Create magical... clothing?

[RoboEmperor]

At first I thought about getting a mithral chain shirt for my sorcerer, but then I learned that chain shirt and mage armor do not stack, and mage armor essentially a chainshirt that works v.s. incorporeal, has no dex AC cap, and costs nothing. Then I remembered armors get +5 enhancement AC, so I was about to go with mithral chain shirt over mage armor, but then I remembered all those +5 robes in various d&d PC games so I tried to look up magic vestments but couldn't find anything on them! Only magic armor.

So can you make a suit of +5 enhancement bonus?

[Sian]

Depending on how strict you read the rules you should be able work it with Bracers of Armor

[Vhaidara]

No, you cannot stack them. Mage Armor grants an armor bonus, which is the same bonus given by both armor and the wizardly substitutes (Bracers of Armor and the like). It's the same reason why you cannot wear Bracers of Armor with Full Plate and get both armor bonuses.

[Prime32]

So can you make a suit of +5 enhancement bonus?Yes, Magic Item Compendium says you can apply the effects of Bracers of Armor to the shirt slot for no extra cost (that is, you treat the clothing as a suit of armor that grants +0 AC and pay to enchant it normally).

[Urpriest]

You sort of can, actually. Magic Vestment can be cast on normal clothing, so you can stack it with Greater Mage Armor and friends. The Bracers are just an armor bonus, so even in shirt form they will just fill the same role as Greater Mage Armor.

That said, if you're the kind of Sorceror who cares about keeping AC up to par you're probably a Gish, and you should invest in better sources of AC, like the Arcane Preparation feat and Luminous Armor line if you're Good, or...not sure what the options for nongood are, besides piling on other defenses.

[Azoth]

A dip into Sacred Exorcist can provide the TU uses to fuel one of the divine feats that grant AC bonus since they are usually sacred or profane they would stack with mage armor and its ilk.

Though really Arcane Preparation + Luminous armor (normal or greater) +Abjurant Champion should give you better AC returns than most other means. Shield ends up Giving +9 and Greater Luminous Armor would yield +13 (IIRC).

[Jeff the Green]

Yes, Magic Item Compendium says you can apply the effects of Bracers of Armor to the shirt slot for no extra cost (that is, you treat the clothing as a suit of armor that grants +0 AC and pay to enchant it normally).

Two different slots. Armor fills the body slot, and clothing of armor would fill the torso slot.


You sort of can, actually. Magic Vestment can be cast on normal clothing, so you can stack it with Greater Mage Armor and friends. The Bracers are just an armor bonus, so even in shirt form they will just fill the same role as Greater Mage Armor.

Does that work? I thought magic vestment gives the shirt the enhancement bonus to armor, bringing it up to +1/4 CL, but then the shirt's armor bonus doesn't stack with mage armor.

[TuggyNE]

Does that work? I thought magic vestment gives the shirt the enhancement bonus to armor, bringing it up to +1/4 CL, but then the shirt's armor bonus doesn't stack with mage armor.

No, it doesn't work. Enhancement bonuses to armor/shield bonuses are applied as it were internally, increasing their associated armor bonus in total. There is no separate "armor enhancement bonus to AC" or anything; the armor bonus is just higher than it would otherwise be, and the highest single source is used.

What some people say does work is adding magical enhancements to bracers of armor, to get a pair of e.g. +5 bracers of armor +8. I am not convinced that works either (and it seems painfully cheesy, using the same cost formulation and basic magic to stack), but it is less clear.

[Deophaun]

What some people say does work is adding magical enhancements to bracers of armor, to get a pair of e.g. +5 bracers of armor +8. I am not convinced that works either (and it seems painfully cheesy, using the same cost formulation and basic magic to stack), but it is less clear.
This was a rule in 3.0 found in the Arms and Equipment guide, although you were still limited to a maximum of a +8 to AC, regardless of whether that came through a straight AC bonus or in combination with an enhancement bonus.

[Morphie]

This was a rule in 3.0 found in the Arms and Equipment guide, although you were still limited to a maximum of a +8 to AC, regardless of whether that came through a straight AC bonus or in combination with an enhancement bonus.

In the A&E guide it says that, although limited to a maximum armor bonus of +8, you can increase the bracers of armor with special abilities up to a maximum of +13 -> +8 armor and +5 abilities, with costs ranging from 81.000 gp (+9) to 169.000 gp (+13).
The way I look at it, when you buy bracers of armor you're already paying for an item that emulates the enhancement bonus of an armor without the armor - it even costs the same as enhancing an armor. The fact that you can get a bonus to armor up to +8 probably comes from the 3e spell improved mage armor (UE) that allowed the caster such a bonus on 10th level. They kept the item in 3.5 as a way to protect the wizard and other unarmored classes a bit better, still giving a chance to the frontline fighters to have a better ac with their armors and enhancements.

[TuggyNE]

In the A&E guide it says that, although limited to a maximum armor bonus of +8, you can increase the bracers of armor with special abilities up to a maximum of +13 -> +8 armor and +5 abilities, with costs ranging from 81.000 gp (+9) to 169.000 gp (+13).

That makes more sense, yes.

[Urpriest]

No, it doesn't work. Enhancement bonuses to armor/shield bonuses are applied as it were internally, increasing their associated armor bonus in total. There is no separate "armor enhancement bonus to AC" or anything; the armor bonus is just higher than it would otherwise be, and the highest single source is used.


Hmm. I hadn't put that together, but you're right, it fails to stack for the same reason an enhanced shield and enhanced armor stack.

Yeah, sounds like this is one of those situations where Good has the best stuff.

[RoboEmperor]

I'm gonna go ahead and conclude you can't make magical clothing. Magical robes are listed under wondrous items, not that I'm complaining. Robe of Eyes is awesome!

[ericgrau]

It would be reasonable to make armor providing robes using both the craft wondrous items and craft arms and armor feats. It would not stack with mage armor though. +0 armor with a +X enhancement bonus is still a total of +X armor bonus which does not stack with other armor bonuses.

But ya you are better off casting mage armor. See greater mage armor, luminous armor and greater luminous armor for improved versions of that spell. They're worth blowing low level slots on because you can keep them going 24 hours. Having an effect without eating a combat action is super nice, even with small bonuses. Making the most of your actions is king. Just as long as you still have plenty of high level spell slots for combat.