Magical armours are stronger and more durable than their mundane equivalents. Oft they are crafted of rare, valuable, and exotic materials; a suit of magical plate mail, for instance, might be gold-chased steel, and magical chain mail is oft crafted of pure copper. Each magical “plus” improves (decreases) armour class (AC), so +1 chain mail provides AC 16 instead of the standard AC 15.
Magical armour is also about 50% lighter than comparable non-magical armour. Thus, heavy armour becomes medium; medium armour becomes light; and light armour becomes as unencumbering as normal clothing and is considered as being unarmoured for encumbrance issues. This benefit, however, does not relax armour restrictions associated with character class, but it does stack with the Agile Class Ability eg If a Scout has a suit of +1 Padded Armour then, as it is considered unencumbering as normal clothing, they get the +1 to AC from the Agile Ability.
Cursed armour, if identified, reveals magical armour of beneficial sort—indeed, seemingly of opposite properties, so −2 chain mail is perceived as +2 chain mail. Once donned, it cannot be removed unless the victim is struck by a natural 20 blow from a melee weapon. This blow destroys the cursed armour and also inflicts treble damage dice (with any applicable modifiers added afterwards; this treble damage is not cumulative with any optional critical hit system, if used). Cursed armour is unaffected by remove curse or dispel magic spells; sorceries that impart otherworldly wisdom, however, may reveal that one day an enemy combatant might destroy the armour.
This artefact of an age undreamt appears to be an extraordinary suit of full plate armour composed of thinly plated, silver-grey metal. Every joint of the 50-pound zirconium suit is finely articulated, sealed airtight with black leathery material of alien manufacture; even the great helm with its tinted glass visor has no openings. The zirconium suit is stylized to appear as a heavily muscled man, though with peculiar bosses and odd ridges. On the back of the left hand is a triangular box from which a small, red crystalline knob projects. To don the suit, a trio of buttons under the chin of the helm must be depressed. This action causes the back to split open, allowing a man to step within before pressing the buttons to re close the armour, which mechanically conforms to the wearer’s shape. The zirconium suit has the following special qualities:
Armour Class 23
Damage Reduction 3: Physical damage beyond 3 hp on any individual blow implies that the impact of the blow harmed the wearer but has not penetrated the suit.
Critical Hit Vulnerability: The suit can withstand 50 perfect (natural 20) blows, which must be tracked. On the 50th such blow, the suit will rupture, lace with fissures, and fall apart.
Energy Absorption: The suit provides its wearer with immunity to radiation and a +4 saving throw bonus versus fire and electricity.
Acid Vulnerability: Corrosive acid can destroy the suit.
Movement: The suit weighs 50 pounds (weight class heavy), though allows for medium-weight movement (MV 30).
Anti-Gravity: Float up / down at 20 MV, bearing an additional 500 pounds of weight.
Air- / Watertight: The suit is airtight and watertight, allowing the wearer to survive in the frigid vacuum of the Black Gulf or as deep as 1,000 feet underwater. Also, the suit provides oxygen to the wearer so that he may breathe comfortably for as long as eight hours. The suit will recharge its air supply at a rate of one hour per hour of disuse.
Hydration and Climate Control: The suit cools and hydrates the wearer so that drinking water is unnecessary; also, the suit provides a cool, semi-dry temperature.
Strength: The suit provides its wearer with 18 strength.
Claws: If the fist of the right gauntlet is double clenched, a trio of 15-inch-long blades of blue steel project from the knuckles. These claws crackle with electricity and may be used to rake opponents at a +2 attack bonus for 1d6+2 hp slashing damage, plus a further 1d6 hp electrical damage.
Energy Blast: Once per round the wearer can tap the left hand crystalline knob and release a blast that is 30 feet long and 5 feet wide at the terminus. Those in the area of effect suffer 3d6 hp force damage (Dexterity save for ½).
Magical shields are stronger and more durable than their mundane equivalents. Oft they are crafted of rare, valuable, and exotic materials; a +2 small shield, for instance, might be composed entirely of silver. Each magical “plus” improves (decreases) armour class (AC), so a +1 large shield increases melee AC by 2. Magical shields weigh the same as comparable non-magical shields. One cursed shield is noted, the −1 missile attraction small shield. If identified, this shield is revealed as a +1 small shield; indeed, it is a −1 shield that curses its bearer with treble the normal chance of being targeted by enemy missile fire. Once wielded, it cannot be removed unless the victim is struck by a natural 20 blow from a melee weapon. This blow destroys the cursed shield and also inflicts treble damage dice (with any applicable modifiers added afterwards; this treble damage is not cumulative with any optional critical hit system, if used). The cursed shield is unaffected by remove curse or dispel magic spells.
Magical swords are extraordinarily balanced and honed. Each “plus” is applied to the chance “to hit” and "damage". Many magical blades will shed light (10-foot radius for daggers, 20-foot radius for swords); typically, the sword must be unsheathed for its light to be shed, though some might remain lightless unless a specific command word is spoken. Most magical swords are forged of steel, others of bronze, and others still of rare or exotic materials such as silver, gold, crystal, or meteoritic rock. To determine the type roll on the following table-
D20 Roll/= Sword Type
1–3= @Short Sword
4= @Short Scimitar
5= @Falcata
6–11= @Longsword
12–15= @Broadsword
16–17= @Scimitar
18= @Bastard Sword
19= @Two-Handed Sword
20= @Two-Handed Scimitar
Some magical swords are possessed of intelligence, ego, and purpose. Many such swords are also aligned with Chaos or Law, Good or Evil; indeed, a sword might contain the soul of a dæmon or some other agent. Intelligent swords can communicate audibly, telepathically, or through vague empathetic connexions. A sword is an instrument of death; hence, some intelligent swords might crave the death of all creatures whose alignment is in opposition to their own, whilst others might be more specific, such as a sword with the purpose to slay ape-men or orcs. Even in the hands of a compatible wielder, if the purpose of an intelligent sword is ignored or postponed for an unreasonable period, the sword will find a way to acquire a new “master”. Some intelligent swords are strict in their ethe, punishing with electric shocks men of dissimilar alignment who are foolish enough to unsheathe them. Furthermore, they might urge their wielders to dissociate from or even destroy allies whose personal alignments are in opposition to the swords’. Some swords may complain about, protest, or even forbid the use of other weapons and/or magic items. In extreme conditions, an intelligent sword might turn on its master, forcing him to strike himself or one of his allies. Lastly, some intelligent blades command a small selection of spell-like powers (such as a 10d6 fireball or lightning bolt once per day if the sword is pointed, or perhaps protection from evil any time the blade is brandished). Any such powers are best determined by Franz.
Magical melee weapons are extraordinarily balanced and honed. Each “plus” is applied to the chance “to hit” and "damage". Most are forged of steel, others of bronze, and others still of rare or exotic materials such as silver, gold, crystal, or meteoritic rock. Very few will emanate magical light, and if so the radius is usually no greater than 10 feet.
These weapons provide a bonus (+1 to +4) both to attack and damage rolls. Many are crafted of rare or exotic materials, such as alien wood or metal, crystal, gold, ivory, or silver. In cases where the launcher is magical and the missile mundane, the attack still qualifies as magical when considering those creatures harmed only by magical weapons. Enchanted arrows and bolts will conform themselves to the optimal size and weight for the mechanism that fires them.
Note that magical arrows, crossbow bolts, and sling bullets are single-use items; they are destroyed on a successful hit. If the target is missed, each magical ammunition round might be salvaged on a 3-in-6 chance. Recovering a magical sling bullet outdoors is impossible short of a detect magic spell, however.
cont.