Magic Armor and Shield Special Ability Descriptions
Most magic armor and shields have only enhancement bonuses. Such items can also have one or more of the special abilities detailed below. Armor or a shield with a special ability must have at least a +1 enhancement bonus.
Aura: moderate transmutationCLl: 10th
Price: +7,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
On command, the hands and feet of this armor's wearer become incredibly sticky, granting her a climb speed of 20 feet. The stickiness grants the wearer a +2 enhancement bonus on combat maneuver checks made to disarm, grapple, reposition, steal, or trip when the wearer is using a natural weapon or unarmed strike to attempt the maneuver. The wearer can gain these benefits for 10 rounds per day. These rounds need not be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-round intervals. Ending the effect is a free action. Adhesive cannot be placed on armor with any version of the slick special ability.
Aura: strong transmutationCLl: 12th
Price: +2 Bonus
Weight: &mdash
As a move action, an animated shield can be loosed to defend its wielder on its own. For the following 4 rounds, the shield grants its bonus to the one who loosed it and then drops. While animated, the shield provides its shield bonus and the bonuses from all of the other shield special abilities it possesses, but it cannot take actions on its own, such as those provided by the bashing and blinding abilities. It can, however, use special abilities that do not require an action to function, such as arrow deflection and reflecting. While animated, a shield shares the same space as the activating character and accompanies the character who activated it, even if the character moves by magical means. A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency. If the wielder who loosed it has an unoccupied hand, she can grasp it to end its animation as a free action. Once a shield has been retrieved, it cannot be animated again for at least 4 rounds. This special ability cannot be added to a tower shield.
Aura: moderate abjurationCLl: 8th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
A shield with this ability attracts ranged weapon attacks to it. It has a deflection bonus of +1 against ranged weapons because projectiles and thrown weapons veer toward it. Additionally, any projectile or thrown weapon aimed at a target within 5 feet of the shield's wearer diverts from its original target and targets the shield's bearer instead. If the wielder has total cover relative to the attacker, the projectile or thrown weapon is not diverted. Additionally, those attacking the wearer with ranged weapons ignore any miss chances that would normally apply. Projectiles and thrown weapons that have an enhancement bonus higher than the shield's base AC bonus are not diverted to the wearer (but the shield's deflection bonus still applies against these weapons). The wielder can activate or deactivate this ability with a command word.
Aura: faint abjurationCLl: 5th
Price: +2 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This shield protects the wielder as if he had the Deflect Arrows feat. Once per round when he would normally be struck by a ranged weapon, he can make a DC 20 Reflex save. If the ranged weapon (or piece of ammunition) has an enhancement bonus, the DC increases by that amount. If he succeeds, the shield deflects the weapon. He must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. Attempting to deflect a ranged weapon doesn't count as an action. Exceptional ranged weapons, such as boulders hurled by giants or acid arrows, can't be deflected.
Aura: faint transmutationCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This armor pushes back against anything that threatens to knock its wearer to the ground. The wearer gains a +4 bonus to his Combat Maneuver Defense against combat maneuvers made to overrun or trip and on Acrobatics check made to maintain balance. Dropping prone while wearing balanced armor is a move action instead of a free action. The balanced ability can be applied to light or medium armors, but not heavy armors or shields.
Aura: moderate transmutationCLl: 8th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
A shield with this special ability is designed to perform a shield bash. A bashing shield deals damage as if it were a weapon of two size categories larger (a Medium light shield thus deals 1d6 points of damage and a Medium heavy shield deals 1d8 points of damage). The shield acts as a +1 weapon when used to bash. Only light and heavy shields can have this ability.
Aura: faint enchantmentCLl: 5th
Price: +2,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
This suit of armor best serves a wearer who focuses on assisting and protecting his allies. Benevolent armor is usually decorated with motifs of prosperity, plenty, and generosity, such as helping hands, cornucopias, and flourishing plants. When the wearer of a suit of benevolent armor uses the aid another action to give an ally a bonus to AC against an opponent's next attack, he also adds the benevolent armor's enhancement bonus to the ally's AC.
