I want to offer an alternative Robe of the Archmagi in the campaign I'm GMing. I would like a Robe that does not offer an Armor Bonus, SR, or Save bonus. The bonus to help overcome SR is fine and so is the alignment requirement, but I'm not married to either of them.
Basically, I'm looking for a Robe that is worth at least as much as this one, but does something different than just give a few defensive bonuses, but still fits well with the name. Any and all help/brainstorming/advice/suggestions welcome and appreciated.
Robe of the Archmagi
Aura strong varied; CL 14th
Slot body; Price 75,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTIONThis normal-appearing garment can be white (01–45 on d%, good alignment), gray (46–75, neither good nor evil alignment), or black (76–100, evil alignment). To most wearers, the robe offers no powers or has no effects unless the wearer's alignment doesn't match that of the robe (see below). Only an arcane spellcaster can fully realize this potent magic item's powers once the robe is donned. These powers are as follows.
* +5 armor bonus to AC.
* Spell resistance 18.
* +4 resistance bonus on all saving throws.
* +2 enhancement bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance.As mentioned above, all robes of the archmagi are attuned to a specific alignment. If a white robe is donned by an evil character, she immediately gains three permanent negative levels. The same is true with respect to a black robe donned by a good character. An evil or good character who puts on a gray robe, or a neutral character who dons either a white or black robe, gains two permanent negative levels. While these negative levels remain as long as the garment is worn and cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells), they are immediately removed if the robe is removed.
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Is one or more of your players playing an arcane spell caster? Are you at a point in the campaign where a 75k magic item is appropriate treasure? Why don't you want it to give the Armour Bonus, SR, or Save bonuses? What do you want it to do and more importantly what do your players want it to do? Are your players even interested in getting one in the first place if it isn't the traditional Robe of the Archmage?
Breakdown of Price
Armor 50,000
SR 60,000
Saves 32,000
+2 CL to overcome SR 8,000
Alignment Restriction - Halve the total
Variants (Note that these are construction costs; price to buy item is doubled)
+2 Intelligence or Charisma 4,000
+4 Intelligence or Charisma 16,000
+6 Intelligence or Charisma 36,000
+2 Intelligence & Charisma 5,000
+4 Intelligence & Charisma 20,000
+6 Intelligence & Charisma 45,000
Ghost Touch Armor w/ +1 bonus 16,000
Ghost Touch Armor w/ +2 bonus 25,000
Etherealness Armor Special Ability +49,000
Chameleon Power (ast the ring) 6,350
Ring of Wizardry (various)
Proof Against Detection and Location 17,500
Teleportation (as the boots) 24,500
Etherealness (as the cloak) 27,500
Bone Robe (as Robe of Bones) 1,200
Useful Items (as the robe) 3,500
I'd suggest boosts to caster level or to save DC of spells. Perhaps boost level for the effects of bloodline powers/school powers as well. How I'd price these I don't know.
You could have the alternate robe draw out arcana from the environs, from individuals, or from objects.
These can be stored within the robe to provide 'more power' to your spells, possibly in a fashion similar to the Empower Spell, Spell Focus et al feats.
Similarly, the object itself could be charged with inherent spells that can be expelled from the cloth, akin to what wands do. The user, of course, may need to concentrate to cast those spells.
Another idea would be to have the robe function as multiple bags of holding.
Is one or more of your players playing an arcane spell caster? Are you at a point in the campaign where a 75k magic item is appropriate treasure? Why don't you want it to give the Armour Bonus, SR, or Save bonuses? What do you want it to do and more importantly what do your players want it to do? Are your players even interested in getting one in the first place if it isn't the traditional Robe of the Archmage?
How inquisitive. :)
Well, I think the answers to the first two questions are obvious.
I don't want the item to give defensive bonuses for two reasons. First, in my experience, by the time the player is likely to acquire such an item, it is nearly obsoleted by their existing equipment. They want the bonus to overcome SR, but their bonuses from other items are better. Second, I'm using an alternate system where Big Six bonuses come from leveling rather than items. I eliminate Big Six items, which this one basically is, but what wizard does not want to wear a Robe of the Archmagi? If the item is obsoleted, the player feels cheated out of an item that should be awesome, but is instead disappointing.
