[Intelligent Item] The Armor

[Fax Celestis]

The Armor is a benevolent, sentient Ragamoffyn. It can defend its bearer as armor (and weaponry if so desired), and has mind-reading abilities.

When left alone and without owner, the Armor looks much like a suit of full-plate with an attached helmet. If analyzed, it radiates strong transmutation, but its actual magical properties cannot be determined.

Upon donning the Armor for the first time, the Armor makes mental contact with the bearer. The Armor means no harm, and the equipper knows that instinctually. A DC 15 Will save will prevent the Armor from scanning through the equipper's memories, but does not prevent the mental contact.

The equipper "hears" the Armor speak inside his head, much the same as a telepathy spell. The Armor politely requests if the equipper would like to bind with the Armor. If questioned, the Armor elaborates that it can grant the weilder some of its powers in exchange for sustenance.

The Armor feeds on memories, and will enlighten the equipper to this.

In game terms, the Armor feeds on experience. If the equipper agrees to the pact, the Armor will immediately drain 5% of the equipper's experience. It also gains rank up to the equipper's level. Consult the following table for abilities. In addition, whenever the equipper gains experience, the Armor takes 5% of it for itself. When its wielder gains a level, the Armor gains a rank. The wearer's absorbed experience are unrecoverable.

Fundamentally, the Armor is an intelligent magical item. It has Intelligence 17, Wisdom 17, and Charisma 10. This grants it an Ego of 6, though its gained powers will affect it's ego score, as noted in the table below.

If it is separated from its owner for a period longer than a year, it loses its attunement and moves back to Rank 1. Similarly, if the owner dies while wearing it, it again moves back to Rank 1, regardless of whether or not the wearer is later resurrected.

{table]
[tr][td]Level[/td] [td]Ability[/td] [td]Total Enhancement Bonus!!Ego Score[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1[/td] [td]Formshaping[/td] [td]+0[/td] [td]6[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]2[/td] [td]Mind-Reading[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]7[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]3[/td] [td]-[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]7[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]4[/td] [td]Intelligence +1[/td] [td]+1[/td] [td]8[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]5[/td] [td]Mount[/td] [td]+2[/td] [td]10[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]6[/td] [td]Armor Burst[/td] [td]+2[/td] [td]10[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]7[/td] [td]Modify Memory[/td] [td]+3[/td] [td]12[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]8[/td] [td]Wisdom +1[/td] [td]+3[/td] [td]13[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]9[/td] [td]Lesser Globe of Invulnerability[/td] [td]+3[/td] [td]14[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]10[/td] [td]Rusting Grasp[/td] [td]+4[/td] [td]16[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]11[/td] [td]Vampiric Touch[/td] [td]+4[/td] [td]17[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]12[/td] [td]Intelligence +1[/td] [td]+5[/td] [td]18[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]13[/td] [td]-[/td] [td]+5[/td] [td]19[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]14[/td] [td]Stoneskin[/td] [td]+5[/td] [td]19[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]15[/td] [td]Globe of Invulnerability[/td] [td]+6[/td] [td]21[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]16[/td] [td]Wisdom +1[/td] [td]+6[/td] [td]21[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]17[/td] [td]-[/td] [td]+7[/td] [td]22[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]18[/td] [td]Nondetection[/td] [td]+7[/td] [td]23[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]19[/td] [td]-[/td] [td]+7[/td] [td]23[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]20[/td] [td]Intelligence +1[/td] [td]+8[/td] [td]25[/td][/tr][/table]

Formshaping (Ex): The Armor's base shape is that of full-plate, though it can take the shape of other armors and even weaponry. As a standard action, the Armor can be commanded to change its configuration into a number of different forms, as shown on the table below. Changing shape in this manner, without changing enchantment allocation, takes fifteen minutes.

{table]
[tr][td]Armor Shape[/td] [td]Associated Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Chain shirt[/td] [td]Any Melee Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Scale mail[/td] [td]Any Melee Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Chainmail[/td] [td]Any Light or One-Handed Melee Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Breastplate[/td] [td]Any Light or One-Handed Melee Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Splint mail[/td] [td]Any Light or One-Handed Melee Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Banded mail[/td] [td]Any Light Melee Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Half-plate[/td] [td]Any Light Melee Weapon[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]Full plate[/td] [td]None[/td][/tr][/table]

Being made of mithril, the Armor grants all bonuses that equipment made of mithril does: the ability to overcome damage reduction, reduced armor check penalties, etc. Once the Armor starts gaining enhancement bonuses, it can divide these enhancement bonuses between its armor and weapon components however it chooses. These bonuses don't have to be numeric in nature: they can be weapon or armor enhancements. For instance, the Armor can sacrifice a +1 bonus to instead gain the shocking quality. Rearranging enchantments requires four hours of shifting on the Armor's part, which can be done while traveling. However, if the Armor is involved in an encounter during this point in time, the Armor retains its old abilities and requires another four hours to reset.