Aura: faint transmutationCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This armor exudes an exceptionally vile and bitter taste whenever something bites or swallows a creature that is wearing it. Any creature that grapples the wearer with a bite attack (or any other attack using the mouth) must succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save to avoid immediately ending the grapple.
If the wearer is swallowed whole, the swallowing creature must succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save at the start of each turn that the armored victim remains alive inside of the creature or become nauseated for 1 round. The creature may vomit up the victim as a standard action. This is a poison effect.
Aura: moderate evocationCLl: 7th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
A shield with this ability flashes with a brilliant light up to twice per day upon command of the wielder. Except for the wielder, anyone within 20 feet must make a successful DC 14 Reflex save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds.
Aura: faint enchantmentCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
Anytime the wearer of bolstering armor damages a creature with a melee or ranged attack, he gains a +2 competence bonus on saving throws against that creature's abilities until the start of his next turn. The bolstering ability can be applied to medium armor, heavy armor, light shields, heavy shields, and tower shields, but not light armor or bucklers.
Aura: faint transmutationCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
The wearer of brawling armor gains a +2 bonus on unarmed attack and damage rolls, including combat maneuver checks made to grapple. Her unarmed strikes count as magic weapons for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. These bonuses do not apply to natural weapons. This special ability does not prevent the wearer's unarmed strikes from provoking attacks of opportunity or make the wearer's unarmed strikes count as armed attacks. The brawling ability can be applied only to light armor.
Aura: faint abjurationCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This armor special ability works only for good creatures with the challenge ability (such as cavaliers) or the smite evil ability (such as paladins, half-celestials, and creatures with the celestial creature template). A wearer with one of these abilities gains a +2 sacred bonus to AC against attacks from the chosen opponent.
Aura: moderate evocationCLl: 7th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
A shield with this ability rings loudly when struck in combat. As an immediate action when the wearer is hit by an attack, the wearer can activate the shield to create a deafening bang equivalent to a thunderstone. If the attack is a critical hit, the wearer can instead create a sound burst (Fortitude DC 13 partial). The wearer decides the area for either effect, but must include the attacker in the area. Neither ability affects the wearer.
Aura: moderate illusion and transmutationCLl: 7th
Price: +5,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
A suit of creeping armor is made to keep the wearer's movement covert. The armor's armor check penalty does not apply to the wearer's Stealth checks. Once per day, the wearer can speak a command word to grant himself a bonus on Stealth checks equal to the armor's enhancement bonus for 1 minute.
Aura: faint abjurationCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This armor special ability works only for evil creatures with the challenge ability (such as cavaliers) or the smite good ability (such as antipaladins, half-fiends, and creatures with the fiendish creature template). A wearer with one of these abilities gains a +2 profane bonus to AC against attacks from the chosen opponent.
Aura: moderate abjurationCLl: 7th
Price: +1 Bonus
Weight: &mdash
This armor protects its wearer from harmful negative and positive energy, including channeled energy. The armor absorbs the first 10 points of positive or negative energy damage per attack that the wearer would normally take. The wearer has a 25% chance to ignore negative levels from any attack. Deathless armor does not block healing of any kind and does not protect against positive or negative energy effects that do not deal damage or bestow negative levels. The deathless ability can be applied to armor of any sort, but not shields.
Aura: moderate conjurationCLl: 8th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
Armor and shields with this special ability excel at blocking the attacks of certain types of creatures, similar to a bane weapon's excelling against certain foes. Against the designated foe, the item's enhancement bonus to AC is +2 better than its actual bonus and provides DR 2/— against attacks from that foe. This increase in enhancement bonus applies only to the armor or shield's enhancement bonus, not to temporary bonuses (such as the magic vestment spell). To randomly determine the armor or shield's designated foe, use the table for the bane weapon special ability.