I want the item to be something that a wizard or sorcerer would want to wear as soon as they could get it, and then all the way to level 20. My players want the same thing. I have not yet discussed with them what they think the item should do, but I wanted to have some options on the table for discussion before I do.
Breakdown of Price
Thanks for the breakdown, that is very helpful. I do have some questions, though. I'm wondering how you got some of these prices. Since the Robe is not a slotless item, wouldn't the value for the Armor bonus by 25,000 and the value of the save bonus 16,000? It was my understanding that an alignment restriction only takes 30% off the price.
Good stuff
Thank you very much for the excellent suggestions! I like the bonus to save DCs especially, but that would be tricky to price, I think. Do you suppose just making the Robe give +2 to CL for overcoming SR AND +2 to all spell save DCs would be roughly appropriate for an item of this price with these restrictions?
I want to offer an alternative Robe of the Archmagi in the campaign I'm GMing. I would like a Robe that does not offer an Armor Bonus, SR, or Save bonus. The bonus to help overcome SR is fine and so is the alignment requirement, but I'm not married to either of them.
Basically, I'm looking for a Robe that is worth at least as much as this one, but does something different than just give a few defensive bonuses, but still fits well with the name. Any and all help/brainstorming/advice/suggestions welcome and appreciated.
I don't like the Robe of the Archmagi. Each Archmage in my world does not have the same abilies and prefernces so why not make a Archmagi robe for each school of magic instead of the Good/Neutral/Evil versions.
Each Robe of the Archmagi would have the fallowing abilities:
+2 enhancement bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance.
Spell Modifaction (Su): Once per day a wearer of and Robe of the Achemagi can cast a spell altered by a metamagic feat he knows. This does not change the spell slot of the altered spell.
plus two abilities key to the school of magic they belong to:
Robe of the Archabjurer
Potent Abjuration (Su):
Abjuration spells you cast will wearing a robe of the Archabjurer that grand an restistance, defelction, shield or armor bonus this boni increased by 2.
Energy Absorption (Su): You gain an amount of energy absorption equal to 3 times your wizard level per day. Whenever you take energy damage, apply immunity, vulnerability (if any), and resistance first and apply the rest to this absorption, reducing your daily total by that amount. Any damage in excess of your absorption is applied to you normally. If you already have the Energy Absorption class featur this abillity stacks and just double the amount energy damage you can absorbe per day.
Robe of the Archconjurer
Potent Conjuration: Conjuration spells you cast will wearing a robe of the Archconjurer, that have a castingtime of 1 round can be cast as standard actions.
Energy Absorption (Su): You gain an amount of energy absorption equal to 3 times your wizard level per day. Whenever you take energy damage, apply immunity, vulnerability (if any), and resistance first and apply the rest to this absorption, reducing your daily total by that amount. Any damage in excess of your absorption is applied to you normally. If you allready have the Energy Absorption class featur this abillity stacks and just double the amount of ft. you can teleport per day.
Robe of the Archevoker
Potent Evocation: Evocation spells you cast will wearing a robe of the Archevoker, that deal damage deal 1 additional point of damage per dice.
Elemental Wall (Sp): You can create a wall of energy that lasts for a number of rounds per day equal to your wizard level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This wall deals acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, determined when you create it. The elemental wall otherwise functions like wall of fire. If you already have the Elemental Wall class featur this abillity stacks and just double the number of rounds you can use it per day.
Maybe this is a to powerfull for 75 000 gp. In fact i have no clue how to calcualte a prize for such unique abilities. I had to alter the name to a few names ;-)
Breiti
I don't like the Robe of the Archmagi. Each Archmage in my world does not have the same abilies and prefernces so why not make a Archmagi robe for each school of magic instead of the Good/Neutral/Evil versions.
I like what you've written here. What would you write for a Universalist School?