Item that gives air walk?

[ken-do-nim]

So I'm playing a monk, and what I hear on these boards is that they are supposed to be mage killers, but in fact a flying invisible wizard will confound them. I've solved the invisible part with saving up for a robe of eyes. At first I was thinking of getting wings of flying to solve the other part, but inspired by the monk fast movement thread, I think getting air walk would be even better, because then the monk could use his/her fast movement ability (though some would argue this is possible with the wings of flying too).

Before I head off to the custom magic item creation charts, does anybody know of any item in any supplement that grants air walk?

[elliott20]

why, a pair of vintage Michael Jordans of course!

But seriously, I think there is a cape of flying in the DMG that does what you need.

[DaMullet]

You could always hire someone to make some shoes or something. Air Jordans, obviously.

Edit- Gah, Ninja-jordan'd.

[Telonius]

A Cape of Flying would take up the slot he needs for a Robe of Eyes. I'd suggest Winged Boots or a Carpet of Flying. Winged Boots are slightly nicer, since they let you travel faster and have better maneuverability (though they don't last as long).

[Jimp]

There are rules in the DMG about crafting your own wonderous magical items. Follow them and just apply the spell Air Walk to some boots. It's cost will change depending on wether it's constantly in effect, power word activated or charge based.

[SpiderBrigade]

I'm curious where you heard that monks are mage-killers?

As far as the Air Walk, I don't know of any pre-existing item that does it. Cloak of the Bat gives flying as the spell, while the Wings of Flying give you an actual fly speed, which is different. As far as I know if you have a fly speed, the monk's bonus movement applies to it? That might be wrong, though.

Edit: also, you can wear a robe (for instance one of Eyes) and a cloak or cape at the same time. It's different item slots.

[illithid13]

shoot, just use a rod of negation on the flying bugger... Problem solved. Especially effective after jumping really high after him getting him up quite high... then the falling damage will take care of him. Just get an item that gives trueseeing if they are using invisibility.

[Telonius]

I'm curious where you heard that monks are mage-killers?

As far as the Air Walk, I don't know of any pre-existing item that does it. Cloak of the Bat gives flying as the spell, while the Wings of Flying give you an actual fly speed, which is different. As far as I know if you have a fly speed, the monk's bonus movement applies to it? That might be wrong, though.

Edit: also, you can wear a robe (for instance one of Eyes) and a cloak or cape at the same time. It's different item slots.

Huh, you're right, I never noticed that. My DM will be hurling curses in your direction shortly.

[ken-do-nim]

I'm aware of the rules in the DMG for crafting items; but my DM may give me a hard time about that whereas an official item will be automatic. Okay, so nobody knows of one, no problemo.

Interesting that the wings of flying give you a fly speed, meaning I can combine my fast movement with them. Great! New question: how hard would it be for a foe to sunder my wings of flying? That's why I was thinking boots over wings.

PS: Thanks for the rod of negation tip too!
PPS: I think I'll want an item that gives true seeing 1/day in addition to the robe of eyes. The robe is always active and gives other benefits and is just terrific for my character. But since it doesn't handle illusions, true seeing is still needed.

Edit: Here's the SRD for wings of flying:

Wings of Flying

A pair of these wings might appear to be nothing more than a plain cloak of old, black cloth, or they could be as elegant as a long cape of blue feathers. When the wearer speaks the command word, the cloak turns into a pair of bat or bird wings that empower her to fly with a speed of 60 feet (good maneuverability).
Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Craft Wondrous Item, fly; Price 54,000 gp;Weight 2 lb.

So I'm thinking you can definitely add your monk fast movement. But I'd hate to spend 54K and have it sundered.

[Telonius]

If you're fighting a wizard, I don't think you'll have to worry about him sundering anything. He wouldn't want to risk the Attack of Opportunity chance. (And I have yet to see a wizard take Power Attack and Improved Sunder, ever.)

An object's AC is 10 + the object's size modifier + the Dex of the person carrying it. The object's hit points depend on the material it's made of. I looked around in the SRD a bit to figure out exactly what the stats on boots would be, but couldn't find anything.

