Living Iron and Mithril

[lindalas]

Bedeo is going to post some suggestions on what the dwarves could do for us with the metals we found. If I understood him correctly the living iron (we have 2 bars) could be used to add some spell effects to 1-2 weapons/armors per bar. The mithril could be added to a current weapon to give it some attack bonus. It also seems like we might be limited to melee weapons, but Bedeo will ahve to get back to us on that one. We need to discuss who needs/deserves these improvements (probably not enough for everyone depending on how we define "everyone").

Personally I only have use for improvements to my bow. While Bedeo said "melee weapons" I'm hoping he'd change his mind. Perhaps making the bow string out of mithril thread will increase the attack bonus (to hit, not damage) from +3 to +5 which would be welcome. Rather than unlimited arrows (that are either too good or no good) I'd also welcome a "massive critical" bonus. I've always had a love/hate relationship with the "mighty" bonus on bows. Currently I'm probably about as strong as Simon despite being a whimpy little elf. The only reason I've been adding to strength is to be able to do more damage. However, it doesn't match my view of what an elf should be so I'd rather go for other ways of increasing damage (instead of adding more mighty to the bow), thus my suggestion for the "massive criticals" that only do extra damage on critical hits. A final suggestion would be to add "dark vision" to the bow. We seem to spend tons of time underground and I can't hold a torch and the bow at the same time

That is my wishlist, now lets hear from the rest of you. Once Bedeo tells us what we can or cannot do (and how many items we can improve) we can decide how to distribute the wealth.

Lindalas

[Bedeo]

You've got 2 pieces of living iron, and 5 pieces of Mithril, I believe.

Here's how I'll work it.

Or 1 piece of Mithril will add a +1 enhancement to a melee weapon, or, the mighty criticals feature lindalas suggested to bows or wepaons at 1d4 per piece. (Using Mithral to stiffen the bow to increase the draw, or something).

Or 1 Piece of Mithril will also add +2 armor/defelection bonus to armor, or clothing.

Or 2 pieces of mithril will add -/5 damage reduction, provided that the armor or clothing does not already offer it.

Or 1 Piece of living Iron will allow you to add one spell-like effect with X uses per day to one piece of equipment. Ranging from 6 uses per day at level 1, to 1 use per day at level 6. One spell only. Magicians can only select magic spells, Clerics can only select divine spells..due to the nature of the living iron taking on the properties of the caster.

Or 1 piece of living Iron will allow you to add 1d6 elemental damage to a melee weapon.

[Venture]

Well, I've gotta be honest - I'm pretty clueless as far as building/equipping characters. Given that he joined the group late, Whipple only has a handful of low-powered items (although he does have a White Robe of the Archmagi).

From his perspective, the things that would help him (just thinking out loud here, and looking for input/suggestions from those who know how to build and equip a character):

- mighty criticals on a crossbow (did you mean 1d4. i.e. 1-4 points of damage more, on a critical, or 1 to 4 times more damage on a critical?). How helpful this is probably depends on the bonus.

- the damage reduction, although I need to make sure he doesn't already have it (doubt he does).

- spell-like effect on an item would probably be most helpful of the 3.

The armor/deflection bonus probably wouldn't help, as I believe this isn't stackable and I'm sure he has a ring or amulet that gives him that already.


That was a Whipple analysis. As far as a group analysis, I guess it depends on how much the stuff would improve Lind and Simon. They are our two main melee/missle (non-spell) damage dealers, so if there is going to be a noticeable improvement in what they dish out, give it to them first. If the improvement is mediocre, though, I'd say look at helping Asia and/or Whipple first, since it won't take much to make Whipple more potent since he has so little already, and since spell effects have some good potential.

[lindalas]

I fired up Forge of Wonders to see get an understanding of cost. Since the cost depends on the current magic of the item I just used a basic rapier for comparison.

+1 enhancement bonus costs 1618
2d8 Massive Critical costs 1014 (2d10, next up is about 3000)

Since the massive critical ONLY is extra damage (not a multiplication factor) in case of a critical hit it isn't worth that much. I hope Bedeo will consider increasing the massive critical to 2d8 .

[lindalas]

While I could improve my AC that is not usually an issue and I shouldn't be casting spells when I could be firing arrows. I wouldn't mind using one piece of Mithril for my bow, leaving the rest for others. If there is any Mithril left over I'll use it on my current cloak (for another 2 ac deflection).

