ARMOR & SHIELD SPECIAL QUALITIES
Acid Resistance
The armor or shield absorbs the first 10 points of acid damage per round that the wearer would normally take.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist elements; Market Price: +3 bonus.
Animated
Upon command, an animated shield floats within 2 feet of the wielder, protecting the character as if he or she were using it, but freeing up both the character’s hands. Only one shield can protect a character at a time.
Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects; Market Price: +2 bonus.
Arrow Deflection
This shield protects the wielder as if he or she had the Deflect Arrows feat.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shield; Market Price: +2 bonus.
Bashing
No matter what the size of the attacker, a large bashing shield deals 1d8 points of damage and a small bashing shield deals 1d6 points of damage. The shield acts as a +1 weapon when used to bash. (Tower shields cannot be bashing shields.)
Caster Level: 8th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bull’s strength; Market Price: +1 bonus.
Blinding
A shield with this enchantment flashes with a brilliant light up to twice per day upon command of the wielder. All within 20 feet except the wielder must make a Reflex saving throw (DC 14) or be blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, blindness/deafness, searing light; Market Price: +1 bonus.
Cold Resistance
The armor or shield absorbs the first 10 points of cold damage per round that the wearer would normally take.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist elements; Market Price: +3 bonus.
Etherealness
On command, this enchantment allows the wearer of the armor to become ethereal once per day. The character can remain ethereal for as long as desired, but once the character returns to normal, he or she cannot become ethereal again that day.
Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ethereal jaunt; Market Price: +5 bonus.
Fire Resistance
The armor or shield absorbs the first 10 points of heat damage per round that the wearer would normally take.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist elements; Market Price: +3 bonus.
Fortification
When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on the wearer, there is a chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated and damage is instead rolled normally:
| Fortification Type | Chance for Normal Damage | Market Price |
| Light | 25% | +1 bonus |
| Moderate | 75% | +3 bonus |
| Heavy | 100% | +5 bonus |
Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, limited wish or miracle; Market Price: varies (see above).
Ghost Touch
Both the enhancement bonus and the armor bonus of this armor or shield count against the attacks of incorporeal creatures. Further, it can be picked up, moved, and worn by incorporeal creatures at any time. Incorporeal creatures gain the armor or shield’s enhancement bonus against both corporeal and incorporeal attacks, and they can still pass freely through solid objects.
Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, etherealness; Market Price: +3 bonus.
Glamered
Upon command, this armor changes shape and form to assume the appearance of a normal set of clothing. The armor retains all its properties (including weight) when glamered. Only a true seeing spell or similar magic reveals the true nature of the armor when disguised.
Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, alter self; Market Price: +1 bonus.
Invulnerability
This suit of armor grants the wearer damage reduction of 5/+1.
Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, stoneskin, wish or miracle; Market Price: +3 bonus.
Lightning Resistance
The armor or shield absorbs the first 10 points of electrical damage per round that the wearer would normally take.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist elements; Market Price: +3 bonus.
Reflection
Once per day as a free action, this shield can be called on to reflect a spell back at its caster exactly.
If the character and a spellcasting attacker are both warded by spell turning effects in operation, a resonating field is created. Roll randomly to determine the result:
d% |
Effect |
01–70 |
Spell drains away without effect. |
71–80 |
Spell affects both of the characters equally at full effect. |
81–97 |
Both turning effects are rendered nonfunctional for 1d4 minutes. |
98–100 |
Both of the characters go through a rift into another plane. |
Caster Level: 14th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell turning; Market Price: +5 bonus.
Shadow
This armor grants a +10 circumstance bonus to Hide checks. This bonus does not stack with the Hide bonus granted by a cloak of elvenkind or obscuring or blinding-based Hide check bonuses. (The armor’s armor check penalty still applies normally.)
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, invisibility; Market Price: +1 bonus.
Silent Moves
This armor adds a +10 circumstance bonus to its wearer’s Move Silently checks. (The armor’s armor check penalty still applies normally.)
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, silence; Market Price: +1 bonus.
Slick
This armor adds a +10 circumstance bonus to its wearer’s Escape Artist checks. (The armor’s armor check penalty still applies normally.)
Caster Level: 4th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, grease; Market Price: +1 bonus.
