A Problem with Sage Advice [Eberron]

[Dizlag]

All,

If you have any experience with the Warforged race either as a DM or Player, I'd like your opinion on the latest Sage Advice (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ask/20070831a) article.

I have a problem with the last line in that article:


Without at least a +1 enhancement bonus, the warforged couldn’t even use least armor augment crystals, since his body isn’t considered a masterwork suit of armor.

Specifically, take note of the bold text. I assumed the body of a warforged was considered masterwork for the simple reason that you can enchant it and enchanting armor requires it to be masterwork. Adamantine and Mithril armor are considered masterwork, so why would a Warforged need a +1 enhancement bonus to use a least augmentation crystal which only requires armor to be masterwork?

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Dizlag

[Josh the Aspie]

I think this is because nothing specifically says that the warforged's body is masterwork.

Although it is my opinion that he's talking about the native body. Any feat that changes one's body to be a material that 'is always master worked' would, of course, make that body masterwork, since it's explicitly in the rules that the body is master worked (of course there are a few levels of indirection, so...)

[Zincorium]

Well, there's a reason it's Sage Advice rather than Sage Errata. Mostly it's just what the sage would do in the position of DM, and I read it mainly to get the ideas flowing and see whether something in the FAQ (compiled sage advice questions) makes sense to me and works in my game.

Honestly, I'd like to see an official/unofficial FAQ with some things which are changes to the way the rules work, and then clearly marked opinions on what DMs can do to improve the game. Mixing and matching the two types, as the FAQ does now, just mucks things up.


That said, it kind of makes sense according to RAW. While warforged's bodies aren't actually masterwork, they specifically can be enchanted without that prerequisite coming up. Since they aren't masterwork, they have to fall into another category which the augment crystals can apply to, and that is magical.

Personally I'd let 'em use it without worrying. It isn't as though warforged aren't going to get their armor enchanted asap anyway.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

That said, it kind of makes sense according to RAW. While warforged's bodies aren't actually masterwork, they specifically can be enchanted without that prerequisite coming up. Since they aren't masterwork, they have to fall into another category which the augment crystals can apply to, and that is magical.
Just as there's nothing that says a warforged's body is masterwork, there is also nothing saying that a warforged's body is an exception to items having to be masterwork to be enchanted. There is an implicit exception in the warforged rules, but there are two possibilities.
[list=1] Warforged bodies are considered masterwork items.
Warforged bodies can be enchanted even though they are not masterwork.[/quote]
The rules, at least as presented in Eberron Campaign Setting, don't really tell us which. The best lead you have is the line, "Warforged can be enchanted just as armor can be." If we are to take that to mean they follow the normal rules, including the rule that armor must be masterwork, then the first exception would have to be correct. Personally, that makes more sense to me.

It just happens that the Sage believes the second exception is the valid one. Though the phrasing of his statement makes it sound like he might be thinking enchanting armor makes it masterwork rather than having to be masterwork before it can be enchanted to begin with.

[Telonius]

Hmmm. Well, he could be taking the tack that a standard Warforged's body is actually a body, rather than either a worn piece of armor or a masterwork item. The AC bonus and Fortification that they get is part of their racial package, rather than any kind of armor.

I don't have the campaign setting with me, but is there such a thing as a Warforged Monk that can flurry? If so, then the Warforged doesn't count as being armored.

[Starbuck_II]

Hmmm. Well, he could be taking the tack that a standard Warforged's body is actually a body, rather than either a worn piece of armor or a masterwork item. The AC bonus and Fortification that they get is part of their racial package, rather than any kind of armor.

I don't have the campaign setting with me, but is there such a thing as a Warforged Monk that can flurry? If so, then the Warforged doesn't count as being armored.

Nope, a Warforged Monk can't flurry unless he takes unarmored body (effectively remove armor part).

[Zincorium]

Warforged aren't actually considered to be wearing armor with just their default plating, which can be enchanted, so that makes them fairly good for monks despite the wisdom penalty.

And the mithril body feat specifically states that warforged are cut off from using abilities that can't be used in light armor. It wouldn't need to do that if the normal plating was already considered light armor, and nowhere does it say that the natural plating is considered light, medium, or heavy armor, only that it takes up the same space and has an arcane spell failure chance.

[skeeter_dan]

Nope, a Warforged Monk can't flurry unless he takes unarmored body (effectively remove armor part).

I thought that was errataed...

[CASTLEMIKE]

All,

If you have any experience with the Warforged race either as a DM or Player, I'd like your opinion on the latest Sage Advice (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ask/20070831a) article.

I have a problem with the last line in that article:



Specifically, take note of the bold text. I assumed the body of a warforged was considered masterwork for the simple reason that you can enchant it and enchanting armor requires it to be masterwork. Adamantine and Mithril armor are considered masterwork, so why would a Warforged need a +1 enhancement bonus to use a least augmentation crystal which only requires armor to be masterwork?

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Dizlag

I think he got it wrong this time because he can enchant his body and enchantment normally requires a master work item.

I'd just ignore his advice if it doesn't work for your game.