One thing to consider is to make sure everyone has a weapon with enough enhancement bonus to hit monsters with resistance (I would guess +3 or better should be our goal). This mainly means Simon and Asia since Whipple should be standing back and firing bolts anyway.

[Bedeo]

I'll give you the option of trading in some of the mithril for gold or magical items from the voice, Venture. I'll pick a selection out when we play next.

Massive criticals mean that you do 2d8 extra damage when you get a critical.

Lind, how about 2d10 (or similar) for 1 piece of mithril. I had a think about that and that makes more sense since you're only getting the bonus on critical hits.

[lindalas]

Since we haven't heard from Tunari I propose the following:

Lindalas: 1 mith -> massive critical on bow
Simon: 1 mith -> +1 to his preferred sword
Woofle: 1 living iron -> spell like effect (to his robe if possible I guess)
Asia: 1 mith -> +1 to preferred scimitar

That leaves us with 2 mith and 1 living armor that we can decide what to do with.

[Tunari]

Well, I think Asia's weaps are pretty good. What she could use, would be something that would boost an attribute attached to her armor. Since that transfers over when she is in animal forms. Her weapons don't transfer under those circumstances. But bonuss to Strength, or soak damage, or some sort of damage bonus(unarmed damage bonuses) on her armor would if I recall.

You remember that from shifter forms Bedeo? Things on armor definitely transfer over, and I tink on cloaks and rings etc as well, just not stuff from the weapons.

[lindalas]

Tunari, does the armor bonus or deflection bonus carry over? If so adding +2 armor bonus to your armor or +2 deflection bonus to your cloak/ring (or whatever you use for that) would be beneficial. Problem with the soak is that we'd need to use both the living irons for that. --- edit: checked it out and the armor bonus carries (but deflection does not). But you can totally use a mith on your current armor to add one point of ac.

Another option is for you to use the other living iron for some spell effect (iskin, bull strength or the like).

[Bedeo]

Everything that gives an ac bonus becomes a defelection bonus, including armor (not base ac, just the bonus) and then the highest one is used (obviously). Depending on the form, anything can trasnfer over, but in the case of animals I believe that it is everything but the weapon. Winged animals I believe the boots don't transfer over either. improved Unarmed strike, improved critical unarmed etc also transfer

I'm 90% sure damage soak does, rengeration also does.

I'd suggest if you're looking to fight in a different form a lot that you either take 3 levels of shifter to allow you to use your weapons as a minotaur (not great, to be honest, the ac sucks) or take a level of monk (the monk wis+dex ac bonus transfers, as does everything else) and get the unarmed bonuses.

I'd suggest getting one item to a single massive deflection modifier, as that's your primary defence, getting regeneration on something, getting unarmed feats as you level (I'm pretty sure that unarmed feats fromitems don't transfer). Don't get a spell-like effect as you can't use 90% of stuff while you're transformed. Damage reduction is also good.

I'm thinking 1 living iron and 1 mithril combined could give 2 regeneration points.

Woofle, rods always make for good spell-likes as they have unlimited charges (I believe) mabey something like that would work. I'll have to do this over the period of next week, I don't know how to do it IG. I might also need some advice from Venture.

[Tunari]

Thought of adding some Monk levels, but that wouldn't be until after one more Druid level. After that I have elemental forms.

In those forms I get their hit points, so can take a lot more damage. So regen might not be the most needed. First choice would be some sort of unarmed bonus or attack bous that would transfer, but it sounds like that wouldn't work? So, maybe the ac deflector bonus than?

Hook up Lind, Simon, and Butterstick first. If anything is left I can use it somehow, otherwise no big deal. Asia will be fine.

[Venture]

I'm good with anything. A rod sounds good. Maybe we can say that we have to "place our order" and then the dwarves will have it delivered to us in a few weeks after the stuff is made in the toolset.

The best way to make the stuff is probably to make it in the toolset (in any mod, but a hak free mod is probably best) and then fire up the mod, sign in with your DM avatar, put the items in your inventory, and then save the avatar and sign off. Then, the items should be in your inventory in the next mod you sign into with that avatar. As long as the items don't contain any custom content, I think there are no problems doing it this way.

[lindalas]

The mod "Forge of Wonders" is great for a lot of the custom additions to arms and armor. It doesnt allow anything you can think of but has a lot of it.