I am thinking of writing up something for a campaign I am thinking of running and I am not sure which feat this will go under. The idea is to enchant an Explorer's Outfit with a few spells for a guild of rangers and other classes specialized in retrieving things for other people. Two of the spells I know I want to put into clothes are Mage Armor and Endure Elements, the first so that it protects like a suit of armor but not so constrictive the second so that no matter where the wearer goes the environment is going to be less of a factor and thus the chances of survival are greater. My question is would this fall under Craft Magic Arms and Armor or Craft Wondrous Item?
IMHO, it'd fall under Craft Magic Arms and Armor - it is an armor, after all, even if it's made out of clothes.
Have you considered the leaf armor from the Adventurer's Armory? It's mundane, so you'd only need to put the endure elements effect on it. Sounds fitting from your description of the armor and it could be far cheaper. Just my 2c :-).
You could make it a wondrous item. Robes of the archmagi grant an armor bonus to AC, after all.
Sounds like the Travel Cloak (from Magic of Faerun) might be just what your guildsmen are looking for. It protects the wearer with a perpetual protection from elements effects, repels precipitation, allows her to reach into the cloak's pockets to withdraw enough magically created trail rations and water to sustain her each day and, once a day, the cloak can be transformed into a one person tent; a steal for 1,200 gp. Each PC has acquired one in our campaign seeing as how we're heading into winter soon. Some of us have further enhanced them with a +1 resistance bonus to saves for an additional 1,000 gp (using the enhancement rules taken from the Magic Item Compendium). Your rangers might instead prefer to enhance them with a bonus to AC or a +5 to Stealth checks; each his own.
One of the models I'm basing this off of is something I know I saw in the Scarred Lands books but can't locate right now. If I am remembering this right, it was keyed to the Vigils of Vesh where they would take a suit of armor and magically transform it into normal clothing while keeping its protective qualities. I am also looking at this as almost an alternate version of Bracers of Armor with a few extra added spells thrown in for good measure and can be made by a ranger as early as possible. The suit may or may not include a pair of boots with longstrider and/or water walk cast on them to be incorporated into the outfit. And part of me is also looking at the suit of armor the Stag Lord wore in the first adventure in Kingmaker. I was actually disappointed that that suit of armor did not make it into the card set for that AP.
And just for my edification, you use Profession (Tailor) to make the clothes? I know the boots would be either Profession (Cobbler) or a craft skill. Or could you just put ranks into Craft (Clothing) and theoretically be able to do everything on one or two skill checks?
Craft Wondrous Item 'cause it's not armor. It's simply a Wondrous Item that grants a spell effect to the wearer.
To make the mundane stuff, Craft(Clothing) would probably work fine unless you feel you need to be more specific. Skills that might apply: Craft(Sewing), Craft(Cobbling), Craft(Clothing), Craft(Leatherworking), Profession(Tailor), Proffession(Cobbler).
Clothing = Falls into the gray area. In past ed, it could be considered armor (Magical Vestment does), but also could be considered not armor (most magic clothing falls under craft wonder items).
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As your DM, it will be his call ((If in doubt, assume Craft wondrous items))
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Craft arms and Armor = Could see clothing as AC 0 armor. Like a Vest that enchanted with enchantment bonus to AC.
Craft wondrous item = For almost everything else.
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Magicdealer = Noted beware of making it armor, because the poor monk is out.. it true.
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On the other hand, Wondrous items that use the spell "Mage Armor" and "shield" as permanent effects (like bracer of Armor, or Ring of Force Shield) are also considered armor.
And the monk is also out of luck, even if it is a wondrous item.
I'm really leaning towards Wondrous Item, and in most games like this I'm the one that ends up being the GM/DM/Judge/Referee/etc. mainly because I"m usually the one to bring everyone together, set up the dates, buy the books and practically everything else. Like the one guy who wants to play D&D 4E with me but wants me to buy the books and everything else so all he has to is show up, then he starts complaining when I throw furries into the mix.
I'm really leaning towards Wondrous Item, and in most games like this I'm the one that ends up being the GM/DM/Judge/Referee/etc. mainly because I"m usually the one to bring everyone together, set up the dates, buy the books and practically everything else. Like the one guy who wants to play D&D 4E with me but wants me to buy the books and everything else so all he has to is show up, then he starts complaining when I throw furries into the mix.
I feel your pain, man. Half my players never bother to buy their books, but they expect me to have them. :'(
As for the skills: I'd use Craft (clothing), if only to avoid PC sinking skill points into 2+ different Craft or Profession skills (I'm assuming they'll be able/expected to craft their own suits of clothing).
That sounds good, I'm all for choices but not excessive book keeping. For instance I have Luven Lightfingers Gear and Treasure Shop from 4 Winds Publishing which has a ton of detail on different types of clothing and weapons and armor as well as other things. I would use something like that to help the players decided what their characters looked like but for making it I'd only use one skill, probably Craft (Clothing), as the chokepoint. Details are good, you just don't need to get bogged down with them.
That sounds good, I'm all for choices but not excessive book keeping. For instance I have Luven Lightfingers Gear and Treasure Shop from 4 Winds Publishing which has a ton of detail on different types of clothing and weapons and armor as well as other things. I would use something like that to help the players decided what their characters looked like but for making it I'd only use one skill, probably Craft (Clothing), as the chokepoint. Details are good, you just don't need to get bogged down with them.