Sonic Resistance
The armor or shield absorbs the first 10 points of sonic damage per round that the wearer would normally take.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, resist elements; Market Price: +3 bonus.
Spell Resistance
This enchantment grants the armor’s wearer spell resistance while the armor is worn. The spell resistance can be SR 13, SR 15, SR 17, or SR 19, depending on the armor.
Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance; Market Price: +2 bonus (SR 13), +3 bonus (SR 15), +4 bonus (SR 17), or +5 bonus (SR 19).
| Specific Armors | |||
Medium |
Major |
Specific Armor | Market Price |
01-10 |
- |
Mithral shirt | 1,100 gp |
11-25 |
- |
Elven chain | 4,150 gp |
26-35 |
- |
Rhino hide | 5,165 gp |
36-45 |
- |
Adamantine breastplate | 5,350 gp |
46-70 |
- |
Dwarven plate | 10,500 gp |
71-80 |
01-10 |
Plate armor of the deep | 16,650 gp |
81-90 |
11-40 |
Banded mail of luck | 18,900 gp |
91-100 |
41-60 |
Breastplate of command | 21,600 gp |
- |
61-80 |
Celestial armor | 25,300 gp |
- |
81-100 |
Demon armor | 41,650 gp |
SPECIFIC ARMORS
The following specific suits of armor usually are preconstructed with exactly the qualities described here.
Caster Level: -; Prerequisites: -; Market Price: 5,350 gp.
Banded Mail of Luck
This is +3 banded mail. Once per week, the armor allows its wearer to require that an attack roll made against him or her be rerolled. The wearer must take whatever consequences come from the second roll. The decision to have a reroll must be made before damage is rolled.
Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bless; Market Price: 18,900 gp; Cost to Create: 10,150 gp + 700 XP.
Breastplate of Command
When worn, this +2 breastplate bestows a +2 circumstance bonus on Charisma checks, checks using skills for which Charisma is the key ability, and turning checks to its wearer. Friendly troops within 360 feet of the user become braver than normal. The wearer cannot hide or conceal herself in any way and still have the effect function.
Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, mass charm; Market Price: 21,600 gp; Cost to Create: 10,975 gp + 850 XP.
Celestial Armor
This +1 chainmail is so fine and light that it can be worn under normal clothing without revealing its presence. It has a maximum Dexterity bonus of +8, an armor check penalty of -2, and an arcane spell failure chance of 15%. It is considered light armor, and it allows the wearer to fly on command (as the spell) once per day.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fly, creator must be good; Market Price: 25,300 gp; Cost to Create: 12,800 gp + 1,000 XP.
Demon Armor
This +4 full plate allows the wearer to make claw attacks that deal 1d10 (x2 critical) points of damage, strike as +1 weapons, and afflict the target as if he or she had been struck by a contagion spell (Fortitude negates DC 14). The “claws” are built into the armor’s vambraces and gauntlets.
The armor bestows one negative level on any nonevil creature wearing it. This negative level persists as long as the armor is worn and disappears when the armor is removed. The negative level never results in actual level loss, but it cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells) while the armor is worn.
Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, contagion; Market Price: 41,650 gp; Cost to Create: 21,650 gp + 1,600 XP.
Dwarven Plate
This full plate is made of mithral. This armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 25%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +3, and an armor check penalty of -4. It is considered medium armor and weighs 25 pounds.
Caster Level: -; Prerequisites: -; Market Price: 10,500 gp.
Elven Chain
This very light chainmail is made of very fine mithral links. Speed while wearing elven chain is 30 feet for Medium-size creatures, or 20 feet for Small. The armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 20%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +4, and an armor check penalty of -2. It is considered light armor and weighs 20 pounds.
Caster Level: -; Prerequisites: -; Market Price: 4,150 gp.
Mithral Shirt
This very light chain shirt is made of very fine mithral links. Speed while wearing a mithral shirt is 30 feet for Medium-size creatures, or 20 feet for Small. The armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 10%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +6, and no armor check penalty. It is still considered light armor. The shirt weighs 10 pounds.
Caster Level: -; Prerequisite: -; Market Price: 1,100 gp.
