Armored Casting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Armored Casting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sylvaroth
06-30-07, 09:08 AM ARMORED CASTING (LIGHT) [GENERAL]
Choose one of your spellcasting classes.
.Prerequisites: Ability to cast arcane or divine spells, Armor Proficiency (light).
.Benefit: Caster level check DC modifiers for light armor are decreased by 4 (to a minimum of 0) for spells gained from the selected spellcasting class.
.Normal: A character who casts a spell while wearing armor must usually make a caster level check against DC 15. The number in the Caster Level Check DC Modifier column on Table: Armor and Shields is the modifier to be applied to that roll.
.Special: Bards automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it.
You can gain Armored Casting (light) multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new spellcasting class.

ARMORED CASTING (MEDIUM) [GENERAL]
Choose one of your spellcasting classes for which you have already selected the Armored Casting (light) feat.
.Prerequisite: Armored Casting (light), Armor Proficiency (medium).
.Benefit: Total caster level DC modifiers for medium armor, bucklers, or light shields are decreased by 6 (to a minimum of 0) for spells gained from the selected spellcasting class.
.Normal: See Armored Casting (light).
.Special: You can gain Armored Casting (medium) multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new spellcasting class.

ARMORED CASTING (HEAVY) [GENERAL]
Choose one of your spellcasting classes for which you have already selected the Armored Casting (medium) feat.
.Prerequisite: Armored Casting (medium), Armor Proficiency (heavy).
.Benefit: Total caster level DC modifiers for medium armor, heavy, or tower shields are decreased by 8 (to a minimum of 0) for spells gained from the selected spellcasting class.
.Normal: See Armored Casting (light).
.Special: You can gain Armored Casting (heavy) multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new spellcasting class.

Replace the below column with the Arcane Spell Failure Chance column on Table: Armor and Shields:

Armor Caster Level Check
DC Modifier
Light armor
Padded +1
Leather +2
Studded leather +3
Chain shirt +4
Medium armor
Hide +4
Scale mail +5
Chainmail +6
Breastplate +5
Heavy armor
Splint mail +8
Banded mail +7
Half-plate +8
Full plate +7
Shields
Buckler +1
Shield, light wooden +1
Shield, light steel +1
Shield, heavy wooden +3
Shield, heavy steel +3
Shield, tower +10
Extras
Armor spikes —
Gauntlet, locked —
Shield spikes —

Armor interferes with the gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast a spell that has a somatic component. All spellcasters (except for Paladins and Rangers) face the possibility of spell failure if they’re wearing armor. Paladins can wear all kinds of armor, while Rangers can only wear light armor without incurring any caster level DC modifiers for their spells.

Casting a Spell in Armor
A character who casts a spell while wearing armor must usually make an caster level check against DC 15. Add the number in the Caster Level Check DC Modifier column on Table: Armor and Shields to the die roll of your check to determine whether the spell fails and is ruined. If the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of spell failure.

Shields
If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, add the two numbers together to get a single Caster Level Check DC Modifier.
If you have 5 or more ranks in Spellcraft, you get a +2 bonus on caster level checks made to cast spells with somatic components when wearing armor.
BW0222
06-30-07, 12:50 PM Sylvaroth,

You don't make a caster level check when casting spells in armor. There is a flat arcane spell failure chance associated with each type of armor and shield.
rks
06-30-07, 01:09 PM I guess he is trying out an alternative rule for his own campaign or so. I like the idea, but the armor needs a little higher penalities, methinks.