Aura: faint transmutationCLl: 5th
Price: +10,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
Armor with this special ability grants the wearer a burrow speed of 10 feet. This speed allows the wearer to tunnel through any type of soil, including rocky soil, but not actual solid stone. This special ability does not give the wearer the ability to breathe underground, so he must hold his breath or use other magic that provides air or allows him to breathe. The wearer gains a +4 bonus on all saving throws against landslides, avalanches, tunnel collapses, and similar effects.
Aura: moderate conjurationCLl: 10th
Price: +30,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
A shield or armor with the determination special ability provides the ability to fight on even in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Once per day, when the owner reaches 0 or fewer hit points, the item automatically provides a breath of life spell.
Aura: faint abjurationCLl: 3rd
Price: +18,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
A suit of armor or a shield with this special ability protects against one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) and is designed with patterns depicting the element it protects against. The armor absorbs the first 10 points of energy damage per attack that the wearer would normally take (similar to the resist energy spell).
Aura: moderate abjurationCLl: 11th
Price: +66,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
As energy resistance, except it absorbs the first 30 points of energy damage per attack.
Aura: moderate abjurationCLl: 7th
Price: +42,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
As energy resistance, except it absorbs the first 20 points of energy damage per attack.
Aura: strong transmutationCLl: 13th
Price: +49,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
On command, this ability allows the wearer of the armor to become ethereal (as the ethereal jaunt spell) once per day. The character can remain ethereal for as long as desired, but once he returns to normal, he cannot become ethereal again that day.
Aura: faint transmutationCLl: 5th
Price: +4,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
Three times per day as a swift action, the wearer of expeditious armor can summon a burst of speed and gain a +10-foot enhancement bonus on all modes of movement for 1 round. This ability can be applied to any kind of armor, but not shields.
Aura: strong abjurationCLl: 13th
Price: varies
Weight: &mdash
This suit of armor or shield produces a magical force that protects vital areas of the wearer more effectively. 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. The chance is 25% for light fortification, 50% for moderate fortification, and 75% for heavy fortification.
Aura: strong transmutationCLl: 15th
Price: +3 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This armor or shield seems almost translucent. Both its enhancement bonus and its armor bonus count against the attacks of corporeal and incorporeal creatures. It can be picked up, moved, and worn by corporeal and incorporeal creatures alike. Incorporeal creatures gain the armor's or shield's enhancement bonus against both corporeal and incorporeal attacks, and they can still pass freely through solid objects.
Aura: moderate illusionCLl: 10th
Price: +2,700 gp
Weight: &mdash
Upon command, a suit of glamered armor changes shape and appearance to assume the form of a normal set of clothing. The armor retains all its properties (including weight) when it is so disguised. Only a true seeing spell or similar magic reveals the true nature of the armor when it is disguised.
Aura: faint transmutationCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
A shield or suit of armor with this special ability is covered with jagged burrs and razor-sharp serrations that saw and grind whenever the wearer is grappled or entangled. Any creature succeeding at a grapple combat maneuver check against the wearer takes damage equal to the armor or shield's enhancement bonus (with each successful check) as the barbs and blades bite into it. This special ability counts as armor spikes for the purpose of making attacks on the wearer's turn.
Aura: moderate illusionCLl: 7th
Price: +15,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
Every step taken in harmonizing armor produces a symphony of sounds. The armor harmonizes with music played, lyrics sung, and words spoken by its wearer, creating a pleasant counter-melody. Its wearer gains a +5 competence bonus on Perform checks, but takes a –5 penalty on Stealth checks. The wearer can be silent only if he takes no physical actions. The armor also amplifies harmful sounds, and the wearer gains vulnerability to sonic energy damage (sonic energy attacks deal an additional 50% damage to the wearer).
If the wearer has the bardic performance class feature, the harmonizing armor causes bonuses and penalties from performances that have an audible component to continue for 1 round after the wearer ceases performing. Beginning a new bardic performance ends the effects of the previous performance immediately. This ability does not stack with the Lingering Performance feat.
