are the OP's restrictions, otherwise I would have recommended a lesser crystal of arrow deflection.

And I actually think those abilities are overpriced, especially for someone looking for defense, not offense.

Edit:

MIC is allowed
Sanity check: Did I hallucinate the ban?

So... mithril buckler, +1, with a lesser crystal of arrow deflection. Don't get the greater version, because it actually provides [i]less[i] of an AC boost than the lesser version.

[kpumphre]

T

Sanity check: Did I hallucinate the ban?

So... mithril buckler, +1, with a lesser crystal of arrow deflection. Don't get the greater version, because it actually provides [i]less[i] of an AC boost than the lesser version.

No I had mistyped it the one time. But a buckler will hurt me in attacking and it wont help while i attack right

[Deophaun]

No I had mistyped it the one time. But a buckler will hurt me in attacking and it wont help while i attack right
The buckler will give you a -1 penalty to attacks with that hand, yes. And while the +2 shield AC bonus won't apply if you attack with that hand, the +5 bonus against ranged attacks the crystal provides you will.

That's a pretty good trade, because that +5 bonus applies against all ranged attacks, even rays.

Edit: And I'm sorry, I'm used to casters getting this shield. Get a darkwood buckler instead of mithril.

[Artillery]

well instead of doing blur on the armor I found this

RING OF ENTROPIC
DEFLECTION
Price (Item Level): 8,000 gp (11th

50% miss chance as long as I move 10 in the round as a scout that's kind of my thing

The ring is from Magic Item Compendium so its alright to use other things from it too, right?

You just need any magic item that gives a bonus to speed. It doesn't need to be continuous, so the cheapest item that qualifies are the Acrobat Boots at 900gp. 3 charges a day and can give you varying enhancement bonuses to move speed.

Other possible options if Tome of Battle is on the table. Get Novice Gloves of the Shadow Hand for 3000gp, I would recommend getting the Cloak of Deception or Shadow Jaunt maneuver, to qualify for the feat Martial Stance.

Take Martial Stance and pick Child of Shadow. Whenever you move 10ft+ you gain concealment from all melee or ranged attacks till next turn.

[kpumphre]

The ring is from Magic Item Compendium so its alright to use other things from it too, right?

You just need any magic item that gives a bonus to speed. It doesn't need to be continuous, so the cheapest item that qualifies are the Acrobat Boots at 900gp. 3 charges a day and can give you varying enhancement bonuses to move speed.

Other possible options if Tome of Battle is on the table. Get Novice Gloves of the Shadow Hand for 3000gp, I would recommend getting the Cloak of Deception or Shadow Jaunt maneuver, to qualify for the feat Martial Stance.

Take Martial Stance and pick Child of Shadow. Whenever you move 10ft+ you gain concealment from all melee or ranged attacks till next turn.

I won't have any feats for a while at level 12 I get 2 but both are taken all ready.

I think the shield well currently I'm all ready -4 or -2 from many shot/rapid shot. I still want ot make sure I'm Accurate in combat

Boots wise if I just wanted speed I'd go with boots of skating cause that's +15 to speed. However skirmisher boots give me +2 to damage and 2 extra attacks a day. That's why I wanted some that are none feet slot. Panther mask is a good idea. anyone know of any other? I know thier is one that grants the dark template for 10 minutes a day which provides a +10 to speed and that should work. Granted the item is to expensive right now but different ideas are appreciated.

Edit: where are the gloves at I don't see them.

[Artillery]

I won't have any feats for a while at level 12 I get 2 but both are taken all ready.

I think the shield well currently I'm all ready -4 or -2 from many shot/rapid shot. I still want ot make sure I'm Accurate in combat

Boots wise if I just wanted speed I'd go with boots of skating cause that's +15 to speed. However skirmisher boots give me +2 to damage and 2 extra attacks a day. That's why I wanted some that are none feet slot. Panther mask is a good idea. anyone know of any other? I know thier is one that grants the dark template for 10 minutes a day which provides a +10 to speed and that should work. Granted the item is to expensive right now but different ideas are appreciated.

Edit: where are the gloves at I don't see them.

Tome of Battle pg 150. Its a variant of the Crown of White raven.

Stances are considered special maneuvers. Child of Shadow stance doesn't have any prereqs so you should be able to just get it from the gloves.

If not, do you have a Wizard in the party who knows the spell Heroics? Martial Stance is a fighter bonus feat.

[kpumphre]

Tome of Battle pg 150. Its a variant of the Crown of White raven.

Stances are considered special maneuvers. Child of Shadow stance doesn't have any prereqs so you should be able to just get it from the gloves.

If not, do you have a Wizard in the party who knows the spell Heroics? Martial Stance is a fighter bonus feat.

At this time no wizard. Cleric is dead. Bard dosen't have it. One other player is supposed to be a wizard but not sure what type. And no clue what the cleric will be replaced with. We are not a strong magic group at the moment. I was playing the wizard until he got polymorphed in to a snake.

[TuggyNE]

Any potion can be made as an oil. And like I SAID in my original post, while these suggestions are all RAW, they are custom jobs. You'll have to find someone with craft potion and ask for oil made just for you. This isn't off the rack stuff.

Brew Potion does not work on oils, nor is there any other way to craft them (which is dysfunctional, but there it is), and there is no reason to suppose any potion that is listed as a potion can be made as an oil instead, nor vice versa. Instead, spells can, as far as I can tell, be made into either potions or oils as appropriate, but not generally both*: greater magic weapon is an oil because weapons can't drink, and cure serious wounds is a potion because creatures can.

*Feather fall, levitate, invisibility, dispel magic, and remove curse seem like they might qualify, and indeed, we see two of them explicitly listed as both potions and oils.