Edit: Sylvaroth: Do you give bards, warlocks, duskblades and warmages (etc.) (and their kind or armored mage-abilities) a -4 from the start or what? What kind of number would you give the Battlecaster feat? 2?
Sylvaroth
07-01-07, 08:53 AM BW0222, it's a bad habit, not to read the whole OP/thread before posting.
Look at the spoiler block to see the house rule replacing Arcane Spell Failure Chance with a Caster Level Check DC Modifiers (not restricted to arcane casters).

rks, for every 5% of Arcane Spell Failure Chance an armor gets a +1 Caster Level Check DC Modifier instead.
CL checks made to cast a spell with a somatic component while wearing armor or using a shield is against a minimum DC of 16 (Base DC 15 +1 for padded armor, bucklers, or light shields), which is already a tough task. AC(light) would reduce that DC to 15 (CL check DC modifer reduced to 0 for all light armors).
To cast a spell with a somatic component while wearing half-plate (+8) and using a tower shield (+10) would call for a heroic CL check against DC 33.
The AC(heavy) feat would reduce that DC to a formidable 25 (total CL check DC modifier reduced by 8 to 10).
A 13th level Wizard could cast any spell on his list with a somatic component while wearing light to medium armor and using a buckler or light shield without the slightest chance of spell failure.
With an average die roll of 10, the very same 13th level Wizard (with AC(heavy)) could cast a somatic spell while wearing full plate and using a heavy steel shield.

Bards: Bards automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it.
Warlocks: Warlocks automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it.
(I restricted the spells that can be cast unhindered to a certain class).
Duskblades: Duskblades automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it. At 4th level they gain Armored Casting (medium) as a bonus feat. At 7th level they could gain Armored Casting (heavy) as a bonus feat, giving them the ability to cast in heavy armor.
(I added bucklers and light shields to the medium, and heavy and tower shields to the heavy step of the Armored Casting tree. Since the reduction of the caster level check DC modifier applies to the total caster level check DC, this should not be too unbalancing.)
Warmages: Warmages automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it. At 8th level they gain Armored Casting (medium) as a bonus feat.
Battle Caster: IMO the Armored Casting feat tree could replace this feat completely.

I am also considering to add a +5 competence bonus to CL checks to each Armor Proficiency feat for the purpose of casting in armor (effectively reducing the standard CL check DC to 10, thus becoming an average task for a spellcaster who is proficient with that type of armor).
Someone
07-01-07, 05:20 PM Instead of providing a bonus, the armor proficiency feats should be a prereq for each armored casting feat. Also, light/medium/heavy should be just that- you have the benefit when wearing light/medium/heavy armor. That way, instead of becoming better and better at light armor, you simply apply the same bonus to a new type of armor.
Sylvaroth
07-01-07, 06:05 PM Instead of providing a bonus, the armor proficiency feats should be a prereq for each armored casting feat.
Changed that.
Also, light/medium/heavy should be just that- you have the benefit when wearing light/medium/heavy armor. That way, instead of becoming better and better at light armor, you simply apply the same bonus to a new type of armor.
My fault, forgot to change light to medium, resp. heavy when copy-and-pasting those. :hides:

I'd like to add a paragraph that allows a character with the Arcane Focus feat (Dragon #351) to expend her focus to gain a +10 bonus on a CL check to cast a spell when wearing armor or using a shield.
Or do you think this should be a separate feat?

Other thoughts which bug me are the worth of the AC feats vs.

Still Spell
(i.e. up to 6 feats which reduce CL check DC modifiers vs. 1 feat and LA+1 to all somatic spells totally negating those modifiers)
A one level dip into Fighter (note that a human Cleric could qualify for all three AC feats as soon as 3rd level, while a Paladin of any race could do the same as soon as 4th level.)
(i.e. up to 6 feats vs. CL-1).
Maybe I should add the AC feats to the bonus feat list of the Wizard (so a human Wizard could qualify for AC (heavy) at level 9, resp. level 10 for all other races)?
Only the Sorcerer would have to wait until 12th, resp. 15th level.
Sylvaroth
07-02-07, 07:49 AM Below are the chances a spellcaster has at a certain level, to successfully cast a spell when wearing armor (assuming she takes the AC feats and attains 5 ranks in Spellcraft as soon as possible):

