The item triggers every time the wearer spends a ki point. Doesn't matter what it's spend on, be it base features of the pool, Ninja Tricks or Ki Powers, or magic items.
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I also concur. And considering that it doesn't stack with a belt of strength and amulet of natural armor, I'm not sure there's a point in buying this. I'd dodge the rules issue by buying the belt and amulet, they give more bang for your buck.
This is one of those items that will probably never be bought by a PC in a campaign. However this is a pretty good item for the GM to give to an NPC. Not only for the pricing but also because it means the NPC will continue to get tougher each round. (And since NPCs usually only last one fight you aren't really worried about the daily ki pool limitation.)
The other rules issue is the same one that often pops up with extendible 1 round duration effects.
When the rules refer to a “full round”, they usually mean a span of time from a particular initiative count in one round to the same initiative count in the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative count that they began on.
According to the CRB the effect would have ended before you get a chance to spend another ki point. We all understand that the author intended for the effect to be extendible, not reset each round.
Personally I would just change the last sentence to
The bonuses to AC and Strength lastfor only 1 rounduntil the end of the wearer's next round following the expenditure of the last ki point.
Interesting... I originally misread its effects. I thought its intent was to encourage/reward spending multiple Ki points in one round, but it only activates once per round.
@Belafon, that is hilarious. Clearly it is supposed to be able to be extended into the next round, as the description includes language saying the bonus increases each round it is extended. I will probably include your proposed fix in my house rules.
- Looking at the text more closely, RAW, you can only gain bonuses once per round, but increasing existing bonuses from the item has no limit. Add in what Belafon pointed out about the duration, you need to activate it twice during one turn to ever get it above +1/+1 (or use an immediate action between your turns).
While this makes stacking it high quicker, it at the same time makes the item much more niche, as you need to spend ki on two different action types. It's doable, but in all likeliness you need to grab a Qinggong Powers used for a feat (as those are free actions).
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Neili Robes
Source Merchant's Manifest pg. 10
Aura moderate abjuration; CL 11th
Slot body; Price 10,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This black-and-white robe is specially crafted to help the wearer regulate the flow of ki in his body, allowing for the generation of internal strength. Once per round when the wearer spends a ki point, he gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC and a +1 enhancement bonus to Strength for 1 round. If the wearer spends another ki point before the end of his next turn, the duration is extended by 1 round and the natural armor and enhancement bonuses are increased by 1 (to a maximum of +4). The bonuses to AC and Strength last for only 1 round following the expenditure of the last ki point.
The bolded part has several effects:
- it allows the extension of the duration of the effect even if the previous bonus has ended. Granted, the extension of something that has expired is pretty ridiculous, but RAW it allows it and clarifies RAI;- it allows the robe to increase the bonus, even if the previous bonus has expired.
As I read it, RAI is:
- you spend a Ki point and start the robe effect during round 1;
- round 2, on your turn, before benefitting from the robe effects, you have to decide if you want to spend a Ki point during the turn. If the reply is "Yes", the effect is extended and enhanced.
A bit clunky and non-standard, but acceptable.