Armor Sets - Are they out there? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Armor Sets - Are they out there? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sarcastus
08-26-06, 10:28 PM Recently, I've acquired some World of Warcraft D20 RPG books. Working with my DM, we are going to incorporate some of the ideas into our existing D&D campaign. Some ideas being Minotaur (The Tauren who are Medium sized and more accessible to PC's), Gnome/Goblin tech, and my favorite - armor sets. There's the rub. While the source material provides some interesting sets (Mage/Paladin/Rogue), they've left the other classes alone.

An armor set would be a set of magical armor that is core class specific that is gathered up incrementally. Each peice would provide bonuses and when certain numbers of peices are joined in the set, the overall set provides more bonuses - ultimately giving the class a nice power boost when completed. This would also be great for adventure hooks or surprise treasure, special rewards, etc.

I've tried to work some sets out - even going to the Warcraft PC websites to look at what sets they have and what they do - ultimately ending up in a leather armor set that any 25th level warrior would kill for and use to beat the crap outta a demi-lich with - in other words - WAY overpowered.

So, I was wondering - besides Warcraft books, does anyone have any ideas or source material that I could use to research to help me in this pursuit of item creation? I've got access to ALOT of books - core, splat, non-D&D, etc. So, any suggestions would be appreciated.
wonlee76
08-27-06, 03:16 PM For generic inspiration:

Heroes of Might and Magic III. They had a system in place where getting several pieces of eqiupment would become more powerful when you got a complete set. Great for the general fluff ideas but obviously you need to come up with the crunch. Basically it turned 3-5 generic magical items into an artifact when you got all the pieces together.

Now that you brought this up, I'm really tempted to make my own sets of individual pieces of armor that when put on 1 PC becomes more powerful as a whole.
utilitarian
08-27-06, 03:20 PM I've had this discussion before with WoW players (A group that includes myself) and the general consensus was that bonuses in AD&D are too small to warrant set bonuses, as any bonus will increase the power far too dramatically. As an artifact (like the regalia of good), it can work and is suitably powerful, but not as "normal" magical armor.
TheDragonmaster
08-27-06, 03:58 PM I have a couple of ideas.

1) The first idea is based on whether you combine items that all take up only the armor slot, or items that each take up one slot...

If they fill the same spot (armor/robe (soul chakra)), then take the base armor, like a +1 breastplate (1350 gp), then add a crest which makes it +2, and the crest will cost the difference between the +1 breastplate (1350 gp) and a +2 one... (3000 gp), then add a set of spikes that make it +3 and spiked, costing the difference... (5050 gp) and keep going.

If you get gauntlets to it that gives a +2 enhancement bonus to strength and take up an extra spot (glove/gauntlet (hands chakra)), just make it a pair of gauntlets of ogre power (4000 gp). If they don't take up the extra spot (and is part of the armor set (soul chakra)) then multiply the cost by 1.5 for the item extra ability (see the DMG table on determining magic item costs) and stay there (6000 gp, in this case).

In the first case, you end up with a set of +3 spiked breastplate (9400 gp) and a pair of gauntlets of ogre power (4000 gp).

In the second case, you end up with a set of +3 spiked breastplate of ogre power (15400 gp).

Pro: Easy and doable.
Con: Depends on the fact that you find/buy/craft each piece of the set in the right order.

2) The second idea is more complicated and requires better roleplaying, and such it makes the item more unique (most often a good thing): Make it a Legacy Item, and make the PC wearing it find more and more parts of the armor as he/she adventures and unlocks new powers, and lastly, blame it all on destiny, legacy, divine intervention, or whatever you want. Wherever the PC goes, the armor pieces appear.

The rules for how to create them appears in Weapons of Legacy, and I don't want to give examples from it (partly because it is illegal, partly necause of sloth).

I hope that I have given you at least one idea that works for you... please use them (I have actually used method 1) as a player, making the old wizened mages at ye ole magicke shoppe build upgrades for my items instead of entirely new ones... it worked good).
Sarcastus
08-28-06, 11:04 AM Legacy Armor/Clothing is pretty much what I'm looking to find/and or create. The peices would add bonuses by themselves and when combined.

