Armor w/o Spell Failure [Archive] - Wizards Community

Armor w/o Spell Failure [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
HomelessCaptain
12-06-06, 11:34 PM I'm creating a level 6 wizard warforged. At level 1 I'm choosing the Unarmored Body feat to eliminate the arcane spell failure. But I want to know if there is any armor out there that has 0% arcane spell failure. What book would that be in? How much would it cost? What's the best armor available having that characteristic?
GalaGalaxia
12-06-06, 11:36 PM It is actually possible to use virtually any armor without ASF, depending on your DM and which splat books are allowed.
HomelessCaptain
12-06-06, 11:38 PM what is a splat book? And what kind of compromise might I make with the DM?
HomelessCaptain
12-06-06, 11:39 PM Ok I wikied splat book and now I know that it is a source book. But which ones have ASF eliminators?
User5127
12-06-06, 11:43 PM Check books like "arms and armorment guide"
The DMG
The Complete series (namely Complete warrior or Mage or Arcane)
The Races books might help.

Basically pick up a book and go straight to the equipment section, jsut to armor and take a look for variant armor materials. some (like mithral in DMG) reduce ASF. as well, if you can't find it under the equipment setion try the magic item section for armor enchanments. you may find something useful there.

Good luck and happy gaming! ^_^
IdleAltruism
12-06-06, 11:44 PM Complete warrior has a prestige class that reduces ASF. Theres also an armor enchantment that gives - ASF.
runestar
12-06-06, 11:56 PM A twillight mithral chain shirt has 0 ASF.:)
Neutronium_Dragon
12-06-06, 11:59 PM The "twilight" armor ability (+1 equivalent) gives a -10% modifier to spell failure. Since the warforged's spell failure is normally 5%, if you add the property to your plating then it'll eliminate the spell failure from it. This is actually a good bargain since you're effectively getting +2 AC and 25% fortification for the cost of a +1 armor enhancement, but it may take a few levels to get enough resources to have it done. (You'll need to enhance it to +1 first, then add the twilight property, so the total cost is 4000 GP.)
AngusMcsmashie
12-07-06, 12:21 AM I have a question - why use armor at all? As a 6th level wizard you don't want to be near anything that has a Decent BAB regardless of your armor. Use your head, and spells to keep yourself from being hit. Wizards are very surviviable if you stay away from the battle and direct confrontation with raging barbarians etc..

Use stoneskin to give yourself a decent damage reduction, and greater mage armor if you have to - boosting your dex with fox cunning gives you more AC as does using the various shield spells.

If you aren't making some sort of fighter wizard - you really don't want to waste your precious feats (wizards don't get many) on using armor!

Frankly - wizards SUCK if run like a fighter.
User5127
12-07-06, 12:33 AM yea but you forget he is warforged. they are basically creatures that ARE armor. so the have ASF.

so he has to basically choose armor that he can remake himself into in order to get rid of his ASF so he can cast spells.

he isn't trying to run a wizard like a fighter, but a fighter like a wizard. :P
AngusMcsmashie
12-07-06, 12:38 AM yea but you forget he is warforged. they are basically creatures that ARE armor. so the have ASF.

so he has to basically choose armor that he can remake himself into in order to get rid of his ASF so he can cast spells.

he isn't trying to run a wizard like a fighter, but a fighter like a wizard. :P

I see the strategy but it confuses me. If you want to make your wizard an armored fighter - you are better off going as a sorcerer and cross classing to fighter classes ( and using prestige classes). Wizards become very diluted when you try to make them anything else due to the d4 hit die and LOUSY BAB progression.

Warrior wizards are typially MUCH weaker as warriors than thier pure warrior prototypes, and not nearly as good as wizards as a pure wizard due to lower spell levels due to the need to take fighter levels to even have a chance( high spell levels are where the REAL power of the wizard class are).

Unless you're doing gestalt - but that's just silly anyway

cheers

Angus
User5127
12-07-06, 12:44 AM lol i think you mistooko my annology.

the wizard is level 6 and his race is called warforged. warforged are made of metal and wood, they are like constructs (they are living constructs to be exact). that race has inherent ASF.

