[3.5] Best armor for an arcane spellcaster?

[Extra Anchovies]

I'm going to be playing an arcane spellcaster in an upcoming game, and don't like being too squishy of a target. Enter the +1 Twilight Mithral Chain Shirt, with +5 AC, max dexterity bonus +6, spell failure chance 0%, ACP 0%. But what enhancements should I go for after that point, assuming I have some way to purchase them or apply them myself? Soulfire (immunity to all death spells, magical death effects, and energy drain, and any negative energy effects) is a very good one, as is Proof Against Transmutation (immunity to any transmutation effect that would alter the wearer's form e.g. polymorph and petrification, except for any transmutations I explicitly allow to affect me), but those two are a +4 and a +5 bonus respectively, so I wouldn't be able to fit both of them next to Twilight and the +1 minimum enhancement bonus in a pre-epic campaign.

1. Are there any ways to get armor with a spell failure chance of 0% without increasing its enhancement bonus, e.g. through special materials and/or special armor qualities that add to price but not enhancement bonus?

2. Can either Soulfire or Proof Against Transmutation be applied to a shield? Putting one on the +1 Twilight Mithral Chain Shirt and one on a +1 Mithral Buckler would be a quick fix if possible.

3. Are there any armor and/or shield special qualities that produce effects similar to Soulfire or Proof Against Transmutation but in exchange for a lower enhancement bonus increase? Death Ward armor is Soulfire but only usable once per day, at a +1 bonus; only once per day is still rather limiting, though. If an enemy uses one death attack, they'll probably have another.

ETA:
4. Can I get either the Proof Against Transmutation or Soulfire qualities from a non-armor or shield magic item?
ETA 5: Sort of:
Greater Armor Crystal of Lifekeeping grants +5 competence bonus on saves against energy drain, inflict spells, death spells, and death effects, and lets me reroll a failed save against an effect of that sort once per day.
Talisman of Undying Fortitude grants immunity to a laundry list of conditions for three rounds twice per day, and doesn't occupy a body slot.
Phylactery of Virtue (head slot) grants +2 morale bonus on saves vs death effects/etc, stackable with Crystal of Lifekeeping.
Amulet of Inviolate Form (throat slot) can be activated as an immediate action to negate one form-changing effect, has seven charges.
Ruby Cincture of Immutability (waist slot) negates one form-changing effect per day

[bjoern]

I'm going to be playing an arcane spellcaster in an upcoming game, and don't like being too squishy of a target. Enter the +1 Twilight Mithral Chain Shirt, with +5 AC, max dexterity bonus +6, spell failure chance 0%, ACP 0%. But what enhancements should I go for after that point, assuming I have some way to purchase them or apply them myself? Soulfire (immunity to all death spells, magical death effects, and energy drain, and any negative energy effects) is a very good one, as is Proof Against Transmutation (immunity to any transmutation effect that would alter the wearer's form e.g. polymorph and petrification, except for any transmutations I explicitly allow to affect me), but those two are a +4 and a +5 bonus respectively, so I wouldn't be able to fit both of them next to Twilight and the +1 minimum enhancement bonus in a pre-epic campaign.

1. Are there any ways to get armor with a spell failure chance of 0% without increasing its enhancement bonus, e.g. through special materials and/or special armor qualities that add to price but not enhancement bonus?

2. Can either Soulfire or Proof Against Transmutation be applied to a shield? Putting one on the +1 Twilight Mithral Chain Shirt and one on a +1 Mithral Buckler would be a quick fix if possible.

3. Are there any armor and/or shield special qualities that produce effects similar to Soulfire or Proof Against Transmutation but in exchange for a lower enhancement bonus increase? Death Ward armor is Soulfire but only usable once per day, at a +1 bonus; only once per day is still rather limiting, though. If an enemy uses one death attack, they'll probably have another.

I like the ghost ward property that makes your armor bonus apply to touch attacks.

[Shining Wrath]

Mithril buckler can have no spell failure.
Mitril chain shirt not much, and there are enhancements from there.