Mind-Reading (Su) : At second rank, the Armor gains the ability to read the minds of those it touches. By using a melee touch attack against an opponent, the Armor can read its mind gather some information. This affect stuns any creature for one round, and the Armor immediately consumes any information it acquires as sustenance.

Intelligence +1 : At fourth rank, the Armor gains +1 Intelligence.

Mount (Sp) : At fifth rank, the Armor gains the ability to serve as a rudimentary mount. While in mount form, the Armor cannot function as armor or a weapon, but retains all other abilities. In this form, the Armor has 6 hit points per rank, has AC 17, and can attack with two slams for 1d6 damage. Weapon enhancements enhance these attacks, while armor enhancements enhance its armor class.

Armor Burst (Ex) : At sixth rank, the Armor gains the ability to explode off of its wearer in a deadly whirlwind of shrapnel. Once every five rounds, as a swift action, the weilder of the Armor can command it to explode off of him in all directions. He loses the bonus to his armor class that the Armor provides to him until his next turn, as well as any attacks that the Armor provides him (magical, physical, or otherwise). Any creature within twenty feet of the weilder must make a Reflex save versus DC 10 + the Armor's rank + Wis bonus or take 1d6 points of damage for each rank the armor posesses. A successful save halves this damage.

Modify Memory (Sp) : At seventh rank, the Armor gains the ability to cast modify memory twice per day. This must be resolved as a touch attack. Caster level is equal to the Armor's rank, and the Armor uses Intelligence as its casting statistic.

Wisdom +1 : At eighth rank, the Armor gains +1 Wisdom.

Lesser Globe of Invulnerability (Sp) : At ninth rank, the Armor gains the ability to cast lesser globe of invulnerability on its wearer once per day. Caster level is equal to the Armor's rank, and the Armor uses Intelligence as its casting statistic.

Rusting Grasp (Sp) : At tenth rank, the Armor gains the ability to cast rusting grasp once per day. Caster level is equal to the Armor's rank, and the Armor uses Intelligence as its casting statistic.

Vampiric Touch (Sp) : At eleventh rank, the Armor gains the ability to cast vampiric touch twice per day. Caster level is equal to the Armor's rank, and the Armor uses Intelligence as its casting statistic.

Intelligence +1 : At twelfth rank, the Armor gains +1 Intelligence.

Stoneskin (Sp) : At fourteenth rank, the Armor can cast stoneskin on its weilder twice per day. Caster level is equal to the Armor's rank, and the Armor uses Intelligence as its casting statistic.

Globe of Invulnerability (Sp) : At fifteenth rank, the Armor can cast globe of invulnerability on its wearer once per day. Caster level is equal to the Armor's rank, and the Armor uses Intelligence as its casting statistic.

Wisdom +1 : At sixteenth rank, the Armor gains +1 Wisdom.

Nondetection (Su) : At eighteenth rank, the Armor and his wearer is considered constantly under the effects of a nondetection spell. Caster level is equal to the Armor's rank, and the Armor uses Intelligence as its casting statistic.

Intelligence +1 : At twentieth rank, the Armor gains +1 Intelligence.

[MetalKelt]

This looks pretty neat, but I have a question about the formshaping ability and the enhancement bonus. Does the armor or armor/weapon combo always have the enhancement bonus as a straight +x bonus, or is it divvied up? To clarify, which could it be (for argument sake assume 20th level)?

a +8 chain shirt and a +8 longsword

a +4 chain shirt and a +4 longsword

a +1 chain shirt and a +2 vorpal longsword

a +3 full plate of heavy fortification

[Fax Celestis]

It must divide the enhancment bonus between the weapons as it chooses. So, it could be a +8 splint mail with associated mundane long sword. Or it could be a +4 splint mail with a +4 dagger. It could be a +5 splint mail with a +2 shock shortsword.

[MetalKelt]

ok, this sounds pretty neat. I may have to include a variant of this in my campaign.

IMHO this seems to be more of a minor artifact as opposed to a normal magic item.

[Fax Celestis]

Well, of course. But it scales with the wielder, so it always has some use.

[Single Shot Zombie]

What happens if the Armor is seperated from the wielder for long periods of time? Or if the wielder dies? Does the Armor revert back to rank 1? Or does it remain as it is?

And what are the stats of its Mount form?

[martyboy74]

So, would this be legacy armor?

[Fax Celestis]

Similar to Legacy Armor. This is actually what I came up with prior to getting the Weapons of Legacy book.

As for separation, if it is separated from its owner for a period longer than a year, it loses its attunement and moves back to Rank 1. Similarly, if the owner dies while wearing it, it again moves back to Rank 1, regardless of whether or not the wearer is later resurrected.

Stats for the mount are made up.

[Fredderf]

I like it. Its been a while since I saw a ragamoffyn. I think it is pretty well made, and the XP penalty dos'nt seem too bad. Nifty.