BUT you can bypass that ASF by changing your "body" armor with better materials. for example you could swap out the steel and use mithril or if you can afford it, adamantine.

he isn't creating a gish build (a fighter/mage). he's pure wizard with a race that isn't the friendliest to wizards spell casting. (though all the other bonuses to the race can make up for that, and the fact he can spend some bling to update his skin).

lol ^_^

I understand completly what you are saying, but i don't think thats what the OP is trying to do.
enygmatic_me
12-07-06, 12:52 AM If you are looking to enchant armor, just enchant your composite plate instead and save the feat. 5% isn't really much to worry about.

If you are willing to take a little risk spend the feat on Mithral body. It increases the ASF to 15%, but also ups your AC to +5. Then just enchant (you have the levels and can just ask for it to be part of your starting pacakge) it with a +1 AC and Twilight which will bring it back down to 5% and net you a total +6 AC.
AngusMcsmashie
12-07-06, 12:54 AM lol i think you mistooko my annology.

the wizard is level 6 and his race is called warforged. warforged are made of metal and wood, they are like constructs (they are living constructs to be exact). that race has inherent ASF.

BUT you can bypass that ASF by changing your "body" armor with better materials. for example you could swap out the steel and use mithril or if you can afford it, adamantine.

he isn't creating a gish build (a fighter/mage). he's pure wizard with a race that isn't the friendliest to wizards spell casting. (though all the other bonuses to the race can make up for that, and the fact he can spend some bling to update his skin).

lol ^_^

I understand completly what you are saying, but i don't think thats what the OP is trying to do.

Yes - I believe we are on the same page. Don't take me wrong. I guess I am confused as to why he's taking a warforged. Not the best race for "wizard". Kind of like making a hafling barbarian.

Don't get me wrong - it's an interesting idea and can work (especially if it's a RolePlay idea) , but you spend an awful lot your precious resources to make your warforged cast spells. His armor won't really do him much good if he's going to be a "wizard".
IceFractal
12-07-06, 01:02 AM Warforged aren't bad Wizards actually, no penalty to Int, the bonus to Con is useful, the ASF is easily bypassed with Twilight, and you can use your non-sleeping time to scribe spells (should count as restful activity, unless your DM is mean). Also, their immunities help with your poor Fortitude saves. And you can heal yourself a lot more easily than most Wizards.
User5127
12-07-06, 01:03 AM yea, but he didn't give up CL progression and got some fighter benifits for it. he does have to trick out his armor a bit, bt its added protection for a wizard. and at 6th level he can afford something to help his ASF.

on top of that he is gets all the benifits of being a living construct. minor fortification, quite a few immunities. etc.

it may not be great from a min-max point of view. but it's not gimped..

(btw, i wasn't sure if you knew what warforged where, because the impression i got from your post was that you thought he was going for a gish style of play. lol)

EDIT: you can actually use repair spells instead of having the cleric heal you. so in fact you can now act as a cleric with regards to healing yourself! lol.
AngusMcsmashie
12-07-06, 01:20 AM I have to admit - I am not real familar with eberon.. I have seen one guy make a warforged and from what I saw, warforged seemed to be optimized for warrior types.

I'll have to go look at them again.

cheers,
Angus
HomelessCaptain
12-07-06, 02:21 AM I want to make a shirt or belt that casts Repair Moderate Damage. I think it's 2 (spell level) x 3 (caster level) x 1,800 (command word) x 1 (5 divided by 5 charges per day)
Does that come out to 10,800g? And then if I made it myself, could it be 5,400g and 432 XP?

This way I can repair myself without using up spell slots. But I don't know if this is legal or not. I just learned about Item creation today. If it IS legal, I could repair myself 2d8+3 five times a day. That's 25 to 95 damage repaired daily! Is it legal though?

I think I'm going to go with Twilight Mithral. I was previously aiming for Adamantine Body, but that has a 35% ASF and I would have to go Spellsword PC or something (it ignores ASF more and more with leveling). I also thought of Githcraft (-5% ASF), but that's too many books to pool from :)

I kinda like the idea of 5% ASF with the Twilight Mithral. It gives a tiny chance to fail and failing can be good for roleplay.
runestar
12-07-06, 03:29 AM and you can use your non-sleeping time to scribe spells (should count as restful activity, unless your DM is mean).
Meanness has nothing to do with it. Wizs still require 8 hours of rest of recover their spells, regardless of whatever fancy tricks their race has for eschewing sleep. And scribing scrolls always takes at least 1 day, however cheap its cost.

Warforged could make decent mages. They have a con bonus(always a plus), and repair spells are readily accessible to a mage. Also, they have really nice resistances/immunities.