[Extra Anchovies]

I like the ghost ward property that makes your armor bonus apply to touch attacks.

Hm. Ghost Ward adds the armor's enhancement bonus (but not the armor bonus, just the enhancement bonus) to touch AC. That is rather nice; however, do you know if the equivalent value of special qualities is included when determining the bonus to touch AC? If special qualities are counted, a +1 Twilight Ghost Ward Soulborn Mithral Chain Shirt would add +7 to touch AC; if only the direct enhancement bonus counts, it only adds +1. Big difference there.

[Know(Nothing)]

If you don't care too much about which arcane class you are, there are a few that let you ignore ASF in light armor, and then the feat Battle Caster moves that up to medium armor.

Keep in mind that investing in AC sees diminishing returns after level 10 or so, and becomes largely obsolete at later levels unless you're completely invested in it.

[Extra Anchovies]

If you don't care too much about which arcane class you are, there are a few that let you ignore ASF in light armor, and then the feat Battle Caster moves that up to medium armor.

I'll be Wizard/Shadowcaster, because having ninth-level spells for two classes (via Noctumancer and then Mystic Theurge) is always fun :smallbiggrin: But alas, no ignoring failure chances for either of the two.


Keep in mind that investing in AC sees diminishing returns after level 10 or so, and becomes largely obsolete at later levels unless you're completely invested in it.

Exactly. The main reason I want armor is to get those juicy Soulborn and Proof Against Transmutation abilities; at the moment I'm planning to use a chain shirt because that's the only armor I know of that can be ratcheted down to 0% spell failure and ACP 0. Also it's light armor, so I can wear it (and thus be immune to form-alteration and death effects/etc) while I sleep.

[bjoern]

Hm. Ghost Ward adds the armor's enhancement bonus (but not the armor bonus, just the enhancement bonus) to touch AC. That is rather nice; however, do you know if the equivalent value of special qualities is included when determining the bonus to touch AC? If special qualities are counted, a +1 Twilight Ghost Ward Soulborn Mithral Chain Shirt would add +7 to touch AC; if only the direct enhancement bonus counts, it only adds +1. Big difference there.

Its just the enhancement bonus. So you'd have to dump some gp into the bonus on the armor to help out. But armor is cheap to upgrade.

[Extra Anchovies]

Aha, found the substitutes for the Twilight quality!

Feycraft armor (DMG2) reduces ASF by 5%, weighs 10% less, gives +1 bonus to verbal Bluff checks, but loses some hardness and hit points. Githcraft armor (DMG2) reduces ASF by 5% and gives +1 to Concentration checks (probably better for a caster, then). Adding a Thistledown Suit (Races of the Wild) increases ACP by 1 and reduces ASF by 5%.

Thus, a Githcraft Mithral Chain Shirt with a Thistledown Suit has a +4 armor bonus, maximum Dexterity bonus of +6, ACP of 0 (base 2, +1 Thistledown, -3 Mithral), and ASF of 0% (base 20, -5 Githcraft, -5 Thistledown, -10 Mithral). A Mithral item can be given the Githcraft template, as stated in the intro to the Weapon Templates section of DMG2:

Changes to the item’s statistics resulting from the template stack with any changes stemming from the use of a special material or special ability.
+1 Soulborn Githcraft Mithral Chain Shirt of Proof Against Transmutation with a Thistledown suit, here I come!

[Darrin]

1. Are there any ways to get armor with a spell failure chance of 0% without increasing its enhancement bonus, e.g. through special materials and/or special armor qualities that add to price but not enhancement bonus?


Feycraft (DMGII): -5%
Githcraft (DMGII): -5%
Thistledown Suit (RotW): -5%
Darkleaft (A&EG): -5%
Mithral (DMG): -10%
Twilight (MIC): -10%
Ruby Quartz (A&EG): -20%

There are a couple of mithral-knockoffs: Sentira (Secrets of Sarlona, essentially "psychic seashell") and Firebrass (Secrets of Xen'drik). Same stats as mithral, but looks a little different.



