Is Robes of the Archmagi worth it?

[Frosty]

I've a chance to craft one. Cost to craft is 3000 exp and 37,500 gold. Is it worth it to spend the resources needed to craft something that takes up the armor slot (I think?) and gives 5 armor, 18 SR (kinda worthless at high levels), +4 to all saves, +2 to overcome SR?

Would my money and resources be better spent elsewhere?

If you decided to increase the armor to +8, the SR to 21, and the saves to +5, how much should the price increase by?

[Nohwl]

if you have nothing better to take up the slot its worth it.

[Solo]

if you have nothing better to take up the slot its worth it.

Seconded. Not like you'll be short on wealth at higher levels, or have anything occupying that slot.

If you need more money, just beat up a dragon.

[Frosty]

I'm thinking the SR really isn't worth it, given that the spellcasters that it'd work against is toast against me anyways. +5 armor bonus...I do better with a Greater Mage Armor. Bonuses to saves are always good, but I can get those cheaper from a cloak. +2 to penetrate SR...well, my main attakc spell is an Orb spell. I focus in Conjuration. Next.

Maybe I should just craft a Cloak of Resistance +5 or something. And add to it some other nifty abilities. Apparently Continuous Swift Flight is cheaper than Continuous Flight thansk to item creation rules. I can fly all day for 48k.

[Nohwl]

craft the robe and buy the cloak. you can wear both at the same time.

[tyckspoon]

The Robe is handy mostly for condensing a few magic item slots, IMO. If you're already comfortable using a spell for an AC bonus, you don't need the armor. If you don't have anything else you want in your cloak slot, you can just put a cloak of resistance there cheaper, and you don't need the resistance bonus. The SR is, as mentioned, pretty pointless.. I'd ask my DM if I could drop it entirely to get a discount on the Robe, meself.

I think an upgraded Robe would be..

Bracers of Armor +8 - Bracers +4.. 64-16 is 48..
Resistance +5 - Resistance +4.. 9..

Upgrading it while leaving the SR alone would make it 132,000 just based on the differences of the component items. I'm assuming any surcharge for making a combined item doesn't need to be re-figured; if it does, the official guidelines will make an upgraded Robe an excessively and uselessly expensive item.

And spell resistance doesn't follow a formula that I know of, but it's way overpriced. The Mantle of Spell Resistance costs more than the basic Robe for three points more benefit.. Ask your DM about a fair price for that (or a discount for dropping it) if you want it.

[Frosty]

craft the robe and buy the cloak. you can wear both at the same time.

Aren't both of the Robes and Cloak Resistance bonuses to Saves?

[Nohwl]

probably. i cant think of another robe that would give an armor bonus though.

[LoneGamer]

Vest of the Archmagi (Magic Item Compendium) could be slot-swapped to a robe if you're creating it. It's way better than the classic Robe of the Archmagi.

[nobodylovesyou4]

probably. i cant think of another robe that would give an armor bonus though.

impervious vestment:
+5 armor, and a wall of blades for a total of 18 rounds per day, only as a circle of blades though. costs 34k gold.

[Dhavaer]

probably. i cant think of another robe that would give an armor bonus though.

There's one in, I think, the DMG2. Gives a +9 bonus to AC, and lets you cast blade barrier.

[nobodylovesyou4]

Vest of the Archmagi (Magic Item Compendium) could be slot-swapped to a robe if you're creating it. It's way better than the classic Robe of the Archmagi.

sorry, double post:
doesnt it specifically say in that book that that vest doesnt actually exist?

[Ponce]

In short, no.

AC Bonus: You can replicate this with (Greater) Mage Armor. A wizard or sorcerer of this level shouldn't be getting hit anyway.

SR: Useless. Compare this to the Cleric's Spell Resistance spell. The number just isn't high enough to have any impact at the level you are at, and it doesn't scale.

Saving Throw Bonus: Again, easily replicated if you really need it. As a full caster, you're better off with buffs that render you immune to important effects rather than relying on a saving throw. It is, however, somewhat better than the above qualities.

Overcoming SR: Not so hot. Something like Assay Resistance would do you better. If it has SR, you want to guarantee your ability to overcome it. A +2 bonus won't help much in this regard. Admittedly, this type of bonus is fairly unique among items, but its just not that great.

All in all, I think you can make much better use of the gold and experience points. I assume you are level 14, by the crafting requirements. There are many other kinds of robes in the MIC that would service you well without so many added unnecessary features expanding the cost. Assuming you are the same wizard as the one in your other thread about ranged touch attacks, I'd say you could do far better for yourself than this Robe.