Armored Casting
Level (light) (medium) (heavy)
1 15% to 35% 0% 0%
2 20% to 50% 5% 0%
3 25% to 55% 10% to 50% 0%
4 30% to 60% 15% to 55% 0%
5 30% to 65% 20% to 60% 0%
6 45% to 70% 25% to 65% 5% to 55%
7 55% to 75% 25% to 70% 10% to 60%
8 60% to 80% 25% to 75% 15% to 65%
9 60% to 85% 55% to 80% 15% to 70%
10 65% to 90% 60% to 85% 15% to 75%
11 65% to 95% 60% to 90% 15% to 80%
12 70% to 100% 65% to 95% 15% to 85%
13 70% to 100% 65% to 100% 15% to 90%
14 75% to 100% 70% to 100% 15% to 95%
15 75% to 100% 70% to 100% 60% to 100%
16 80% to 100% 75% to 100% 65% to 100%
17 80% to 100% 75% to 100% 65% to 100%
18 85% to 100% 80% to 100% 70% to 100%
19 85% to 100% 80% to 100% 70% to 100%
20 90% to 100% 85% to 100% 75% to 100%
The above values are the chances for casting a spell while wearing
a chain shirt (DC 19; column light),
wearing chainmail and using a light shield (DC 22; column medium),
wearing splint mail or half-plate and using a heavy shield (DC 26; column heavy).

You'll notice that no 1st level spellcaster is able to cast in medium to heavy armor and no spellcaster is able to cast in heavy armor before level 6 (the Cleric is better at casting in armor).

At level 12 all AC spellcasters (except for Paladins and Rangers) are able to cast spells when wearing light armor without any chance of failure, same for level 13 when wearing medium armor, and level 15 when wearing heavy armor.

The following chart shows the minimum level at which a particular class can qualify for each of the three AC feats:
Armored Casting
Class (light) (medium) (heavy)
Cleric 1 3 6
Druid 1 3 9
Ranger 1 6 9
Bard 1 6 12
Sorcerer 3 9 15
Wizard 3 9 15
Paladin 6 9 12

Conclusions:
Armored Casting (light) becomes a viable option at low levels, when the Still Spell feat can be used only for cantrips and low-level spells.
At very-high levels, you can cast 9th level spells when wearing armor, thus presenting a further advantage over the Still Spell feat.
Armored Casting (medium) does include those advantages, but does also aid most spellcasters (most notable in the Sorcerer and Wizard) to become a little more tank-like (at least in terms of AC).
Armored Casting (heavy) Taking into consideration that the 'caster level check'-variant does no longer allow divine casters to ignore the possibility of spell failure if they’re wearing armor, this feat does also allow the Cleric to be the party's tank once again.
Paladin and Ranger: The Paladin and Ranger are the classes which are hurt most by this house rule, thus I'll allow them to keep the normal 'divine casters don't fail'-rule for casting in armor (all types of armor for Paladins, light armor for Rangers, see OP).
Since allowing the Wizard to choose AC feats as one of his bonus feats would make that class even more powerful than the sorcerer, I canceled that idea.
This might, however, be an option for a campaign that features arcane knights (Wizards with the 'AC bonus feat'-option), but no Sorcerers.

There is one thing which still bugs me a little. Shield Proficiency.
All spellcasters, except for the Sorcerer and Wizard, gain this feat as a bonus feat. Adding it to the prerequisites of Armored Casting (medium) would, however, kill the use of the AC feat tree for those two classes.
The Sorcerer and Wizard could qualify for AC (medium) no sooner than 12th level, and for AC (heavy) no sooner than 18th level.
Do you think it would be too unbalancing to merge Armor Proficiency (medium) with Shield Proficiency, resp. Armor Proficiency (heavy) with Tower Shield Proficiency?
Sylvaroth
07-05-07, 01:55 AM The same table excluding the Paladin and Ranger:

Armored Casting
Level (light) (medium) (heavy)
1 15% to 35% 0% 0%
2 30% to 50% 15% 0%
3 55% 20% to 50% 0%
4 60% 25% to 55% 5%
5 65% 30% to 60% 10%
6 70% 35% to 65% 15% to 55%
7 75% 40% to 70% 20% to 60%
8 80% 45% to 75% 25% to 65%
9 85% 80% 30% to 70%
10 90% 85% 35% to 75%
11 95% 90% 40% to 80%
12 100% 95% 45% to 85%
13 100% 100% 50% to 90%
14 100% 100% 55% to 95%
15 100% 100% 100%
16 100% 100% 100%
17 100% 100% 100%
18 100% 100% 100%
19 100% 100% 100%
20 100% 100% 100%

Best in light armor: Bard, Cleric, Druid
Best in medium armor: Cleric, Druid
Best in heavy armor: Cleric

There are two distinct main groups of the remaining five spellcasting classes. The weak (Sor/Wiz) and the strong (Brd/Clr/Drd).
While the Sorcerer and Wizard are exactly equal, if compared to each other, the strong group is not exactly identical.
The Cleric is always equal, if not better for each armor category (except for those levels where no class can cast in armor).
From level 3 to 5 the Druid is stronger in medium armor, from level 9 to 11 he's stronger in heavy armor, if compared to the Bard.

So, if you wanted max armor/shield bonus to AC while being able to cast spells the ranking is as follows:
Paladin
Cleric
Druid
Bard
Sorcerer/Wizard
Ranger

If you were going for max CL while being able to cast in armor the ranking changes as follows:
Cleric
Druid
Bard
Sorcerer/Wizard
Paladin
Ranger
Sylvaroth
07-05-07, 05:48 AM In what way would wearing armor interfere with CL checks made to...
affect a creature that has spell resistance (e.g. with a spiritual weapon, or to make a summoned creature with SR wink out).
attempt to cast a cure spell or a heal spell on a creature damaged by a devil’s Infernal Wound ability.
attempt to cast a dispel evil spell on an object affected by a nightwing’s Magic Drain ability.
attempt to cast a targeted dispel magic spell, to suppress a magic trap.
prevent a creature from escaping from a lesser planar binding spell?
attempt to cast a detection spell or a vision spell.
affect a creature with a break enchantment spell.
cast a spell from a scroll with a higher caster level.
attempt to erase magical writing.

Would only those CL checks be affected when wearing armor, which involve the casting of a spell?
Would a CL check required to beat someone else's CL ignore the worn armor's CL check modifier, if it is made following a successfully cast spell (e.g. you succeed on casting a lesser planar binding spell. If the bound creature tried to break free, it had to pit its SR against your unmodified CL check)?
Sigfried Trent
07-05-07, 05:02 PM The question that springs to my mind is Why?

What was your goal in making this rules change?
Sylvaroth
07-05-07, 05:54 PM I didn't like the fact that the divine casters are unhindered by armor. Sure, you can say they simply channel the magical energies granted to them by their 'god', but in the end divine as well as arcane casters use their knowledge of magic (which they gain from different sources) to 'manifest' effects using mostly the same components (e.g. somatic and verbal). Apart from the stereotypes of the robed mage and the holy knight (I am talking about the cleric here), I see no real justification for these differences.
One other thought behind the change was to balance the divine casters against the arcane casters. While the Sorcerer and the Wizard are still the weaker classes when it comes to casting in armor, but now the Cleric and the Druid face the same consequences, which should be at least a first step in the right direction IMO.
Also, while spellcasters were originally not intended to be heavily armored spellslingers, I didn't like the thought to penalize my players for following such an interesting concept (gish) simply because I might shy away from butchering an aged holy cow.
Lastly it is because d20 is the name of the game not d% (in the end, what's the real difference between rolling 1d20 vs. 2d10 :D).