2. Can either Soulfire or Proof Against Transmutation be applied to a shield? Putting one on the +1 Twilight Mithral Chain Shirt and one on a +1 Mithral Buckler would be a quick fix if possible.


Hmmm... Soulfire only mentions "armor", but it's not clear if this can be applied to shields. If we go strictly by the "Armor and Shield Special Abilities" heading... I don't know, by RAW that looks like a "yes" but it's iffy.

Proof Against Transmutation doesn't mention shields at all, not even in the section heading. I'd call that one iffy as well.

If your DM says bucklers are OK for this, use a Dwarven Buckler-Axe instead of a standard buckler. There's no -1 attack penalty for using an arm with a Dwarven Buckler Axe attached to it, but they can be enchanted as shields. If you're not attacking with the buckler-axe, then you don't need to take EWP for 'em.



3. Are there any armor and/or shield special qualities that produce effects similar to Soulfire or Proof Against Transmutation but in exchange for a lower enhancement bonus increase? Death Ward armor is Soulfire but only usable once per day, at a +1 bonus; only once per day is still rather limiting, though. If an enemy uses one death attack, they'll probably have another.


Well, there's Absorbing in Defenders of the Faith (3.0) and Ghostwalk (3.5), also called Buffering in A&EG (3.0), but it stinks. You're better off saving up for Soulfire.

There's also Negative Energy Protection in Ghostwalk, but make sure you check the 3.5 update for the errata. Costs +6000 GP, works 1/day similar to Death Ward, but lasts 5 rounds. It only works against level drain attacks, so you'll still need Death Ward/Soulfire for death effects.



4. Can I get either the Proof Against Transmutation or Soulfire qualities from a non-armor or shield magic item?


You listed all the anti-transmutation items. There's a Belt of Reinforced Form in Drow of the Underdark, but it just gives you a +4 bonus on the saving throw.

[sideswipe]

the very classic one is gey a fey and a gith to special craft a-
githcraft, feycraft, thisledown padded, twilight mithril full plate. for 0 asf fullplate.

otherwise, you could swap the armour enchant for a 1 level dip in spellsword without losing a caster level.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Get a (Lesser) Metamagic Rod of Extend and a Rod of Bodily Restoration (MIC), and cast (Greater) Luminous Armor (BoED).

[Silva Stormrage]

Get a (Lesser) Metamagic Rod of Extend and a Rod of Bodily Restoration (MIC), and cast (Greater) Luminous Armor (BoED).

Ah you beat me to it.

That is definitely the best option if you don't mind being a walking light source.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Ah you beat me to it.

That is definitely the best option if you don't mind being a walking light source.

Invisible Spell or wear a robe over it, problem solved.

[Zanos]

Get a (Lesser) Metamagic Rod of Extend and a Rod of Bodily Restoration (MIC), and cast (Greater) Luminous Armor (BoED).
That can only be cast on Good targets.
A githcrafted mithral chainshirt with a thistledown suit has 0 ACP and 0 ASF and gives +4 AC. No penalties and not terrible protection. You could just cast mage armor, but that chainshirt serves as a good platform for utility armor enchantments. Soulfire is a favorite of mine at higher levels.

[Shieldbunny]

Arms and Equipment guide has Blended Quartz. It costs 2000 gp. for light armor and lowers ASF by 20%. Put that on a chain shirt and no ASF. Drawbacks are it weighs 2x, still has 2 ACP(Possibly 1 with masterwork), and is a 3.0 book so might not be available.

[Extra Anchovies]

Arms and Equipment guide has Blended Quartz. It costs 2000 gp. for light armor and lowers ASF by 20%. Put that on a chain shirt and no ASF. Drawbacks are it weighs 2x, still has 2 ACP(Possibly 1 with masterwork), and is a 3.0 book so might not be available.