Plus, warforged make excellent psions(especially when you can get adamantine fullplate at 1st lv).:)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
HomelessCaptain 12-06-06, 11:34 PM	I'm creating a level 6 wizard warforged. At level 1 I'm choosing the Unarmored Body feat to eliminate the arcane spell failure. But I want to know if there is any armor out there that has 0% arcane spell failure. What book would that be in? How much would it cost? What's the best armor available having that characteristic?
GalaGalaxia 12-06-06, 11:36 PM	It is actually possible to use virtually any armor without ASF, depending on your DM and which splat books are allowed.
HomelessCaptain 12-06-06, 11:38 PM	what is a splat book? And what kind of compromise might I make with the DM?
HomelessCaptain 12-06-06, 11:39 PM	Ok I wikied splat book and now I know that it is a source book. But which ones have ASF eliminators?
User5127 12-06-06, 11:43 PM	Check books like "arms and armorment guide" The DMG The Complete series (namely Complete warrior or Mage or Arcane) The Races books might help. Basically pick up a book and go straight to the equipment section, jsut to armor and take a look for variant armor materials. some (like mithral in DMG) reduce ASF. as well, if you can't find it under the equipment setion try the magic item section for armor enchanments. you may find something useful there. Good luck and happy gaming! ^_^
IdleAltruism 12-06-06, 11:44 PM	Complete warrior has a prestige class that reduces ASF. Theres also an armor enchantment that gives - ASF.
runestar 12-06-06, 11:56 PM	A twillight mithral chain shirt has 0 ASF.:)
Neutronium_Dragon 12-06-06, 11:59 PM	The "twilight" armor ability (+1 equivalent) gives a -10% modifier to spell failure. Since the warforged's spell failure is normally 5%, if you add the property to your plating then it'll eliminate the spell failure from it. This is actually a good bargain since you're effectively getting +2 AC and 25% fortification for the cost of a +1 armor enhancement, but it may take a few levels to get enough resources to have it done. (You'll need to enhance it to +1 first, then add the twilight property, so the total cost is 4000 GP.)
AngusMcsmashie 12-07-06, 12:21 AM	I have a question - why use armor at all? As a 6th level wizard you don't want to be near anything that has a Decent BAB regardless of your armor. Use your head, and spells to keep yourself from being hit. Wizards are very surviviable if you stay away from the battle and direct confrontation with raging barbarians etc.. Use stoneskin to give yourself a decent damage reduction, and greater mage armor if you have to - boosting your dex with fox cunning gives you more AC as does using the various shield spells. If you aren't making some sort of fighter wizard - you really don't want to waste your precious feats (wizards don't get many) on using armor! Frankly - wizards SUCK if run like a fighter.
User5127 12-07-06, 12:33 AM	yea but you forget he is warforged. they are basically creatures that ARE armor. so the have ASF. so he has to basically choose armor that he can remake himself into in order to get rid of his ASF so he can cast spells. he isn't trying to run a wizard like a fighter, but a fighter like a wizard. :P
AngusMcsmashie 12-07-06, 12:38 AM	yea but you forget he is warforged. they are basically creatures that ARE armor. so the have ASF. so he has to basically choose armor that he can remake himself into in order to get rid of his ASF so he can cast spells. he isn't trying to run a wizard like a fighter, but a fighter like a wizard. :P I see the strategy but it confuses me. If you want to make your wizard an armored fighter - you are better off going as a sorcerer and cross classing to fighter classes ( and using prestige classes). Wizards become very diluted when you try to make them anything else due to the d4 hit die and LOUSY BAB progression. Warrior wizards are typially MUCH weaker as warriors than thier pure warrior prototypes, and not nearly as good as wizards as a pure wizard due to lower spell levels due to the need to take fighter levels to even have a chance( high spell levels are where the REAL power of the wizard class are). Unless you're doing gestalt - but that's just silly anyway cheers Angus
User5127 12-07-06, 12:44 AM	lol i think you mistooko my annology. the wizard is level 6 and his race is called warforged. warforged are made of metal and wood, they are like constructs (they are living constructs to be exact). that race has inherent ASF. BUT you can bypass that ASF by changing your "body" armor with better materials. for example you could swap out the steel and use mithril or if you can afford it, adamantine. he isn't creating a gish build (a fighter/mage). he's pure wizard with a race that isn't the friendliest to wizards spell casting. (though all the other bonuses to the race can make up for that, and the fact he can spend some bling to update his skin). lol ^_^ I understand completly what you are saying, but i don't think thats what the OP is trying to do.
