So we have a new player (not a newbie but more a 3.5 player usually) joining our group to fill in the hole left by another player leaving. Coming in as a 1 Level Fighter/13 levels Druid. He wants +1 Wild Ironwood Fullscale armor because money wise he can afford it but this isn't something you can just buy.
I well you can't make that a +1 because it too heavy to get the +1 for your level and I am not sure about enhancing armor that is temporary +1 if he could as you have to recast every X days. He is dead Set about having fullplate at this level but I am iffy, specially when he could just go with breastplate.
So to maybe figure things out I looked at the NPC Codex druids to see examples and you can find Ironwood armored wearing druids there but now I am even more confused. None of them seem to be high enough level to maintain their chosen Ironwood armors let alone how is your Ironwood spell allowing you to have a Wild ironwood armor? So now I am confused, am I missing something?
Go with dragonscale.
Wearable by druids without the issues associated with ironwood.
I think I am going to follow most of your advice FantheFlames. He is sort of replacing the team's tank (not that I care about party 'balance') it probably won't be as bad as I think. I am not going to worry about craft checks given he is a new character coming in but will have the player put some of his still unspent skill points to raise his carpentry a bit higher.
I will make it clear if he misses a casting or the dreaded disenchant than he will lose all the bonuses and have to repurchase them.
And thanks
Checked it out just because I was curious and used to play with a 'martial' druid ages ago.
Thus, wooden plate armor and wooden swords can be created that are as durable as their normal steel counterparts. These items are freely usable by druids.
Further, if you make only half as much ironwood as the spell would normally allow, any weapon, shield, or suit of armor so created is treated as a magic item with a +1 enhancement bonus.
At level 13 caster, if his fullplate weights more than 65 pounds, it will be a +1 Ironwood Full-plate.
Two suggestions I can think of is; Maybe he should invest in a Metamagic Rod, Extended, making the spell last 26 days. Though that would set him back 11k
Alternatively, you could allow a Wizard's Permanency to affect the spell for minimum 7.500 gold as other 11th level casters spells cost (+casting fee and finding a wizard).
The GM may allow other spells to be made permanent.
He can ironwood up to 65 lb at lvl 3 but the armor has to be half that wieght to get the +1 from the spelll but fullplate is 50 lbs.
I offered to allow permancy to work with Ironwood.
This metal suit comprises multiple pieces of interconnected and overlaying metal plates, incorporating the benefits of numerous types of lesser armor. A complete suit of full plate (or platemail, as it is often called) includes gauntlets, heavy leather boots, a visored helmet, and a thick layer of padding that is worn underneath the armor.
You could argue that up to 1/3 of the 50lb weight would not be metal.
Then use Darkwood that is 1/2 the weight of normal wood.This would make the wood only 17lb.
Ironwood cast at 13th level, Armor under 32lb would be +1.
It has to be normal wood as per the spell and it is about how much it will wieght after casting, the spell makes the wood weight just as much as steel. Not going to break down what is metal and what isn't.
How do you enchant something that's temporary?
The spell lasts for a couple of days, then ends. Enchanting an armor with Wild takes days and cost thousands, which you lose when the spell ends. Am I missing a line which allows you to cast the spell again to extend the duration?
The Permanency is a simple fix, and it's hardly "overpowered" he has to go to a lot of hassle to be on par with a cleric, paladin or heck, a barbarian that can use a mithril fullplate easily.
It might solve a thematic effect he wants, but he'll be set back by a hefty sum to balance.
Edit: Checked up, it seems Ironwood would affect Darkwood as it's a naturally grown type of wood, which is the only description in the Ironwood spell. It'd still be as heavy as steel, but it's the amazing darkwood ironwood. The Wood wood of all woods.
Yeah, you just recast the spell before it expires and the time would restart from that point.
The Permanency is a simple fix, and it's hardly "overpowered" he has to go to a lot of hassle to be on par with a cleric, paladin or heck, a barbarian that can use a mithril fullplate easily.
It might solve a thematic effect he wants, but he'll be set back by a hefty sum to balance.
I didn't say it was OP and in fact said I offered permancy to work with ironwood, he has yet to take the offer.
I didn't say it was OP and in fact said I offered permancy to work with ironwood, he has yet to take the offer.The Permanency is a simple fix, and it's hardly "overpowered" he has to go to a lot of hassle to be on par with a cleric, paladin or heck, a barbarian that can use a mithril fullplate easily.
It might solve a thematic effect he wants, but he'll be set back by a hefty sum to balance.
Sorry, wasn't targeted at you, just musing out loud since I didn't consider this option before.
Ironwood says normal wood, Darkwood is magical wood ( first sentence) which to me disqualified it and just make it over priced really at that point if you could.
Ironwood says normal wood, Darkwood is magical wood ( first sentence) which to me disqualified it and just make it over priced really at that point if you could.
Fair enough. We always treated what grew in the wilds as normal wood, vs something crafted in a lab or workshop.
Yeah, you just recast the spell before it expires and the time would restart from that point.
The components of the spell requires wood to be transformed. Are you sure you can transform ironwood to ironwood? I'm not.
Permanency is a solution, I accept that. A flimsy one though, a single Dispel magic sets you back thousands if you've enchanted your armour further.
It seems the only way the NPC Codex Druids would be doing it. As far as permanency and Dispel, that is on the player wanting to take the risk.
Was there a specific reason for ironwood like lore or pereference for the fluff, or because it seemed the only druid usable plate armor?
There's also Bulette Armor which functions as plate armor, no metal involved.
Was there a specific reason for ironwood like lore or pereference for the fluff, or because it seemed the only druid usable plate armor?
Stoneplate is usable without special materials.
Dragonhide and Voidglass armors are legal for druids.
He hasn't given a reason but I know he trying to stick to Core Book stuff (which yes includes dragonhide).