[SpiderBrigade]

Regarding the sundering: first he has to hit it. In melee. And beat it's AC, which is 10+your dex mod (and I'd argue also your Wis mod, as a monk). And then deal enough damage to it. Plus he provokes an attack of opportunity.

There's also some room for debate as to whether you can even try to sunder the thing when it's in its activated form. I mean, it turns into wings. Is it still an item?

Edit: simuuued!

[Darrin]

Before I head off to the custom magic item creation charts, does anybody know of any item in any supplement that grants air walk?

I think there's a stance in Tome of Battle that grants air walk, but I don't recall... probably needs a high initiator level, otherwise you could grab it with Martial Study/Martial Stance.

There might be a PrC or two that grants it as an ability... I want to say Windwalker gets it at some point, but that's 3.0 FR-specific.

[ken-do-nim]

There's also some room for debate as to whether you can even try to sunder the thing when it's in its activated form. I mean, it turns into wings. Is it still an item?

That's a very good point. For some reason I was thinking that it would still be treated as a cloak, but you're right, they're wings. So I guess that means damaging the wings just comes off my monk's normal hit points.

Okay, now I'll have to compare 54K to whatever my Michael Jordan boots come out to :-)

[Olethros]

I am no where near my books, but I thought that sunder could specifically not be used on amour. I would argue that a cloak, particularly one being used, could not be sundered under that distinction.

Of greater worry would be somebody using a disarm attempt, as it specifically gives an example of disarming non-weapons. And even in active wing form the cloak has a clasp I believe. Coarse now I want to disarm some bodies flying cloak and see them plummet, along with the DM's hopes and dreams.

[Yuki Akuma]

I think there's a stance in Tome of Battle that grants air walk, but I don't recall... probably needs a high initiator level, otherwise you could grab it with Martial Study/Martial Stance.

It's an 8th level Shadow Hand stance called Balance on the Air. So, yeah. Eigth level. You'll need to either be a full-classed Swordsage or an epic Monk to get that.

[ken-do-nim]

I am no where near my books, but I thought that sunder could specifically not be used on amour. I would argue that a cloak, particularly one being used, could not be sundered under that distinction.

Of greater worry would be somebody using a disarm attempt, as it specifically gives an example of disarming non-weapons. And even in active wing form the cloak has a clasp I believe. Coarse now I want to disarm some bodies flying cloak and see them plummet, along with the DM's hopes and dreams.

That's ... that's just dreadful!

There's also of course an imagery problem with wings of flying. If I'm wearing a robe of eyes over the cloak, how exactly do the wings sprout out? If I'm wearing the cloak over the robe, would the eyes work?

[Fax Celestis]

That's ... that's just dreadful!

There's also of course an imagery problem with wings of flying. If I'm wearing a robe of eyes over the cloak, how exactly do the wings sprout out? If I'm wearing the cloak over the robe, would the eyes work?

Thank god for Slow Fall, eh?

[barawn]

(And I have yet to see a wizard take Power Attack and Improved Sunder, ever.)

That so sounds like a challenge.

[ZekeArgo]

That's ... that's just dreadful!

There's also of course an imagery problem with wings of flying. If I'm wearing a robe of eyes over the cloak, how exactly do the wings sprout out? If I'm wearing the cloak over the robe, would the eyes work?

A wizard would Quicken Dispel magic the cloak, then shatter while on their Flying 280' Movement Speed Phantom Steed. Or just... yknow, Resilient Sphere, or Enervate or Dominate Monster ya.

Just an fyi

[SpiderBrigade]

Yeah, I'm still wondering about the whole monks=magekillers thing. I get the impression the wizard will still own up, even if you're flying.

[ken-do-nim]

A wizard would Quicken Dispel magic the cloak, then shatter while on their Flying 280' Movement Speed Phantom Steed. Or just... yknow, Resilient Sphere, or Enervate or Dominate Monster ya.

Just an fyi

Well a monk's gotta try?

I'm not sure if you can shatter a magic item just because you did dispel magic on it. That's a new one to me.