The harmonizing ability can be applied to any armor, but not shields.
Aura: moderate conjurationCLl: 9th
Price: +7,500 gp
Weight: &mdash
A suit of armor or shield with this special ability hides living animals within its iconography to keep it safe. The wearer can speak a command word to magically store an animal to which he is bonded, such as an animal companion, a familiar, or mount. The stored animal appears as a symbol emblazoned upon the armor or shield, either one that mimics the appearance of the animal or that is more symbolic and abstract.
While stored, the animal is sleeping and provides the wearer no benefit (such as a familiar's skill bonus). The size of animal that can be stored depends on the type of armor or shield. A suit of light armor, medium armor, or a light shield or heavy shield can store one animal up to the wearer's size. A suit of heavy armor or a tower shield can store one animal up to one size category larger than the wearer. A second command word releases the stored animal from the hosteling armor or shield. A released animal immediately awakens, appears in a space adjacent to the wearer, and can take actions on the round it appears.
Because the stored animal is sleeping rather than in suspended animation (or even hibernating), it ages and gets hungry at the normal rate while stored. A hosteling armor or shield automatically releases a stored animal 24 hours after it was stored inside.
This armor special ability still works on bonded magical beasts that were once animals, but not outsiders, oozes, or other exotic companion creatures.
Aura: moderate transmutationCLl: 7th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
A shield or suit of armor with this special ability is especially hardy. It gains double its enhancement bonus to hardness and hit points (instead of just the enhancement bonus), its break DC increases by double its enhancement bonus, and it gains a bonus on saving throws against direct attacks (such as a rust monster's rust ability) equal to its enhancement bonus.
Aura: strong variesCLl: 18th
Price: +3 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This suit of armor grants the wearer damage reduction 5/magic. Invulnerable armor emits a strong aura of abjuration (and evocation if miracle is used).
Aura: faint transmutationCLl: 5th
Price: +3,750 gp
Weight: &mdash
This suit of armor helps its wearer remain mounted and in control of his mount. The wearer gains a +5 competence bonus on Ride skill checks.
Aura: moderate conjurationCLl: 9th
Price: +18,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
This armor allows the wearer to capitalize on her own injuries to heal her allies. Once per day as an immediate action, when an enemy confirms a critical hit against someone wearing martyring armor, the wearer can heal up to nine allies within 30 feet as if using the mass cure light wounds spell (1d8+9 hit points each). This special ability cannot be placed on armor that possesses an ability that reduces the chance of or negates a critical hit (such as the fortification special ability).
Aura: moderate transmutationCLl: 10th
Price: +2 bonus
Weight: &mdash
A merging shield can meld with a held one-handed or light weapon. The wearer chooses each round whether to attack with the weapon or defend with the shield. Melding or freeing the shield requires a command word. The shield must be worn to merge it with a weapon; reversing the melding means the shield is being worn again. While the shield is melded, the wearer can use that hand only to attack with the weapon or defend with the shield (and not to cast spells or manipulate objects, for example). Attack rolls with the weapon take a –2 penalty while merged with a light shield or a –4 penalty while merged with a heavy shield. If the wearer attacks with the merged weapon, she loses the shield's bonus to AC until the start of her next turn. A merged shield can't be used to shield bash. Only light and heavy shields can be merging shields.
Aura: moderate abjurationCLl: 8th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
The polished surface of a mirrored shield or armor gleams and shines, and can be used as an ordinary mirror. Furthermore, it aids in battling creatures with gaze attacks. If the wearer averts his eyes, he can roll the miss chance twice, selecting the better result. The wearer can deal sneak attack or other precision-based damage to the target even though it has concealment against him. This provides no benefit if the wearer closes his eyes, wears a blindfold, or otherwise can't see the target at all. The mirrored armor or shield also adds it enhancement bonus to the wearer's touch AC against rays. it. This special ability may only be added to metallic armor or shields.
