Ironworks Gaming Forum - Armored Arcana: Yay or Nay?

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- - Armored Arcana: Yay or Nay? (http://www.ironworksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26032)

My 6 person party has 5 members who can cast arcane spells (one has Monk levels, so I'm not worried about armoring him up). That's still 4 people who need to be wearing something, making me think this feat might be worth it.

The most notable character I'm considering for this feat has most of his levels in Fighter or Wizard (both get bonus feats, so this shouldn't be a problem). I'm wondering: should I use this feat on him, and if so, what about the characters who don't get bonus feats (Pal/Sorc, Bard/Druid and Rogue/Wiz)? If not AA, then I plan on shooting for those elemental feats, as they both provide added punch and good defense. If I can, maybe I'll shoot for both sets of feats! [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color =lightgreen>I use this feat for multi-classed mages; my single-classed mages don't wear armor so they don't use it. Yes, it takes 3 feats to maximize its usefulness, but they are worth it.</font>

Note that only arcane spellcasters (wizard, specialist wizard, sorceror, bard) have to worry about spell failure from wearing armor. Divine casters (cleric, druid, pally, ranger) do not.

As Azred said, it's worth it for a high fighter/wizard combo. If you're using 1-5 caster levels as mix-ins, it's not worth it.

Personally, I wouldn't bother for most of your characters. As I've mentioned before, I think the best AC comes from tactical placement so that you don't get targeted. I have an advanced party with some of the same characters you currently have (bard/druid, fighter/wiz, pal/sorc) and I don't use armored arcana with any of them. I'd rather spend the feats on the elemental feats, but more importantly on the spell focus feats. Three feats gets you Greater Spell Focus in one school and Spell Focus in another, which I will take any day over armored arcana. If you have a high Dex, you will only get maybe an extra 3-5 AC until the endgame, and I'd rather give the enemy -4 to save against my best spells.

I'm not much of a fan of it. There are many, many nice mage robes out there, and a spell like shield will make any armor with less than 15% failure obsolete anyway.

There is some precedent for taking one feat for using a buckler, but I frankly don't see the point.