The wizard might be on a 280' movement speed mount, but except for an outdoor encounter, chambers don't get that big. If we fight in a chamber, with my monk's movement rate she'll reach the wiz.

resilient sphere - isn't there a save to be captured? monk saves rocks

enervate - no wizard is hitting my touch ac and getting through my spell resistance. (Well no wizard the DM is running)

dominate monster - again, my will saves and spell resistance

Monks are effective at fighting wizards because of:
high saves (esp vs enchantment)
spell resistance
high touch ac
improved evasion
dimension door (& later etherealness)
adamantine dr for getting through stoneskin
fast movement and tumble to reach them

The three major weaknesses are:
seeing the wizard
reaching them when they aren't on the ground
moving through solid fog/evard's tentacles/etc.

I am attempting to solve these weaknesses through magic items.

[barawn]

I'm not sure if you can shatter a magic item just because you did dispel magic on it. That's a new one to me.

You were probably being facetious, but: Dispel Magic suppresses a magic item's abilities for 1d4 rounds. Keep a ring of once per day Feather Fall handy, and it's no big deal.

Dispelling the Wings of Flying is only a 45% success rate, too (DC 21, max of +10 on a Dispel Magic check), so it's really not a big deal.

[ken-do-nim]

You were probably being facetious, but: Dispel Magic suppresses a magic item's abilities for 1d4 rounds. Keep a ring of once per day Feather Fall handy, and it's no big deal.

Dispelling the Wings of Flying is only a 45% success rate, too (DC 21, max of +10 on a Dispel Magic check), so it's really not a big deal.

I wasn't being facetious; I'd honestly never heard that technique before.

At any rate, my monk currently wears a ring of counterspells and always has dispel magic in it. That should work if the dispel is directed at one of her items I would think.

[ZekeArgo]

Well a monk's gotta try?

I'm not sure if you can shatter a magic item just because you did dispel magic on it. That's a new one to me.

The wizard might be on a 280' movement speed mount, but except for an outdoor encounter, chambers don't get that big. If we fight in a chamber, with my monk's movement rate she'll reach the wiz.

resilient sphere - isn't there a save to be captured? monk saves rocks

enervate - no wizard is hitting my touch ac and getting through my spell resistance. (Well no wizard the DM is running)

dominate monster - again, my will saves and spell resistance

Monks are effective at fighting wizards because of:
high saves (esp vs enchantment)
spell resistance
high touch ac
improved evasion
dimension door (& later etherealness)
adamantine dr for getting through stoneskin
fast movement and tumble to reach them

The three major weaknesses are:
seeing the wizard
reaching them when they aren't on the ground
moving through solid fog/evard's tentacles/etc.

I am attempting to solve these weaknesses through magic items.

Eh, you cant try, but if you have access to these high-end magics and the wizard isn't owning you then your DM is pulling punches. Nevermind that SR is meaningless (lets assume 15th level, so you've got what? SR 25? A single casting of Assay Spell Resistance means he doesn't have to make a check). That out of the way, welcome to being Mazed.

SR is pretty worthless, and if up against something with decent saves a wizard will just use spells that don't require them.

Edit: Oh, and barring even that, even if you do get within melee range of said wizard what are you going to do? Grapple him? Freedom of Movement says no to that as well.

[barawn]

At any rate, my monk currently wears a ring of counterspells and always has dispel magic in it. That should work if the dispel is directed at one of her items I would think.

By RAW, I'm not sure it would, but if I were the DM, I'd be like "well, that's a freaking stupid typo in the rules". Rod of Absorption specifically says "targets you or your gear" - Ring of Counterspells does not.

A once-per-day command word Feather Fall is just 360 gp or so. I'd call it a "Ring of Flight Insurance."

[barawn]

That out of the way, welcome to being Mazed.

How is that a win? It's not like it does any damage, or does ... well, really anything other than pause the combat for an average of ... probably about 8-10 rounds.

[barawn]

I wasn't being facetious; I'd honestly never heard that technique before.

Bit of a brain freeze, actually - he meant Dispel Magic followed by Shatter. It really depends on whether or not a DM allows the Ring to counterspell targetted spells at your items.

Depending on how cheesy the DM is going to be, get Magic Aura cast on the Ring and any other magic item you have so the wizard won't know what to target. Then the Dispel Magic, plus Greater Dispel Magic, and probably Shatter in the ring would protect you, um, for a bit, at least.