Aura: moderate conjurationCLl: 7th
Price: +2,250 gp
Weight: &mdash
A suit of armor or shield with this special ability grants the wearer a +3 resistance bonus on saving throws against poison.
Aura: faint conjurationCLl: 5th
Price: +10,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
armor gives off a revolting, stomach-twisting stench. Each living creatures within 10 feet of the wearer must succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save or be sickened for 5 rounds. This is a poison effect. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same armor's stench for 24 hours. Creatures with the stench universal monster ability or immunity to poison are unaffected. The wearer of putrid armor is immune to his own stench, but not to stench-based effects from other sources. The stench can be suppressed or resumed on command, but it takes 1 minute for an active stench to dissipate. Dissipation time increases to 10 minutes in a closed area or if no wind is blowing, and decreases to 3 rounds in moderate wind or 1 round in strong wind.
Aura: moderate evocationCLl: 6th
Price: +7,500 gp
Weight: &mdash
Armor and shields with the radiant special ability shine as brightly as a torch when worn. This radiance can be suppressed or resumed on command. Designs usually feature bright colors and a brilliant sheen even when not illuminated. Once per day, the wearer can command the armor or shield to brighten to the strength of a daylight spell for 1 hour or until commanded to dim.
Aura: faint abjurationCLl: 5th
Price: +5,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
This armor or shield is brightly polished, and its mirror-bright surface is magically endowed with the ability to bring comfort to the wearer's companions. Allies within 30 feet of the wearer gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. If the wearer has an ability that grants a morale bonus on saving throws against fear (such as a paladin's aura of courage, a bard's countersong, or a cavalier's banner ability), the morale bonus increases to +6.
Aura: faint evocationCLl: 5th
Price: +1 bonus
Weight: &mdash
These shields are sturdily built and often bear the device of a ram or bull. When the wielder of a ramming shield makes a shield bash attack as part of a charge, the shield's enhancement bonus to Armor Class applies to the attack and damage rolls. This doesn't stack with any existing enhancement the shield has. If the attack hits, as a swift action the wielder can attempt a bull rush combat maneuver against that target, adding the +2 bonus for charging and the shield's enhancement bonus to the combat maneuver check. Only shields that can make a shield bash attack can have the ramming ability.
Aura: strong abjurationCLl: 14th
Price: +5 bonus
Weight: &mdash
This shield is as highly polished as a mirror, and its surface is completely reflective. Once per day, it can be called on to reflect a spell back at its caster exactly like the spell turning spell.
Aura: moderate transmutationCLl: 10th
Price: +27,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
Armor with this special ability is often engraved or enameled with religious symbols. Once per day on command, the wearer can invoke an effect, as per the spell righteous might, lasting for 10 rounds. Righteous armor is always aligned toward good (positive energy), for the effects of righteous might. Righteous armor bestows one permanent negative level on any evil creature attempting to wear it. The negative level remains as long as the armor is worn and disappears when it is removed. This negative level cannot be overcome in any way (including by restoration spells) while the armor is worn.
Aura: faint illusionCLl: 5th
Price: +3,750 gp
Weight: &mdash
This armor blurs the wearer whenever she tries to hide, while also dampening the sound around her, granting a +5 competence bonus on Stealth checks. The armor's armor check penalty still applies normally.
Aura: strong illusionCLl: 15th
Price: +33,750 gp
Weight: &mdash
As shadow, except it grants a +15 competence bonus on Stealth checks.
Aura: moderate illusionCLl: 10th
Price: +15,000 gp
Weight: &mdash
As shadow, except it grants a +10 competence bonus on Stealth checks.
Aura: faint conjurationCLl: 4th
Price: +3,750 gp
Weight: &mdash
Aura: strong conjuration
CLl: 15th
Price: +33,750 gp
Weight: &mdash
As slick, except it grants a +15 competence bonus on Escape Artist checks.