Only the Ranger and the Paladin (the only core PC spellcasters who are limited to four spell levels) don't fit in the above concept and will most likely see another change in the way spells are 'manifested' IMC. They are 'gish'-types and should be able to shine in combat both as secondary casters and fighters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sylvaroth 06-30-07, 09:08 AM	ARMORED CASTING (LIGHT) [GENERAL] Choose one of your spellcasting classes. .Prerequisites: Ability to cast arcane or divine spells, Armor Proficiency (light). .Benefit: Caster level check DC modifiers for light armor are decreased by 4 (to a minimum of 0) for spells gained from the selected spellcasting class. .Normal: A character who casts a spell while wearing armor must usually make a caster level check against DC 15. The number in the Caster Level Check DC Modifier column on Table: Armor and Shields is the modifier to be applied to that roll. .Special: Bards automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it. You can gain Armored Casting (light) multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new spellcasting class. ARMORED CASTING (MEDIUM) [GENERAL] Choose one of your spellcasting classes for which you have already selected the Armored Casting (light) feat. .Prerequisite: Armored Casting (light), Armor Proficiency (medium). .Benefit: Total caster level DC modifiers for medium armor, bucklers, or light shields are decreased by 6 (to a minimum of 0) for spells gained from the selected spellcasting class. .Normal: See Armored Casting (light). .Special: You can gain Armored Casting (medium) multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new spellcasting class. ARMORED CASTING (HEAVY) [GENERAL] Choose one of your spellcasting classes for which you have already selected the Armored Casting (medium) feat. .Prerequisite: Armored Casting (medium), Armor Proficiency (heavy). .Benefit: Total caster level DC modifiers for medium armor, heavy, or tower shields are decreased by 8 (to a minimum of 0) for spells gained from the selected spellcasting class. .Normal: See Armored Casting (light). .Special: You can gain Armored Casting (heavy) multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new spellcasting class. Replace the below column with the Arcane Spell Failure Chance column on Table: Armor and Shields: Armor Caster Level Check DC Modifier Light armor Padded +1 Leather +2 Studded leather +3 Chain shirt +4 Medium armor Hide +4 Scale mail +5 Chainmail +6 Breastplate +5 Heavy armor Splint mail +8 Banded mail +7 Half-plate +8 Full plate +7 Shields Buckler +1 Shield, light wooden +1 Shield, light steel +1 Shield, heavy wooden +3 Shield, heavy steel +3 Shield, tower +10 Extras Armor spikes — Gauntlet, locked — Shield spikes — Armor interferes with the gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast a spell that has a somatic component. All spellcasters (except for Paladins and Rangers) face the possibility of spell failure if they’re wearing armor. Paladins can wear all kinds of armor, while Rangers can only wear light armor without incurring any caster level DC modifiers for their spells. Casting a Spell in Armor A character who casts a spell while wearing armor must usually make an caster level check against DC 15. Add the number in the Caster Level Check DC Modifier column on Table: Armor and Shields to the die roll of your check to determine whether the spell fails and is ruined. If the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of spell failure. Shields If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, add the two numbers together to get a single Caster Level Check DC Modifier. If you have 5 or more ranks in Spellcraft, you get a +2 bonus on caster level checks made to cast spells with somatic components when wearing armor.
BW0222 06-30-07, 12:50 PM	Sylvaroth, You don't make a caster level check when casting spells in armor. There is a flat arcane spell failure chance associated with each type of armor and shield.
