Armor Magic Properties

Introduction

Magic armor properties grant the wearer special abilities while wearing the armor. These abilities vary greatly, but often bear a resemblance to spell effects. Note that Spell Effects cannot be applied to armor.

Those magic armor properties which provide a permanent bonus must be worn for 24 hours in order to attune to the item and get its benefits. Once attuned, the item provides the bonus any time the magic item is worn. When taken off, the magic item does not provide any bonuses but the attunement stays intact (if there are exceptions to this rule, the magic armor property will specifically state that the effect continues even if the armor is taken off). An attunement is lost if someone else wears the item for 24 hours and becomes attuned, at which point the previous attunement is disrupted. The original character can, of course, re-attune to the item with a new 24-hour attunement.

Magic armor cannot have any magic armor properties applied to it unless it has at least a +1 Enhancement bonus also applied to it. For example, you cannot make a suit of Studded Leather armor with the +2 magic armor property of Expeditious unless it has at least a +1 enhancement bonus (and therefore an Absolute Bonus of +3). No armor may be enchanted with Epic magic armor properties unless they have an Enhancement bonus of at least +6.

Important Note: If a character has more than one item equipped which provides magic armor properties, only the item with the highest enhancement bonus actually provides benefits to the wearer (in the event they are the same, the wearer may choose which item functions and which is dormant). The lesser item's magic armor properties provide no benefits whatsoever, even if they are 'always on' abilities, unless the greater item is taken off.

Magic Armor Costs

To determine the cost of a suit of armor, three elements must be added together:

• The cost of the suit of armor.
• The cost of any special materials used to create the armor (e.g. mithril, adamantine, etc.).
• The cost of the Absolute Bonus (the sum of the magic properties and the enhancement bonus).

Absolute Bonus

The Absolute Bonus is determined by adding together the plus values of the armor's Enhancement Bonus and any Magical Properties it will be enchanted with. For example, a +2 Expeditious Breastplate has a +4 Absolute Bonus, since the Expeditious property has a +2 cost associated with it.

Dweomermetals

Dweomermetals, such as mithril, argent and bloodgold, can grant the armor special qualities, as well as improved hardness and durability. The prices and special qualities of each dweomermetal are described in detail on the Dweomermetals page.

Dweomermetals do not alter the Absolute Bonus of armor, though the cost for armor made with a dweomermetal is added to the overall cost of the armor.

Note that special materials can be added to an existing suit of armor, or an existing dweomermetal can be removed entirely, or removed and replaced with a different dweomermetal. See the reforging rules referenced from the Dweomermetals page.

Campaign Level

Heroic tier characters (characters from level 1 to level 20) can wear armor with an enhancement bonus up to +5, and can have up to +5 pluses worth of Magic Armor properties applied to their armor, though there must always be at least +1 Enhancement bonus on the armor before any magic armor properties can be applied. As a result, heroic tier characters can wear armor with an absolute bonus of anything from +1 to +10.

Epic tier characters (characters level 21 to level 35) can wear armor with an enhancement bonus up to +9, and can have a total of up to +9 pluses-worth of Magic Armor properties applied to their armor (resulting in an Absolute Bonus as high as +18). However, the enhancement bonus of the armor must be raised to at least +6 before it can have any Epic magic armor properties applied to it.

Any attempt to wear armor more magically enchanted than your level allows results in the character taking a non-proficiency penalty with the armor (-4 to attack rolls), and the possibility of even more dire consequences (such as insanity, or being controlled by the armor).

At level 36 and higher (apotheosis) all restrictions on enhancement bonuses and the magic item properties are lifted, at which point the armor may be enchanted in any way the characters can afford.

Upgrading and Changing Magic Armor Properties

Magic armor properties can be removed from a suit of magic armor, replaced with altogether new properties, or upgraded to a higher version of the existing magic armor property (when applicable). The cost to do so is the difference in cost between the old Absolute Bonus and the new Absolute Bonus. However, if the Absolute Bonus goes down, there is no refund of money unless you can convince the craftsman performing the alterations why he should actually pay you for the privilege of doing that work. Performing magic armor property swaps and upgrades takes one full day of work per change in the Absolute Bonus, with a minimum of 1 full day. Even if this work isn't performed by a player, the player must wait for the alterations to be performed, and they cannot make use of the armor while the craftsman is working on it. Some craftsmen might offer to lend or rent out a suit of armor while their customers wait, though they would expect the loaner armor to return to them in good condition.