enygmatic_me 12-07-06, 12:52 AM	If you are looking to enchant armor, just enchant your composite plate instead and save the feat. 5% isn't really much to worry about. If you are willing to take a little risk spend the feat on Mithral body. It increases the ASF to 15%, but also ups your AC to +5. Then just enchant (you have the levels and can just ask for it to be part of your starting pacakge) it with a +1 AC and Twilight which will bring it back down to 5% and net you a total +6 AC.
AngusMcsmashie 12-07-06, 12:54 AM	lol i think you mistooko my annology. the wizard is level 6 and his race is called warforged. warforged are made of metal and wood, they are like constructs (they are living constructs to be exact). that race has inherent ASF. BUT you can bypass that ASF by changing your "body" armor with better materials. for example you could swap out the steel and use mithril or if you can afford it, adamantine. he isn't creating a gish build (a fighter/mage). he's pure wizard with a race that isn't the friendliest to wizards spell casting. (though all the other bonuses to the race can make up for that, and the fact he can spend some bling to update his skin). lol ^_^ I understand completly what you are saying, but i don't think thats what the OP is trying to do. Yes - I believe we are on the same page. Don't take me wrong. I guess I am confused as to why he's taking a warforged. Not the best race for "wizard". Kind of like making a hafling barbarian. Don't get me wrong - it's an interesting idea and can work (especially if it's a RolePlay idea) , but you spend an awful lot your precious resources to make your warforged cast spells. His armor won't really do him much good if he's going to be a "wizard".
IceFractal 12-07-06, 01:02 AM	Warforged aren't bad Wizards actually, no penalty to Int, the bonus to Con is useful, the ASF is easily bypassed with Twilight, and you can use your non-sleeping time to scribe spells (should count as restful activity, unless your DM is mean). Also, their immunities help with your poor Fortitude saves. And you can heal yourself a lot more easily than most Wizards.
User5127 12-07-06, 01:03 AM	yea, but he didn't give up CL progression and got some fighter benifits for it. he does have to trick out his armor a bit, bt its added protection for a wizard. and at 6th level he can afford something to help his ASF. on top of that he is gets all the benifits of being a living construct. minor fortification, quite a few immunities. etc. it may not be great from a min-max point of view. but it's not gimped.. (btw, i wasn't sure if you knew what warforged where, because the impression i got from your post was that you thought he was going for a gish style of play. lol) EDIT: you can actually use repair spells instead of having the cleric heal you. so in fact you can now act as a cleric with regards to healing yourself! lol.
AngusMcsmashie 12-07-06, 01:20 AM	I have to admit - I am not real familar with eberon.. I have seen one guy make a warforged and from what I saw, warforged seemed to be optimized for warrior types. I'll have to go look at them again. cheers, Angus
HomelessCaptain 12-07-06, 02:21 AM	I want to make a shirt or belt that casts Repair Moderate Damage. I think it's 2 (spell level) x 3 (caster level) x 1,800 (command word) x 1 (5 divided by 5 charges per day) Does that come out to 10,800g? And then if I made it myself, could it be 5,400g and 432 XP? This way I can repair myself without using up spell slots. But I don't know if this is legal or not. I just learned about Item creation today. If it IS legal, I could repair myself 2d8+3 five times a day. That's 25 to 95 damage repaired daily! Is it legal though? I think I'm going to go with Twilight Mithral. I was previously aiming for Adamantine Body, but that has a 35% ASF and I would have to go Spellsword PC or something (it ignores ASF more and more with leveling). I also thought of Githcraft (-5% ASF), but that's too many books to pool from :) I kinda like the idea of 5% ASF with the Twilight Mithral. It gives a tiny chance to fail and failing can be good for roleplay.
runestar 12-07-06, 03:29 AM	and you can use your non-sleeping time to scribe spells (should count as restful activity, unless your DM is mean). Meanness has nothing to do with it. Wizs still require 8 hours of rest of recover their spells, regardless of whatever fancy tricks their race has for eschewing sleep. And scribing scrolls always takes at least 1 day, however cheap its cost. Warforged could make decent mages. They have a con bonus(always a plus), and repair spells are readily accessible to a mage. Also, they have really nice resistances/immunities. Plus, warforged make excellent psions(especially when you can get adamantine fullplate at 1st lv).:)