However, I was trying not to use existing D&D items if I could help it so the set items would be more unique and or rare - but I may have to as I'm finding that I keep creating either really weak armors that a well funded adventurer would scoff at or a set of armor that would make a 21st level wizard flinch if he saw a 5th level warrior wearing it. (I'm not that great at creating balanced items it seems).

I don't want the adventurers to find the set as a whole. I would think it really rewarding and challenging if it was a goal of thiers to peice it together through questing - finding a peice in a difficult area, as a reward for outstanding service, finding the materials for a master to craft a peice - etc... It just seems better than finding a random magic item in a dungeon to me.

The might and magic III system - is there something that I can view on that, a link perhaps?

Thanks
Wolf72
08-28-06, 04:47 PM it almost sounds like you want a piece meal armor system ... I agree, the AC bonuses in 3e are to small for that ... say you have a leather helm, leather breastplate, leather greaves .... bracers, gloves ...

it adds up to quick unless you want to revamp it for your game
SodaGuy
08-28-06, 04:58 PM Nobody's mentioned Diablo yet, but it had set items like this too. Each had an effect and all together they had an additional effect.
spyderfreek
08-28-06, 05:09 PM Nobody's mentioned Diablo yet, but it had set items like this too. Each had an effect and all together they had an additional effect.
You can goto the D2 - Arreat Summit website and get the set items. That could be a starting point. I've thought about this also, and I think its possible.
Sarcastus
08-29-06, 01:25 PM I think I have the d20 rules for Diablo somewhere - would the peice-meal armor system be there or is that from the video game?

I'll check on the D2- Arreat Summit website - you don't possibly have a link to it by chance?
spyderfreek
08-31-06, 10:21 AM I think I have the d20 rules for Diablo somewhere - would the peice-meal armor system be there or is that from the video game?

I'll check on the D2- Arreat Summit website - you don't possibly have a link to it by chance?

