Ironwood armor - how do I do it? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Ironwood armor - how do I do it? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mjolnir
03-09-06, 09:06 PM I have a new player joining the table soon, and we would like to know if it is possible to obtain a suit of Ironwood plate for his druid..... Would this be as simple as having another druid of sufficient level cast Ironwood on an existing suit of armor? Or, would you just cast Shape Wood and cast Ironwood on the freshly shaped suit? If the first example is correct we tallied a gold piece cost of 2,160 - does this seem right?

Any input would be appreciated... thanks. :teach:
Millennium
03-09-06, 09:31 PM This is by no means impossible, but it would be very difficult.

Ironwood turns wood into ironwood, rather than turning metal into ironwood. So you'd have to use wood shape and/or the appropriate Craft skills on the wood first to create the suit of armor (or rather, a complex sculpture in the form of a suit of armor). Keep in mind that armor has moving parts, and so you'd have to deal with the 30% failure rate of wood shape with such items if you want to go that way. Another possibility would be to use wood shape to get the rough form of the suit of armor, and then Craft checks to refine it into the final suit.

Once the basic suit is complete, then you could use ironwood to refine it. Unfortunately, though, this is not a one-shot deal, as ironwood is not a permanent spell. Ironwood affects items weighing up to five pounds per caster level. Plate mail weight 50 pounds by normally; you might halve that because it's made of wood, but even then it would require at least a 5th-level caster, and a 10th-level caster would be better so that you could get the +1 bonus. Furthermore, it only lasts one day per level of the caster, so a 5th-level caster would have to renew the armor every five days or so.

Then there's the fact that heavy armor isn't just about weight: wooden plate mail would still be considered heavy armor. Druids aren't normally proficient with that, and so there would be some penalties involved. You could solve that by taking the Heavy Armor Proficiency feat: an unusual choice for a druid, but a viable one. RP-wise it wouldn't make a lot of sense for him to get this before he gets the armor: how would he train for it without breaking his druidic vows? However, once he has the armor, getting proficient with it could lead to some interesting roleplay situations. Or you might just let the plot-hole slide; it's not that bad.

In other words, if you really want functional wooden plate armor, it can be done, even by the RAW. But you're going to have to really want that plate armor, because until you get to high levels it's going to be a lot of trouble to create and maintain. If the character is starting at Level 1 it's going to probably be well out of reach, but it would make a very interesting character goal: perhaps he saw a fighter in plate armor once and was inspired by the idea, and so now he wants to learn to use plate armor of his own.
Dashmin Fleetfoot
03-09-06, 10:52 PM Wouldn't it be possible to cast Permancy on it after it was created?
20goingon1232
03-09-06, 10:57 PM Wouldn't it be possible to cast Permancy on it after it was created?
Not according to RAW. However, it is a good House Rule to allow it. I mean, a high level Druid losing a spell slot once every 15 days or so isn't that great a deal to begin with. You may have to make a ruling on enchanting the ironwood armour, though. As is, it is impractical to enchant ironwood armour. With the House Rule, it suddenly becomes quite attractive to do so.
JulesCARV
03-10-06, 12:10 AM This isn't exactly what you're looking for, in that it doesn't involve the Ironwood spell, but just something to think about...

I'd look into getting a suit of elven darkleaf full plate (4500 gp), a non-metallic armor that counts as one category lighter, grants -5% arcane spell failure (not that you care about that), +2 to ACP, and +1 to maximum dexterity. It's a poor man's mithral -- and a druid's mithral at any wealth too, for that matter. It exists in Eberron, at least.