rks 06-30-07, 01:09 PM	I guess he is trying out an alternative rule for his own campaign or so. I like the idea, but the armor needs a little higher penalities, methinks. Edit: Sylvaroth: Do you give bards, warlocks, duskblades and warmages (etc.) (and their kind or armored mage-abilities) a -4 from the start or what? What kind of number would you give the Battlecaster feat? 2?
Sylvaroth 07-01-07, 08:53 AM	BW0222, it's a bad habit, not to read the whole OP/thread before posting. Look at the spoiler block to see the house rule replacing Arcane Spell Failure Chance with a Caster Level Check DC Modifiers (not restricted to arcane casters). rks, for every 5% of Arcane Spell Failure Chance an armor gets a +1 Caster Level Check DC Modifier instead. CL checks made to cast a spell with a somatic component while wearing armor or using a shield is against a minimum DC of 16 (Base DC 15 +1 for padded armor, bucklers, or light shields), which is already a tough task. AC(light) would reduce that DC to 15 (CL check DC modifer reduced to 0 for all light armors). To cast a spell with a somatic component while wearing half-plate (+8) and using a tower shield (+10) would call for a heroic CL check against DC 33. The AC(heavy) feat would reduce that DC to a formidable 25 (total CL check DC modifier reduced by 8 to 10). A 13th level Wizard could cast any spell on his list with a somatic component while wearing light to medium armor and using a buckler or light shield without the slightest chance of spell failure. With an average die roll of 10, the very same 13th level Wizard (with AC(heavy)) could cast a somatic spell while wearing full plate and using a heavy steel shield. Bards: Bards automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it. Warlocks: Warlocks automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it. (I restricted the spells that can be cast unhindered to a certain class). Duskblades: Duskblades automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it. At 4th level they gain Armored Casting (medium) as a bonus feat. At 7th level they could gain Armored Casting (heavy) as a bonus feat, giving them the ability to cast in heavy armor. (I added bucklers and light shields to the medium, and heavy and tower shields to the heavy step of the Armored Casting tree. Since the reduction of the caster level check DC modifier applies to the total caster level check DC, this should not be too unbalancing.) Warmages: Warmages automatically have Armored Casting (light) as a bonus feat. They need not select it. At 8th level they gain Armored Casting (medium) as a bonus feat. Battle Caster: IMO the Armored Casting feat tree could replace this feat completely. I am also considering to add a +5 competence bonus to CL checks to each Armor Proficiency feat for the purpose of casting in armor (effectively reducing the standard CL check DC to 10, thus becoming an average task for a spellcaster who is proficient with that type of armor).
Someone 07-01-07, 05:20 PM	Instead of providing a bonus, the armor proficiency feats should be a prereq for each armored casting feat. Also, light/medium/heavy should be just that- you have the benefit when wearing light/medium/heavy armor. That way, instead of becoming better and better at light armor, you simply apply the same bonus to a new type of armor.
Sylvaroth 07-01-07, 06:05 PM	Instead of providing a bonus, the armor proficiency feats should be a prereq for each armored casting feat. Changed that. Also, light/medium/heavy should be just that- you have the benefit when wearing light/medium/heavy armor. That way, instead of becoming better and better at light armor, you simply apply the same bonus to a new type of armor. My fault, forgot to change light to medium, resp. heavy when copy-and-pasting those. :hides: I'd like to add a paragraph that allows a character with the Arcane Focus feat (Dragon #351) to expend her focus to gain a +10 bonus on a CL check to cast a spell when wearing armor or using a shield. Or do you think this should be a separate feat? Other thoughts which bug me are the worth of the AC feats vs. Still Spell (i.e. up to 6 feats which reduce CL check DC modifiers vs. 1 feat and LA+1 to all somatic spells totally negating those modifiers) A one level dip into Fighter (note that a human Cleric could qualify for all three AC feats as soon as 3rd level, while a Paladin of any race could do the same as soon as 4th level.) (i.e. up to 6 feats vs. CL-1). Maybe I should add the AC feats to the bonus feat list of the Wizard (so a human Wizard could qualify for AC (heavy) at level 9, resp. level 10 for all other races)? Only the Sorcerer would have to wait until 12th, resp. 15th level.