If your ability to craft items isn't limited to some kind of situational opportunity to cast this one particular item, the case against making it is made even stronger, as you could craft many valuable items that would help you a lot more. I'm AFB right now, but even a quick peruse of any forum-posted arcane guide or just the SRD would yield a good haul. For example, an Orange Ioun stone by itself would probably be better than the robes.

Edit: There's a thread developing about Wizard items as we speak. http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75753

[LoneGamer]

sorry, double post:
doesnt it specifically say in that book that that vest doesnt actually exist?

The text suggests it's a joke item, yeah, but it could go either way. It is somewhat more powerful than what 200,000 GP should get you..

[nobodylovesyou4]

funny story relating to that, i once played a pbp campaign where the entire goal was to find said vest. needless to say we never got that far, and got distracted along the way to boot, but it was still a pretty cool campaign idea.

[Neftren]

I've found that this robe is particularly useful for getting around armor restrictions.

[Frosty]

What immunity items should I look out for? I wonder how expensive something would be for me to be immune to negative levels...

[Chosen_of_Vecna]

1) No it isn't worth it. Cast Greater Mage Armor, get a Cloak, SR is useless, overcoming SR can be bought better then that too.

2) Don't buy Immunity Items. Cast Elemental Body Air and have the Cleric cast Deathward. You are now Immune to Death effects/Stunning/Poison/Crits/Precision damage/Disease/and some other crap. Oh and you also have a 60ft Perfect Fly speed that lasts hours per level.

So don't make an item of continuous Swift Flight. All Wizards above level 13 come with that as a class ability.

[Chronos]

There's an armor enhancement somewhere that gives continual Death Ward, but I can never remember what it's called, nor where it's from. Book of Exalted Cheese, maybe?

[Hawriel]

There is also a Vest of the Arch mage that can be worn in addition. I think its in one of the magic item books.

[Cuddly]

I'm thinking the SR really isn't worth it, given that the spellcasters that it'd work against is toast against me anyways. +5 armor bonus...I do better with a Greater Mage Armor. Bonuses to saves are always good, but I can get those cheaper from a cloak. +2 to penetrate SR...well, my main attakc spell is an Orb spell. I focus in Conjuration. Next.

Maybe I should just craft a Cloak of Resistance +5 or something. And add to it some other nifty abilities. Apparently Continuous Swift Flight is cheaper than Continuous Flight thansk to item creation rules. I can fly all day for 48k.

You could also fly all day for 27k.

For death effects & the like, put soulfire on your mithral buckler. It's a +4 enhancement, though,

[Chosen_of_Vecna]

There's an armor enhancement somewhere that gives continual Death Ward, but I can never remember what it's called, nor where it's from. Book of Exalted Cheese, maybe?

There's one that costs 900gp or something in the MIC (flat cost) but only prevents 1 a day.

There's also a much more expensive one somewhere else (based on the +X system, and X is probably 3 or greater)

[Chronicled]

There's one that costs 900gp or something in the MIC (flat cost) but only prevents 1 a day.

There's also a much more expensive one somewhere else (based on the +X system, and X is probably 3 or greater)

That would be Death Ward, as a +1 enhancement. Lets you ignore any death effect or negative energy effect. Immediate action to use; but the Complete Arcane version automatically gets the first one for the day. Each has its own merits.

[Frosty]

Most negative level spells are Rays right? Isn't there a spell in the SpC that gives immunity to Rays?

[Draz74]

Robe of the Archmagi is probably worth it ...

For a high-level Sorcerer in a Core-only game with no custom items allowed.

[ColdBrew]

Ray Deflection, but it's crap. You might as well ready an action to interrupt their casting.

[Frosty]

Why is it crap? Can someone post the spell here? I thought it just gave blanket immunity to Rays for the duration of the spell?

[Bayar]

As a great man once said:

This is a great item. The prices of the abilities provided for a single body slot is more than worth it.

plus, it is a body slot, while vest of the arch mage is a torso slot. So tehnically, you could wear them both.

[Chosen_of_Vecna]

Most negative level spells are Rays right? Isn't there a spell in the SpC that gives immunity to Rays?

Fully half of all spells that I know of that give negative levels are rays (IE I can think of two, one of them is a ray.)

But there are other sources of negative levels, like vampires punching you.

Also, and this is important, You should take Chain Spell. You should take Persistent spell and probably reach spell, or a rod of reach. You should get your Cleric friend to cast Deathward on someone, and you should chain that deathward across the whole party. Welcome to being an Incantatrix, the only reason to buy an item of +30 to Spellcraft.

[Frosty]

Persistent won't work on Deathward correct? I do have chain spell.