If you're not in a setting that includes elven darkleaf, look into getting a suit of dragonhide plate (3,300 gp). Basically, masterwork full plate that a druid can wear. It's in the SRD (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItemsAW.html). However, wearing dragonhide is a rather distant relative of ironwood, so you might not like the flavor of it, whereas elven darkleaf is pretty similar, thematically.
mjolnir
03-10-06, 12:49 AM I'd look into getting a suit of elven darkleaf full plate (4500 gp), a non-metallic armor that counts as one category lighter, grants -5% arcane spell failure (not that you care about that), +2 to ACP, and +1 to maximum dexterity. It's a poor man's mithral -- and a druid's mithral at any wealth too, for that matter. It exists in Eberron, at least.
This sounds great. Does anyone know which Eberron book it's in exactly?
JulesCARV
03-10-06, 12:57 AM I think it's in Eberron Campaign Setting, around page 120.
SwiftFox
03-10-06, 02:18 AM Okay, a couple of things you should bear in mind :

*druids arent proficient with heavy armor, so ironwood or dragonscale fullplate arent really worth it considering you either have to spend a feat or multiclass to not take the armor check penalty on attack rolls.

*Wild shape : by the time you get to 8th level, you arent going to want to spend much time in human form, when being a dire-lion is so much more physically formidible. As such, you cant benefit from any armor, unless it has the special beastskin property from complete adventurer page 127, though that requires an additional expenditure of wild shape to make it change with you, and is a +2 enchantment. Not really worth it IMO.

That being said, darkleaf, the special substance listed on page 120 of the eberron campaign setting is your best bet; but only at levels 4-7 as you shouldnt be able to afford it before then, and wont have much use for it after then.
CzarGarrett
03-10-06, 09:28 AM Unless you can get it enchanted with the Wild property, so it still functions when in Wildshape.
SwiftFox
03-10-06, 09:56 AM Unless you can get it enchanted with the Wild property, so it still functions when in Wildshape.Yeah, I said that already... it was my second point, and in case it wasnt made clear I dont think its worth a +2 enchant, nor the requirement that you expend an additional use of wildshape

You know what Ive found works very well with druids, especially in regards to armor? Vow of Poverty... it'll give you every enhancement you'll ever need, and OMG bonus feats out the wazoo.
CzarGarrett
03-10-06, 01:43 PM Yeah, I said that already... it was my second point, and in case it wasnt made clear I dont think its worth a +2 enchant, nor the requirement that you expend an additional use of wildshape