sorry it took me so long to get back to you... here it is

http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sarcastus 08-26-06, 10:28 PM	Recently, I've acquired some World of Warcraft D20 RPG books. Working with my DM, we are going to incorporate some of the ideas into our existing D&D campaign. Some ideas being Minotaur (The Tauren who are Medium sized and more accessible to PC's), Gnome/Goblin tech, and my favorite - armor sets. There's the rub. While the source material provides some interesting sets (Mage/Paladin/Rogue), they've left the other classes alone. An armor set would be a set of magical armor that is core class specific that is gathered up incrementally. Each peice would provide bonuses and when certain numbers of peices are joined in the set, the overall set provides more bonuses - ultimately giving the class a nice power boost when completed. This would also be great for adventure hooks or surprise treasure, special rewards, etc. I've tried to work some sets out - even going to the Warcraft PC websites to look at what sets they have and what they do - ultimately ending up in a leather armor set that any 25th level warrior would kill for and use to beat the crap outta a demi-lich with - in other words - WAY overpowered. So, I was wondering - besides Warcraft books, does anyone have any ideas or source material that I could use to research to help me in this pursuit of item creation? I've got access to ALOT of books - core, splat, non-D&D, etc. So, any suggestions would be appreciated.
wonlee76 08-27-06, 03:16 PM	For generic inspiration: Heroes of Might and Magic III. They had a system in place where getting several pieces of eqiupment would become more powerful when you got a complete set. Great for the general fluff ideas but obviously you need to come up with the crunch. Basically it turned 3-5 generic magical items into an artifact when you got all the pieces together. Now that you brought this up, I'm really tempted to make my own sets of individual pieces of armor that when put on 1 PC becomes more powerful as a whole.
utilitarian 08-27-06, 03:20 PM	I've had this discussion before with WoW players (A group that includes myself) and the general consensus was that bonuses in AD&D are too small to warrant set bonuses, as any bonus will increase the power far too dramatically. As an artifact (like the regalia of good), it can work and is suitably powerful, but not as "normal" magical armor.
TheDragonmaster 08-27-06, 03:58 PM	I have a couple of ideas. 1) The first idea is based on whether you combine items that all take up only the armor slot, or items that each take up one slot... If they fill the same spot (armor/robe (soul chakra)), then take the base armor, like a +1 breastplate (1350 gp), then add a crest which makes it +2, and the crest will cost the difference between the +1 breastplate (1350 gp) and a +2 one... (3000 gp), then add a set of spikes that make it +3 and spiked, costing the difference... (5050 gp) and keep going. If you get gauntlets to it that gives a +2 enhancement bonus to strength and take up an extra spot (glove/gauntlet (hands chakra)), just make it a pair of gauntlets of ogre power (4000 gp). If they don't take up the extra spot (and is part of the armor set (soul chakra)) then multiply the cost by 1.5 for the item extra ability (see the DMG table on determining magic item costs) and stay there (6000 gp, in this case). In the first case, you end up with a set of +3 spiked breastplate (9400 gp) and a pair of gauntlets of ogre power (4000 gp). In the second case, you end up with a set of +3 spiked breastplate of ogre power (15400 gp). Pro: Easy and doable. Con: Depends on the fact that you find/buy/craft each piece of the set in the right order. 2) The second idea is more complicated and requires better roleplaying, and such it makes the item more unique (most often a good thing): Make it a Legacy Item, and make the PC wearing it find more and more parts of the armor as he/she adventures and unlocks new powers, and lastly, blame it all on destiny, legacy, divine intervention, or whatever you want. Wherever the PC goes, the armor pieces appear. The rules for how to create them appears in Weapons of Legacy, and I don't want to give examples from it (partly because it is illegal, partly necause of sloth). I hope that I have given you at least one idea that works for you... please use them (I have actually used method 1) as a player, making the old wizened mages at ye ole magicke shoppe build upgrades for my items instead of entirely new ones... it worked good).
Sarcastus 08-28-06, 11:04 AM	Legacy Armor/Clothing is pretty much what I'm looking to find/and or create. The peices would add bonuses by themselves and when combined. However, I was trying not to use existing D&D items if I could help it so the set items would be more unique and or rare - but I may have to as I'm finding that I keep creating either really weak armors that a well funded adventurer would scoff at or a set of armor that would make a 21st level wizard flinch if he saw a 5th level warrior wearing it. (I'm not that great at creating balanced items it seems). I don't want the adventurers to find the set as a whole. I would think it really rewarding and challenging if it was a goal of thiers to peice it together through questing - finding a peice in a difficult area, as a reward for outstanding service, finding the materials for a master to craft a peice - etc... It just seems better than finding a random magic item in a dungeon to me. The might and magic III system - is there something that I can view on that, a link perhaps? Thanks
Wolf72 08-28-06, 04:47 PM	it almost sounds like you want a piece meal armor system ... I agree, the AC bonuses in 3e are to small for that ... say you have a leather helm, leather breastplate, leather greaves .... bracers, gloves ... it adds up to quick unless you want to revamp it for your game
SodaGuy 08-28-06, 04:58 PM	Nobody's mentioned Diablo yet, but it had set items like this too. Each had an effect and all together they had an additional effect.
spyderfreek 08-28-06, 05:09 PM	Nobody's mentioned Diablo yet, but it had set items like this too. Each had an effect and all together they had an additional effect. You can goto the D2 - Arreat Summit website and get the set items. That could be a starting point. I've thought about this also, and I think its possible.
Sarcastus 08-29-06, 01:25 PM	I think I have the d20 rules for Diablo somewhere - would the peice-meal armor system be there or is that from the video game? I'll check on the D2- Arreat Summit website - you don't possibly have a link to it by chance?
spyderfreek 08-31-06, 10:21 AM	I think I have the d20 rules for Diablo somewhere - would the peice-meal armor system be there or is that from the video game? I'll check on the D2- Arreat Summit website - you don't possibly have a link to it by chance? sorry it took me so long to get back to you... here it is http://www.battle.net/diablo2exp/