Sylvaroth 07-02-07, 07:49 AM	Below are the chances a spellcaster has at a certain level, to successfully cast a spell when wearing armor (assuming she takes the AC feats and attains 5 ranks in Spellcraft as soon as possible): Armored Casting Level (light) (medium) (heavy) 1 15% to 35% 0% 0% 2 20% to 50% 5% 0% 3 25% to 55% 10% to 50% 0% 4 30% to 60% 15% to 55% 0% 5 30% to 65% 20% to 60% 0% 6 45% to 70% 25% to 65% 5% to 55% 7 55% to 75% 25% to 70% 10% to 60% 8 60% to 80% 25% to 75% 15% to 65% 9 60% to 85% 55% to 80% 15% to 70% 10 65% to 90% 60% to 85% 15% to 75% 11 65% to 95% 60% to 90% 15% to 80% 12 70% to 100% 65% to 95% 15% to 85% 13 70% to 100% 65% to 100% 15% to 90% 14 75% to 100% 70% to 100% 15% to 95% 15 75% to 100% 70% to 100% 60% to 100% 16 80% to 100% 75% to 100% 65% to 100% 17 80% to 100% 75% to 100% 65% to 100% 18 85% to 100% 80% to 100% 70% to 100% 19 85% to 100% 80% to 100% 70% to 100% 20 90% to 100% 85% to 100% 75% to 100% The above values are the chances for casting a spell while wearing a chain shirt (DC 19; column light), wearing chainmail and using a light shield (DC 22; column medium), wearing splint mail or half-plate and using a heavy shield (DC 26; column heavy). You'll notice that no 1st level spellcaster is able to cast in medium to heavy armor and no spellcaster is able to cast in heavy armor before level 6 (the Cleric is better at casting in armor). At level 12 all AC spellcasters (except for Paladins and Rangers) are able to cast spells when wearing light armor without any chance of failure, same for level 13 when wearing medium armor, and level 15 when wearing heavy armor. The following chart shows the minimum level at which a particular class can qualify for each of the three AC feats: Armored Casting Class (light) (medium) (heavy) Cleric 1 3 6 Druid 1 3 9 Ranger 1 6 9 Bard 1 6 12 Sorcerer 3 9 15 Wizard 3 9 15 Paladin 6 9 12 Conclusions: Armored Casting (light) becomes a viable option at low levels, when the Still Spell feat can be used only for cantrips and low-level spells. At very-high levels, you can cast 9th level spells when wearing armor, thus presenting a further advantage over the Still Spell feat. Armored Casting (medium) does include those advantages, but does also aid most spellcasters (most notable in the Sorcerer and Wizard) to become a little more tank-like (at least in terms of AC). Armored Casting (heavy) Taking into consideration that the 'caster level check'-variant does no longer allow divine casters to ignore the possibility of spell failure if they’re wearing armor, this feat does also allow the Cleric to be the party's tank once again. Paladin and Ranger: The Paladin and Ranger are the classes which are hurt most by this house rule, thus I'll allow them to keep the normal 'divine casters don't fail'-rule for casting in armor (all types of armor for Paladins, light armor for Rangers, see OP). Since allowing the Wizard to choose AC feats as one of his bonus feats would make that class even more powerful than the sorcerer, I canceled that idea. This might, however, be an option for a campaign that features arcane knights (Wizards with the 'AC bonus feat'-option), but no Sorcerers. There is one thing which still bugs me a little. Shield Proficiency. All spellcasters, except for the Sorcerer and Wizard, gain this feat as a bonus feat. Adding it to the prerequisites of Armored Casting (medium) would, however, kill the use of the AC feat tree for those two classes. The Sorcerer and Wizard could qualify for AC (medium) no sooner than 12th level, and for AC (heavy) no sooner than 18th level. Do you think it would be too unbalancing to merge Armor Proficiency (medium) with Shield Proficiency, resp. Armor Proficiency (heavy) with Tower Shield Proficiency?