Enhancement bonuses cannot be removed from magic armor once applied, but the enhancement bonus can be increased. If the armor is made from a dweomermetal that offers an alternate way of allocating the enhancement bonus, this can also be changed by a craftsman (or a character with the Creator feat), but performing this work also takes one full day of work per change in the Absolute Bonus, with a minimum of 1 full day.

Magic Armor which is altered in such a way as to violate the limitations of the campaign level will inflict a non-proficiency penalty on the wearer, or worse.

• Magic Property Template

+1 Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Benevolent	Increase Aid Another bonus to armor by +2.	+1
Bitter	This armor is yucky, making bite-grapples and swallow attacks more difficult	+1
Deathless	Gain ER 10/positive and ER 10/negative, and ignore one point of Essence Suppression or Essence Omission per day.	+1
Fortification, Light	Gain limited, stacking, Damage Reduction that only protects against critical hits or precision damage.	+1
Grinding	Enemies grappling you take damage	+1
Impervious	The armor is much harder to destroy	+1
Spell Storing	Stores a single spell of up to 3rd level, which can be used as a free action.	+1
Stanching	Reduce bleed effects by the armor's enhancement bonus	+1

+2 Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Expeditious	Gain brief bursts of incredible movement.	+2
Glamered	Change your armor to appear as clothing	+2
Invulnerability, Lesser	Gain Damage Resistance (DR) versus common physical damage types.	+2
Jousting	Gain a +5 bonus on Ride skill checks	+2
Shadow	Shadow (Armor Magic Property)	Shadow (Armor Magic Property)
Slick	Gain a +3 on Escape Artist skill checks	+2
Spell Resistance, Minor	Wearer gains spell resistance	+2
Spell Storing, Abundant	Stores up to two spells of up to 3rd level, which can be used as a free action.	+2

+3 Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Adhesive	Wearer gains a Lesser Climb speed of 20 feet, and bonuses to some Maneuver Offense checks.	+3
Arcanist	Lowers the spell failure chance by fifteen percent.	+3
Delving	Wearer gains a Burrowing speed of 10 feet	+3
Diving	Wearer gains a Lesser Swim speed of 20 feet and can breathe underwater	+3
Fortification, Moderate	Gain limited, stacking, Damage Reduction that only protects against critical hits or precision damage.	+3
Graceful	Graceful (Armor Magic Property)	Graceful (Armor Magic Property)
Hosteling	Store mounts, familiars, and/or animal companions safely within your armor	+1
Radiant	Armor gives off light on command and can reveal nearby concealed or invisible creatures	+3
Scratching	Enemies grappling you take damage	+3
Spell Resistance, Lesser	Wearer gains spell resistance	+3
Spell Storing, Improved	Stores a single spell of up to 5th level, which can be used as a free action.	+3
Stanching, Improved	Reduce bleed effects by the armor's enhancement bonus and gain Cure Light Wounds once per day.	+3
Titanic	Gain some of the benefits of being one size category larger	+3

+4 Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Expeditious, Improved	Gain brief bursts of incredible movement.	+4
Fluid	Fluid (Armor Magic Property)	Fluid (Armor Magic Property)
Innkeepers	Armor functions as a secure and comfortable retreat.	+4
Invulnerability, Common	Gain Damage Resistance (DR) versus common physical damage types.	+4
Martyring	Heal your allies when you get critically hit	+4
Scraping	Enemies grappling you take corrosion (physical, uncommon) damage	+4
Shadow, Improved	Shadow, Improved (Armor Magic Property)	Shadow, Improved (Armor Magic Property)
Slick, Improved	Once per day, escape from a grapple	+4
Spell Resistance, Improved	Wearer gains spell resistance	+4
Spell Storing, Ample	Stores up to two spells of up to 4th level, which can be used as a free action.	+4
Zephyr	Wearer gains a lesser flight speed of 30 feet	+4