Hm. That does seem sort nice from an ASF perspective, but double weight puts it at 50 lb., and adding in the spellbook and component pouch my Str 8 wizard would have a heavy load from just those three items...

I think I'll stick with Mithral Githcraft and Thistledown Suit.

[Silva Stormrage]

Invisible Spell or wear a robe over it, problem solved.

Invisible spell certainly but not sure a robe would be enough to block out the light, dampen it sure but not completely negate.

[Divide by Zero]

I can't remember where, but one of the books has a rule that allows you to put special properties on Bracers of Armor instead of more enhancement bonus.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I can't remember where, but one of the books has a rule that allows you to put special properties on Bracers of Armor instead of more enhancement bonus.

Magic Vestment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicVestment.htm) can be cast on normal clothing as though it were armor with no base armor bonus, so you should be able to make +1 Soulfire etc. clothing.

[defiantdan]

you could also just cast mage armor, Greater mage armor, Luminous Armor or Greater luminous armor and save a bunch of gold. Greater luminous Armor is Bomb. Couple that with greater mirror image and spiderskin + scintalating scales and no one will hit you and you didn't spend a dime.

[sleepyphoenixx]

I can't remember where, but one of the books has a rule that allows you to put special properties on Bracers of Armor instead of more enhancement bonus.

Arms & Equipment Guide, p.130

[Segev]

If all you're interested in, really, is the enhancement-equivalent enchantments, don't overlook Bracers of Armor. Just get +1 bracers, then put the rest on them. No ACF at all, no max dex at all.

[Extra Anchovies]

If all you're interested in, really, is the enhancement-equivalent enchantments, don't overlook Bracers of Armor. Just get +1 bracers, then put the rest on them. No ACF at all, no max dex at all.

Mmmm, I like that... could be useful for pretty much any character. The Bracers wouldn't stack their bonus with any armor worn, but they'd still provide the special qualities.

[Segev]

Mmmm, I like that... could be useful for pretty much any character. The Bracers wouldn't stack their bonus with any armor worn, but they'd still provide the special qualities.

Indeed they would. Note that they ARE more expensive, I think, than standard armor enhancements. You'll want to double-check me on that, though.

But the basic idea is, +1 Bracers with a pile of enhancement-equivalents, then use other armor for actual AC benefits. As a mage, you probably just want Mage Armor or Greater Mage Armor, and either Shield or Shieldbearer (which can give you more enhancement-equivalents on your shield).

[sleepyphoenixx]

Indeed they would. Note that they ARE more expensive, I think, than standard armor enhancements. You'll want to double-check me on that, though.

But the basic idea is, +1 Bracers with a pile of enhancement-equivalents, then use other armor for actual AC benefits. As a mage, you probably just want Mage Armor or Greater Mage Armor, and either Shield or Shieldbearer (which can give you more enhancement-equivalents on your shield).

The bracers cost the same as an equivalent enhancement bonus on normal armor. They're only more expensive in the sense that normal armor comes with a base AC, but that doesn't really matter if all you want is the special abilities. In that case they're cheaper by a few hundred gp since you don't need to buy masterwork armor first.
You could even argue that you don't need the normal +1 enhancement tax, since the bracers are already magical by their very nature.

[Segev]

The bracers cost the same as an equivalent enhancement bonus on normal armor. Ah, good.


You could even argue that you don't need the normal +1 enhancement tax, since the bracers are already magical by their very nature.
Eh... not so much. You can't buy a magic shirt that casts Mirror Image 3/day on a command word, then start piling on enhancement-equivalents without first making it have a +1 enhancement bonus. You have to have the item count as "magic armor" before you can apply the bonuses. It's an entry tax.

[ace rooster]

Invisible Spell or wear a robe over it, problem solved.