Sylvaroth 07-05-07, 01:55 AM	The same table excluding the Paladin and Ranger: Armored Casting Level (light) (medium) (heavy) 1 15% to 35% 0% 0% 2 30% to 50% 15% 0% 3 55% 20% to 50% 0% 4 60% 25% to 55% 5% 5 65% 30% to 60% 10% 6 70% 35% to 65% 15% to 55% 7 75% 40% to 70% 20% to 60% 8 80% 45% to 75% 25% to 65% 9 85% 80% 30% to 70% 10 90% 85% 35% to 75% 11 95% 90% 40% to 80% 12 100% 95% 45% to 85% 13 100% 100% 50% to 90% 14 100% 100% 55% to 95% 15 100% 100% 100% 16 100% 100% 100% 17 100% 100% 100% 18 100% 100% 100% 19 100% 100% 100% 20 100% 100% 100% Best in light armor: Bard, Cleric, Druid Best in medium armor: Cleric, Druid Best in heavy armor: Cleric There are two distinct main groups of the remaining five spellcasting classes. The weak (Sor/Wiz) and the strong (Brd/Clr/Drd). While the Sorcerer and Wizard are exactly equal, if compared to each other, the strong group is not exactly identical. The Cleric is always equal, if not better for each armor category (except for those levels where no class can cast in armor). From level 3 to 5 the Druid is stronger in medium armor, from level 9 to 11 he's stronger in heavy armor, if compared to the Bard. So, if you wanted max armor/shield bonus to AC while being able to cast spells the ranking is as follows: Paladin Cleric Druid Bard Sorcerer/Wizard Ranger If you were going for max CL while being able to cast in armor the ranking changes as follows: Cleric Druid Bard Sorcerer/Wizard Paladin Ranger
Sylvaroth 07-05-07, 05:48 AM	In what way would wearing armor interfere with CL checks made to... affect a creature that has spell resistance (e.g. with a spiritual weapon, or to make a summoned creature with SR wink out). attempt to cast a cure spell or a heal spell on a creature damaged by a devil’s Infernal Wound ability. attempt to cast a dispel evil spell on an object affected by a nightwing’s Magic Drain ability. attempt to cast a targeted dispel magic spell, to suppress a magic trap. prevent a creature from escaping from a lesser planar binding spell? attempt to cast a detection spell or a vision spell. affect a creature with a break enchantment spell. cast a spell from a scroll with a higher caster level. attempt to erase magical writing. Would only those CL checks be affected when wearing armor, which involve the casting of a spell? Would a CL check required to beat someone else's CL ignore the worn armor's CL check modifier, if it is made following a successfully cast spell (e.g. you succeed on casting a lesser planar binding spell. If the bound creature tried to break free, it had to pit its SR against your unmodified CL check)?
Sigfried Trent 07-05-07, 05:02 PM	The question that springs to my mind is Why? What was your goal in making this rules change?
Sylvaroth 07-05-07, 05:54 PM	I didn't like the fact that the divine casters are unhindered by armor. Sure, you can say they simply channel the magical energies granted to them by their 'god', but in the end divine as well as arcane casters use their knowledge of magic (which they gain from different sources) to 'manifest' effects using mostly the same components (e.g. somatic and verbal). Apart from the stereotypes of the robed mage and the holy knight (I am talking about the cleric here), I see no real justification for these differences. One other thought behind the change was to balance the divine casters against the arcane casters. While the Sorcerer and the Wizard are still the weaker classes when it comes to casting in armor, but now the Cleric and the Druid face the same consequences, which should be at least a first step in the right direction IMO. Also, while spellcasters were originally not intended to be heavily armored spellslingers, I didn't like the thought to penalize my players for following such an interesting concept (gish) simply because I might shy away from butchering an aged holy cow. Lastly it is because d20 is the name of the game not d% (in the end, what's the real difference between rolling 1d20 vs. 2d10 :D). Only the Ranger and the Paladin (the only core PC spellcasters who are limited to four spell levels) don't fit in the above concept and will most likely see another change in the way spells are 'manifested' IMC. They are 'gish'-types and should be able to shine in combat both as secondary casters and fighters.