Robert McRae

Created by the mages of the Long-dagger Thieves Guild, these hooded cloaks always appear to be of exceptional quality, although without extravagant ornamentation and always dark grey in color. If not worn, or worn with the hood down, this cloak is simply a high quality, if somewhat plain cloak. Even divination spells such as detect magic often mistake these items as mundane (50% chance).
When worn with the oversized hood drawn up around the head, the character becomes shrouded in a shadowy gloom. All the character’s clothes and gear, including the Thieves Cowl, turn a dull black; the character’s facial features are completely obscured in dark shadow with only his or her eyes visible as glowing red lights within the hood.
While shrouded in the gloom, the wearer receives a +5 competence bonus on Hide checks and is able to see invisible creatures and objects. These effects are obvious to the wearer (or divination magic), however the gloom obscures the characters vision so all Spot checks suffer a -5 circumstance penalty

Faint divination; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, invisibility, see invisibility, creator must be a rogue; Price 12,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.

I must admit I like this item.

Yes I like it as well. Reminds me of a "city of Greyhawk" approach to the visual effects of Frodo wearing the One Ring in the Lord of the Rings film.

I could probably agree to promote this one to keeper status for now.

Seems like a good item for those players who want their characters to ooze badass attitude. The fact that it makes Spot checks more difficult for the wearer cracks me up (the attitudinal PC trips over his own gloom).

Keeper.

Kept.

Seems like a good item for those players who want their characters to ooze badass attitude. The fact that it makes Spot checks more difficult for the wearer cracks me up (the attitudinal PC trips over his own gloom).

Keeper.

personally, I would include balance and possibly climb checks, countering these extra cons with an ability to detect secret doors as an elf... but that's just cause the fluff was so gripping

This one is cool. I wonder if it should have a different pre-requisite spell than invisibility (perhaps obscuring mist?) but cool non-the-less.

This should have Magic Aura as a pre-req. Otherwise, really cool Cloak of Elvenkind variant. Like Cape of the Montebank, the visual makes it desirable for more than just the effect.

I don't know if I can say anything bad about this one. Simply awesome. Great job.

Seems kind of creepy and bad ass but don't the glowing eyes make him easier to spot? I would drop the glowing eyes and the see invisibility and maybe give the wearer a fear (or at least scare or intimidate) aura and ghostly visage. But that probably gets away from the theme. Maybe just a bonus to intimidation checks.

I love that comment about tripping on his own gloom.

Neat image, and I like that the cloak allows the wearer to see the unseen, while simultaneously shrouding everything in a fog. I can really visualize someone wearing this thing and creeping around, crouched over and squinting.

Agree that the spot check penalty makes this one stand out.

Visually, the rogue's version of Warduke's helmet? The imagery is what sells this item. I will be interested in the fluff this writer creates for the country portion of the contest....

I really like this one. As I play a rogue most of the time, I will definitely hope for this in my next game. The only concern I have is that the creator must be a rogue, which means you have to multi-class to make this item.

Originally the concept of the item was something that the thieves’ guild could provide, through go-betweens and fences, to the security minded.
I envisioned an entire squad of the kings finest, decked in the cowls, protecting the throne room from invisible assailants. Unfortunately, the reduction in the guards’ Spot checks would allow rogues using the tried and true method of sneaking an advantage.

Originally the concept of the item was something that the thieves’ guild could provide, through go-betweens and fences, to the security minded.

I envisioned an entire squad of the kings finest, decked in the cowls, protecting the throne room from invisible assailants. Unfortunately, the reduction in the guards’ Spot checks would allow rogues using the tried and true method of sneaking an advantage.

I like this. In fact, if my spellstalker player keeps wracking up the wrath points, this item may show up in a trove somewhere.

"But master assassin, sir? They can see invisible!"
*master assassin pulls on his grey cammo and hood* "Sometimes my student, the old ways work the best."

One could perhaps do away with the invisibility and "creator must be a rogue" requirements, replacing them with "creator must have 5 ranks in the Hide skill". A neat item, with both impact and utility.

Red glowing eyes is too cheesy for my taste, but interesting combination of abilities (hide, see invisible, penalty to spot) makes the item intriguing.

Very creative. Good luck with your country.

The only thing I don't like is the glowing red eyes while the PC receives a +5 Hide modifier so I'd probably change that to Black pools of midnight darkness in a campaign.

Just a brief note to let you know I'm using this item on a villain in a game this saturday. It was just too perfect not to purloin. :)