Invisible spell might not do it (at least not completely). You would not appear as glowing, but you might still function as a light source in a similar way to an invisible torch. DM call, but I would certainly rule it that way given that invisible spell is explicitly defeated by see invisibility. That suggests to me that all effects behave as though they had invisibilty cast on them, and so shed light as normal. Covering an "aura" with a robe might also prove tricky.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Invisible spell might not do it (at least not completely). You would not appear as glowing, but you might still function as a light source in a similar way to an invisible torch. DM call, but I would certainly rule it that way given that invisible spell is explicitly defeated by see invisibility. That suggests to me that all effects behave as though they had invisibilty cast on them, and so shed light as normal. Covering an "aura" with a robe might also prove tricky.

"Luminous armor sheds light equivalent to a daylight spell..."
"If daylight is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a light-proof covering, the spell’s effects are blocked until the covering is removed (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/daylight.htm)."
You can indeed cover it with a heavy/dark robe to block the light effect, though it would still probably shine out from underneath it.

Invisible Spell modifies a spell "so that it carries no visual manifestation." The area around you would only be illuminated for creatures capable of seeing the invisible spell's effect, the illumination would not be visible to anyone else. The area would not be dark for purposes of abilities that are only active in darkness/shadows, such as certain versions of Hide in Plain Sight, but for creatures unable to see invisibility the cause of this would be a mystery. Natural illumination or other magical light sources would prevail for anyone unable to see invisibility, and it would still suppress darkness effects of a lower spell level in the area.

[Zanos]

Mmmm, I like that... could be useful for pretty much any character. The Bracers wouldn't stack their bonus with any armor worn, but they'd still provide the special qualities.
Indeed. +1 Freedom Bracers of Armor and a +1 Soulfire Mithral Githcraft Thistledown chain shirt is a favorite set up of mine at higher levels, if I'm not already immune to death effects and grapples somehow.

[Extra Anchovies]

Indeed. +1 Freedom Bracers of Armor and a +1 Soulfire Mithral Githcraft Thistledown chain shirt is a favorite set up of mine at higher levels, if I'm not already immune to death effects and grapples somehow.

Freedom is definitely a good one, yes. Toss Moderate Fortification and Styptic onto the Bracers (assuming a maximum bonus+ability equivalent total of 10, as with armor) and then you also have 75% immunity to critical hits/sneak attack/what-have-you, immunity to ongoing hit point damage from bleeding attacks, auto-stabilization if you drop below 0 hp, and a 25% chance to ignore blood drain-induced Constitution loss to boot.

[Zanos]

Freedom is definitely a good one, yes. Toss Moderate Fortification and Styptic onto the Bracers (assuming a maximum bonus+ability equivalent total of 10, as with armor) and then you also have 75% immunity to critical hits/sneak attack/what-have-you, immunity to ongoing hit point damage from bleeding attacks, auto-stabilization if you drop below 0 hp, and a 25% chance to ignore blood drain-induced Constitution loss to boot.
Fortification is great, but I question the value of Styptic. In a 3.5 game bleeding effects seem fairly rare, I don't think I've ever died from failing a stabilization roll, and a 25% chance to ignore a vampire bite seems exceptionally situation. There are better things to do with a +1 equivalent bonus cost.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Never, ever get fortification on armor. You can use the Heart of Air/Water/Earth/Fire spells to get it, or you can get a Gemstone of Heavy Fortification in the Draconomicon and (hire an NPC spellcaster to) use Limited Wish to embed it. The gemstone is the exact same price as the difference between +1 armor and +1 Heavy Fortification armor, so if your armor is going to have any more +X equivalent abilities it's cheaper to get the gemstone even with the cost of an NPC casting Limited Wish. Plus it can never be removed or stolen.

[Asrrin]

Not to derail the chainshirt bandwagon, but what about Gnomish Twistcloth? it's got a lower AC, but at high levels that's not all that relevant, and most importantly only has a 5% ASF. Take on either Fey- or Gith- crafted and go to town.

[sideswipe]

Not to derail the chainshirt bandwagon, but what about Gnomish Twistcloth? it's got a lower AC, but at high levels that's not all that relevant, and most importantly only has a 5% ASF. Take on either Fey- or Gith- crafted and go to town.

well since it is cloth, it could just be thistle down. and thats even cheaper.