Plate Armor of the Deep
The wearer of this +1 full plate armor takes no pressure damage from being deep underwater and is treated as unarmored for purposes of Swim checks. The wearer can also breathe underwater and can converse with any creature that breathes water.
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of movement, water breathing, tongues; Market Price: 16,650 gp; Cost to Create: 9,150 gp + 600 XP.
Rhino Hide
This +2 hide armor is made from rhinoceros hide. In addition to granting a +2 enhancement AC bonus, it has a -1 armor check penalty and doubles all damage dealt by a charge attack made by the wearer.
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, haste; Market Price: 5,165 gp; Cost to Create: 2,665 gp + 200 XP.
| Specific Shields | |||
|
Medium |
Major |
Specific Shield | Market Price |
01-10 |
- |
Darkwood shield | 257 gp |
11-18 |
- |
Mithral large shield | 1,020 gp |
19-25 |
- |
Adamantine shield | 2,170 gp |
26-45 |
01-20 |
Spined shield | 2,670 gp |
46-65 |
21-40 |
Caster’s shield | 3,153 gp |
66-90 |
41-60 |
Lion’s shield | 9,170 gp |
91-100 |
61-80 |
Winged shield | 15,159 gp |
SPECIFIC SHIELDS
The following specific shields usually are preconstructed with exactly the qualities described here.
Absorbing Shield
Every other day this +1 large steel shield can be commanded to absorb a single Large or smaller object or creature that touches its front, annihilating the thing that touches it. Only the direct intervention of a deity can restore an annihilated character. A successful touch attack in combat is required to absorb a target.
Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, disintegrate; Market Price: 50,170 gp; Cost to Create: 25,170 gp + 2,000 XP.
Adamantine Shield
This large nonmagical shield is made from adamantine, giving it a natural +1 enhancement bonus.
Caster Level: -; Prerequisites: -; Market Price: 2,170 gp.
Caster’s Shield
This +1 small wooden shield has a small leather strip on the back on which a spellcaster can scribe a single spell as on a scroll. A spell so scribed has only half the normal materials cost. (Experience point and component costs remain the same.) The user can cast the spell scribed on the back of the shield with no chance of arcane spell failure due to the shield.
A random caster’s shield has a 50% chance of having a single medium scroll spell on it. The spell is divine (01-80 on d%) or arcane (81-100).
Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Scribe Scroll, creator must be at least 6th level; Market Price: 3,153 gp (plus the value of the scroll spell if one is currently scribed); Cost to Create: 1,653 gp + 120 XP.
Darkwood Shield
This large nonmagical wooden shield is made out of darkwood. It has no enhancement bonus, but its construction material makes it lighter than a normal wooden shield. It weighs 5 pounds and has no armor check penalty.
Caster Level: -; Prerequisites: -; Market Price: 257 gp.
Lion’s Shield
This +2 large steel shield is fashioned to appear to be a roaring lion’s head. Three times per day, the lion’s head can be commanded to attack (independently of the shield wearer), biting with the wielder’s base attack bonus (including multiple attacks, if the wielder has them) and dealing 2d6 points of damage (x2 critical). This attack is in addition to any actions performed by the wielder.
Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, summon nature’s ally IV; Market Price: 9,170 gp; Cost to Create: 4,670 gp + 360 XP.
Mithral Large Shield
This very light large shield is made of mithral. It has a 5% arcane spell failure chance and no armor check penalty. It weighs 5 pounds.
Caster Level: -; Prerequisite: -; Market Price: 1,020 gp.
Spined Shield
This +1 large steel shield is covered in spines. It acts as a normal spiked shield. On command up to three times per day, the shield’s wearer can fire one of the shield’s spines. A fired spine has a +1 enhancement bonus, a range increment of 120 feet, and deals 1d10 points of damage (19-20/x2 critical). Fired spines regenerate each day.
Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, magic missile; Market Price: 2,670 gp; Cost to Create: 1,420 gp + 100 XP.
Winged Shield
This round, large wooden shield has a +3 enhancement bonus. Once per day it can be commanded to fly (as the spell), carrying the wielder. The shield can fly up to 2 hours and carry 400 pounds while doing so.
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, fly; Market Price: 15,159 gp; Cost to Create: 7,659 gp + 600 XP.
