Friday, October 17, 2008

A Magic Item for... ME!

I love playing fighter/wizards. Here's a little toy I've invented for my own use in 4e, to help out that multiclass combo:

Runeshield Level 2+ Magic Item
This iron shield is covered with arcane runes. In the hands of an arcanist, these runes glow with yellow fire.
Level 2: +1, 520 gp
Level 7: +2, 2,600 gp
Level 12: +3, 13,000 gp
Level 17: +4, 65,000 gp
Level 22: +5, 325,000 gp
Level 27: +6, 1,625,000 gp
Property: This shield functions as an implement for any arcane class, but its wielder must be proficient with shields of the appropriate type in order to use it as an implement. It adds the listed enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls for arcane powers that use implements. Note that the enhancement bonus applies only in this situation. It does not apply to AC or Reflex.
Property: The shield grants a +4 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks provoked when you cast an arcane spell.

3 comments:

LesInk said...

Neat idea, but I know the first question a player is going to ask is "does this stack with my regular implement" and the answer, of course, is no. With that said, can a player use this as an implement, have another in his hand, and swap between the two at will using an additional power such as the one you have written?

Mike Mearls said...

Yes. So, a wizard carrying this shield and using a wand would get only use one of those item's enhancement bonuses, but he would still get the shield's bonus against opportunity attacks.

LesInk said...

Okay. Overall, I do like it. In many ways, this just shows the strengths of 4e -- the ability to control where the (game balance) power goes.

I definitely think you are on to something -- ways to compliment multi-class characters and shore up some of the perceived weakness of the multiclass system.

This leads me to wonder if there is the opposite magic item -- an item a fighter (not swordmage per se) can use that grants a bonus in magic. Funny, I'm thinking of an orb that plays music and gives the same bonuses as a 3rd edition bard (as a daily power), hehe. Orb of Inspiration.