[Extra Anchovies]

well since it is cloth, it could just be thistle down. and thats even cheaper.

Well, the Thistledown Suit's description says that any armor "that normally incorporates an underlying layer of quilted fabric (including chain shirts, as well as any medium or heavy armor normally made of metal)" can have a thistledown suit instead of the underlying fabric. The fact that it explicitly excludes most/all nonmetal medium and heavy armors sort of implies that it excludes nonmetal light armors, especially considering it makes a special mention of chain shirts but ignores the other PHB light armors (all of which are primarily nonmetal). I'm not familiar with Gnomish Twistcloth, but unless it's primarily metallic and includes the requisite underlying layer of quilted fabric, it can't qualify for a thistledown suit. Couldn't be mithral, either, if it isn't usually made from metal.

[sideswipe]

Well, the Thistledown Suit's description says that any armor "that normally incorporates an underlying layer of quilted fabric (including chain shirts, as well as any medium or heavy armor normally made of metal)" can have a thistledown suit instead of the underlying fabric. The fact that it explicitly excludes most/all nonmetal medium and heavy armors sort of implies that it excludes nonmetal light armors, especially considering it makes a special mention of chain shirts but ignores the other PHB light armors (all of which are primarily nonmetal). I'm not familiar with Gnomish Twistcloth, but unless it's primarily metallic and includes the requisite underlying layer of quilted fabric, it can't qualify for a thistledown suit. Couldn't be mithral, either, if it isn't usually made from metal.

well padded is just layers of fabric. so thistledown is a fabric. if you shaped said fabric to be the shape of twist cloth then it should be thistledown twist cloth.

[Thurbane]

If your DM says bucklers are OK for this, use a Dwarven Buckler-Axe instead of a standard buckler. There's no -1 attack penalty for using an arm with a Dwarven Buckler Axe attached to it, but they can be enchanted as shields. If you're not attacking with the buckler-axe, then you don't need to take EWP for 'em.
The beauty of this is you can also enchant the weapon part of the Buckler Axe, and give yourself the Warning enhancement so you have an always on +5 insight bonus to initiative.

[ace rooster]

"Luminous armor sheds light equivalent to a daylight spell..."
"If daylight is cast on a small object that is then placed inside or under a light-proof covering, the spell’s effects are blocked until the covering is removed (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/daylight.htm)."
You can indeed cover it with a heavy/dark robe to block the light effect, though it would still probably shine out from underneath it.

Invisible Spell modifies a spell "so that it carries no visual manifestation." The area around you would only be illuminated for creatures capable of seeing the invisible spell's effect, the illumination would not be visible to anyone else. The area would not be dark for purposes of abilities that are only active in darkness/shadows, such as certain versions of Hide in Plain Sight, but for creatures unable to see invisibility the cause of this would be a mystery. Natural illumination or other magical light sources would prevail for anyone unable to see invisibility, and it would still suppress darkness effects of a lower spell level in the area.

The point was not that the daylight effect could not be covered, but that the armour itself is an "aura", and so it is ambiguous as to whether it is solid or not. While it would stop a robe if somebody tried to hit you with it, that is no guarentee that the armour would not just diffuse out through it, until the robe is on the inside. If you rule that it is solid then you cannot get to your material component pouch any more.

My reasoning for the second point is that while the light shed is a visual manifestation (the glow of the armour), the effect of that invisible light on the illumination state of your surroundings is not, in the same way that an invisible fireball causes visible injuries and visible fires. For the change of illumination state of an object to be a visual manifestation of the spell, as opposed to a second order effect, the spell would have to directly affect every object within 600ft (to cope with giant owls SLLV) by being an emination.

As I said, DM call, and probably fine either way on both points (I wouldn't argue it with a DM). May be worth doing it your way for the hilarity of seeing an assassin in pitch darkness being unable to find a shadow to hide in.