Ah yes, I see that now.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mjolnir 03-09-06, 09:06 PM	I have a new player joining the table soon, and we would like to know if it is possible to obtain a suit of Ironwood plate for his druid..... Would this be as simple as having another druid of sufficient level cast Ironwood on an existing suit of armor? Or, would you just cast Shape Wood and cast Ironwood on the freshly shaped suit? If the first example is correct we tallied a gold piece cost of 2,160 - does this seem right? Any input would be appreciated... thanks. :teach:
Millennium 03-09-06, 09:31 PM	This is by no means impossible, but it would be very difficult. Ironwood turns wood into ironwood, rather than turning metal into ironwood. So you'd have to use wood shape and/or the appropriate Craft skills on the wood first to create the suit of armor (or rather, a complex sculpture in the form of a suit of armor). Keep in mind that armor has moving parts, and so you'd have to deal with the 30% failure rate of wood shape with such items if you want to go that way. Another possibility would be to use wood shape to get the rough form of the suit of armor, and then Craft checks to refine it into the final suit. Once the basic suit is complete, then you could use ironwood to refine it. Unfortunately, though, this is not a one-shot deal, as ironwood is not a permanent spell. Ironwood affects items weighing up to five pounds per caster level. Plate mail weight 50 pounds by normally; you might halve that because it's made of wood, but even then it would require at least a 5th-level caster, and a 10th-level caster would be better so that you could get the +1 bonus. Furthermore, it only lasts one day per level of the caster, so a 5th-level caster would have to renew the armor every five days or so. Then there's the fact that heavy armor isn't just about weight: wooden plate mail would still be considered heavy armor. Druids aren't normally proficient with that, and so there would be some penalties involved. You could solve that by taking the Heavy Armor Proficiency feat: an unusual choice for a druid, but a viable one. RP-wise it wouldn't make a lot of sense for him to get this before he gets the armor: how would he train for it without breaking his druidic vows? However, once he has the armor, getting proficient with it could lead to some interesting roleplay situations. Or you might just let the plot-hole slide; it's not that bad. In other words, if you really want functional wooden plate armor, it can be done, even by the RAW. But you're going to have to really want that plate armor, because until you get to high levels it's going to be a lot of trouble to create and maintain. If the character is starting at Level 1 it's going to probably be well out of reach, but it would make a very interesting character goal: perhaps he saw a fighter in plate armor once and was inspired by the idea, and so now he wants to learn to use plate armor of his own.
Dashmin Fleetfoot 03-09-06, 10:52 PM	Wouldn't it be possible to cast Permancy on it after it was created?
20goingon1232 03-09-06, 10:57 PM	Wouldn't it be possible to cast Permancy on it after it was created? Not according to RAW. However, it is a good House Rule to allow it. I mean, a high level Druid losing a spell slot once every 15 days or so isn't that great a deal to begin with. You may have to make a ruling on enchanting the ironwood armour, though. As is, it is impractical to enchant ironwood armour. With the House Rule, it suddenly becomes quite attractive to do so.
JulesCARV 03-10-06, 12:10 AM	This isn't exactly what you're looking for, in that it doesn't involve the Ironwood spell, but just something to think about... I'd look into getting a suit of elven darkleaf full plate (4500 gp), a non-metallic armor that counts as one category lighter, grants -5% arcane spell failure (not that you care about that), +2 to ACP, and +1 to maximum dexterity. It's a poor man's mithral -- and a druid's mithral at any wealth too, for that matter. It exists in Eberron, at least. If you're not in a setting that includes elven darkleaf, look into getting a suit of dragonhide plate (3,300 gp). Basically, masterwork full plate that a druid can wear. It's in the SRD (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/magicItemsAW.html). However, wearing dragonhide is a rather distant relative of ironwood, so you might not like the flavor of it, whereas elven darkleaf is pretty similar, thematically.
mjolnir 03-10-06, 12:49 AM	I'd look into getting a suit of elven darkleaf full plate (4500 gp), a non-metallic armor that counts as one category lighter, grants -5% arcane spell failure (not that you care about that), +2 to ACP, and +1 to maximum dexterity. It's a poor man's mithral -- and a druid's mithral at any wealth too, for that matter. It exists in Eberron, at least. This sounds great. Does anyone know which Eberron book it's in exactly?
JulesCARV 03-10-06, 12:57 AM	I think it's in Eberron Campaign Setting, around page 120.
SwiftFox 03-10-06, 02:18 AM	Okay, a couple of things you should bear in mind : druids arent proficient with heavy armor, so ironwood or dragonscale fullplate arent really worth it considering you either have to spend a feat or multiclass to not take the armor check penalty on attack rolls. Wild shape : by the time you get to 8th level, you arent going to want to spend much time in human form, when being a dire-lion is so much more physically formidible. As such, you cant benefit from any armor, unless it has the special beastskin property from complete adventurer page 127, though that requires an additional expenditure of wild shape to make it change with you, and is a +2 enchantment. Not really worth it IMO. That being said, darkleaf, the special substance listed on page 120 of the eberron campaign setting is your best bet; but only at levels 4-7 as you shouldnt be able to afford it before then, and wont have much use for it after then.
CzarGarrett 03-10-06, 09:28 AM	Unless you can get it enchanted with the Wild property, so it still functions when in Wildshape.
SwiftFox 03-10-06, 09:56 AM	Unless you can get it enchanted with the Wild property, so it still functions when in Wildshape.Yeah, I said that already... it was my second point, and in case it wasnt made clear I dont think its worth a +2 enchant, nor the requirement that you expend an additional use of wildshape You know what Ive found works very well with druids, especially in regards to armor? Vow of Poverty... it'll give you every enhancement you'll ever need, and OMG bonus feats out the wazoo.
CzarGarrett 03-10-06, 01:43 PM	Yeah, I said that already... it was my second point, and in case it wasnt made clear I dont think its worth a +2 enchant, nor the requirement that you expend an additional use of wildshape Ah yes, I see that now.