+5 Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Determination	Armor restores wearer to their bloodied value of hit points when they are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points	+3
Etherealness	Etherealness (Armor Magic Property)	Etherealness (Armor Magic Property)
Fortification, Heavy	Gain limited, stacking, Damage Reduction that only protects against critical hits or precision damage.	+5
Invulnerability, Improved	Gain Damage Resistance (DR) versus common physical damage types.	+5
Reactive I	Removes all armor penalties, adds +1 to many skills, adds +5 feet movement.	+2
Righteous	Righteous (Armor Magic Property)	Righteous (Armor Magic Property)
Shadow, Greater	Shadow, Greater (Armor Magic Property)	Shadow, Greater (Armor Magic Property)
Slick, Greater	Wearer cannot be grappled	+5
Spell Resistance, Greater	Wearer gains spell resistance	+5
Spell Storing, Greater	Stores a single spell of up to 7th level, which can be used as a free action.	+5
Stanching, Greater	Reduce bleed effects by the armor's enhancement bonus and gain curing when injured or bloodied.	+5

+6 Epic Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Dimensional	Once per encounter (or once per minute) the wearer may use Dimension Door	+6 (epic)
Expeditious, Greater	Gain brief bursts of incredible movement.	+6 (epic)
Force Armor	Wearer is immune to being Flat-footed, more easily resists touch attacks, and gain ER 50/force.	+6 (epic)
Grating	Enemies grappling or moving you take corrosion (physical, uncommon) damage	+6 (epic)
Invulnerability, Strong	Gain Damage Resistance (DR) versus common physical damage types.	+6 (epic)
Reactive II	Removes all armor penalties, adds +2 to many skills, adds +10 feet movement.	+3
Spell Storing, Capacious	Stores up to three spells of up to 6th level, which can be used as a free action.	+6 (epic)

+7 Epic Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Expeditious, Perfected	Gain brief bursts of incredible movement.	+7 (epic)
Fortification, Absolute	Gain limited, stacking, Damage Reduction that only protects against critical hits or precision damage.	+7 (epic)
Reactive III	Removes all armor penalties, adds +3 to many skills, adds +15 feet movement.	+4
Shadows, Absolute	Shadows, Absolute (Armor Magic Property)	Shadows, Absolute (Armor Magic Property)
Slick, Absolute	Slide to nearby squares as a swift action.	+7 (epic)
Spell Storing, True	Stores a single spell of up to 9th level, which can be used as a free action.	+7 (epic)
Stanching, True	Reduce bleed effects by the armor's enhancement bonus and gain curing when injured or bloodied.	+7 (epic)

+8 Epic Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Expeditious, Absolute	Gain brief bursts of incredible movement.	+8 (epic)
Eroding	Enemies grappling or moving you take squamous (physical, rare) damage	+8 (epic)
Invulnerability, Greater	Gain Damage Resistance (DR) versus common physical damage types.	+8 (epic)
Reactive IV	Removes all armor penalties, adds +4 to many skills, adds +20 feet movement.	+5
Spell Storing, Amazing	Stores up to three spells of up to 8th level, which can be used as a free action.	+8 (epic)

+9 Epic Armor Magic Properties

Magic Item Name	Description	Cost
Changeless	The wearer is immune to ability damage, essence damage, and fatigue.	+9 (epic)
Expeditious, Mighty	Gain many brief bursts of incredible movement.	+9 (epic)
Invulnerability, True	Gain Damage Resistance (DR) versus Common physical damage types.	+9 (epic)
Reactive V	Removes all armor penalties, adds +5 to many skills, adds +30 feet movement.	+6 (epic)
Spell Storing, Perfect	Stores up to five spells of up to 9th level, which can be used as a free action.	+9 (epic)
Stanching, Perfect	Reduce bleed effects by the armor's enhancement bonus and gain curing when injured or bloodied.	+9 (epic)
Traveler	Grants Dimension Door as move actions and Shades, 1/encounter.	+9 (epic)