[ZekeArgo]

How is that a win? It's not like it does any damage, or does ... well, really anything other than pause the combat for an average of ... probably about 8-10 rounds.

Your kidding right? 8 to 10 rounds of prep time before the monk shows up in the same spot? Can you say solid fog/incindery cloud/forcecage/all other persistent AoE spells?

[ken-do-nim]

Eh, you cant try, but if you have access to these high-end magics and the wizard isn't owning you then your DM is pulling punches. Nevermind that SR is meaningless (lets assume 15th level, so you've got what? SR 25? A single casting of Assay Spell Resistance means he doesn't have to make a check). That out of the way, welcome to being Mazed.

SR is pretty worthless, and if up against something with decent saves a wizard will just use spells that don't require them.

Edit: Oh, and barring even that, even if you do get within melee range of said wizard what are you going to do? Grapple him? Freedom of Movement says no to that as well.

Wow, you sound so defeated. It doesn't sound like you are having any fun playing D&D.

Look guys, my DM is not playing the Batman wizard to show us how much we suck. He is running published modules and playing the wizards in them. These guys don't have assay spell resistance, don't fly around on 280 foot per round movement horses, and have crappy fortitude saves. Besides, freedom of movement is NOT a wizard spell. Sure anybody could have a ring of it, but that would be awesome because then it's mine afterwards. But the point is he's not going out of his way to be abusive.

Let me give you an illustration of how a recent combat went. This was last level for me, so my SR was 24. The "evil" party was attempting to assassinate a political figure, and my monk was left behind for back-up. The rest of the party called me in, and I raced over.

Round 1: I immediately found an Evard's Black Tentacles in the way. I poured a salve of slipperiness over myself and entered the tentacle field. That round the invisible wizard up on the flying carpet took notice of me and cast power word stun. The DM rolled and it didn't penetrate my SR.

Round 2 : I used escape artist (with the salve's +20) to escape from the tentacle and I moved up next to the bad-party's barbarian to give our ranger a flank. The evil cleric meanwhile put up a blade barrier to cut down the political figure, which also cut me off from him. The wizard threw down a cloudkill on everybody. My monk was immune because she's unaffected by poison. The evil barbarian took the party ranger down really low.

Round 3: I flurried and took down the barbarian (stunning him initially). In response, the wizard cone of colded me [edit: actually the cone of cold caught the whole party] and the cleric flame striked [edit: again hitting everybody]. The cone of cold got through my SR but my improved evasion got me through it unscathed. Likewise for the flame strike (can't remember whether it was SR or improved evasion that protected me). The ranger went down. Between those two damaging spells + the blade barrier, the rest of my party was seriously hurting and the political figure was dead. On the badguys side, the barbarian was down, the thief was caught in the flame strike and failed his save, and no one had yet spotted the wizard or harmed the cleric.

Round 4: The party paladin threw some dust out and we discovered the presence of the invisible wizard on the flying carpet. The party cleric took down the enemy thief, before himself succumbing to the constitution drain of the cloudkill. My monk walked right through the blade barrier and my SR protected me. I went right up to the cleric and tripped him, though with the follow-up attack the stun was not successful. The wizard put a solid fog on everybody. The cleric responded with a harm spell from the ground and managed to hit my touch ac and get through my SR. I saved for half, but ... ouch!

Round 5: The wizard on the carpet got away and I mauled the cleric. Fight over. (I was planning on dimension dooring onto the carpet next to the wizard before he flew off.)

As you can see, all of my monk abilities were on display in this fight and I felt like an effective character. I also didn't feel like the DM was pulling punches. A ring of freedom of movement, wings of flying, and a robe of eyes would have helped tremendously though.

[ZekeArgo]

Well I have to admit, other than the use of Flamestrike/Cone of Cold that was a well played combat. Easily could have gone either way though, since its only around a 50% chance your SR would work, and a shame you weren't able to protect your mark (Perhaps have a rope trick ready next time?).

Anyway, I just realized: if you've got someone capable of creating it, or a bunch of extra cash (and access to the BoED) then a Ring of Solar Wings might be your best bet.