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Old 12-17-2008, 09:00 PM   #1
wanderingelf
 
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Default Armor Enchantments

It seems to me that the armor enchantments in GURPS: Magic are just plain FUBAR. According to the enchantment rules, it is actually more difficult to enchant a shield (via the Defending Shield spell) to give a +1 bonus to Block than it is to enchant one (via the Deflect spell) to give a +1 bonus to Dodge, Parry and Block! What the hell?! Am I missing something?
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Old 12-18-2008, 03:44 AM   #2
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

I don't think that there was much revision done in the enchantment department . . .
In fact, Magic is considered one of the least-revised books in 4e (recently, UT seems to be getting its dose of rants, primarily from Icelander, and Fantasy is occasionally criticised by both him and me).
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Old 12-18-2008, 04:33 AM   #3
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

Yes there seems to be an error. Something relating active and passive defences is my best guess. But I don't think its tragical at all. Since players will use the more reasonable spell first and use the second one, only if its more profit able.
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Old 12-18-2008, 04:45 AM   #4
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderingelf
According to the enchantment rules, it is actually more difficult to enchant a shield (via the Defending Shield spell) to give a +1 bonus to Block than it is to enchant one (via the Deflect spell) to give a +1 bonus to Dodge, Parry and Block! What the hell?! Am I missing something?
If it is so, it isn't a great problem... characters will simply buy Deflect first, and then Defending Shield.
Also I think that Deflect + Defending Shield will be far cheaper than 2 levels of Deflect...
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Old 12-18-2008, 04:57 AM   #5
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lupo
If it is so, it isn't a great problem... characters will simply buy Deflect first, and then Defending Shield.
Also I think that Deflect + Defending Shield will be far cheaper than 2 levels of Deflect...
No actualy 2 levels of Deflect and 1 level of Block is the mark of getting +3 for free.

But I don't realy see it as a major problem! Why does it matter what enchantment is used? Especialy if all characters both PC and NPC and the whole world is using the same formula?!
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Old 12-18-2008, 08:32 AM   #6
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

Defending Shield is most attractive when you've already reached the cap for Deflect, either on your shield or your armor, but yes, if all you care about is raising your Block, Deflect 2 + Defending Shield 1 is cost-efficient. You loose on Dodge and Parry, however.

I personally see no problem with specifically adding a note on Defending Shield saying "This enchantment can only be applied after Deflect 3 has been applied", giving an option of up to +6 on Block without pushing Dodge and Parry (both of which are easy to do multiple times in a turn) into the stratosphere as well.

But, IMO, it works 10x better when you remove the Deflect enchantment entirely, which should have been done when they purged PD from the system :D

EDIT: I've removed Deflect, for example. I'd be more favorable to keeping it if, say, all costs were increased 10x... and it's specifically noted as only applying to Shields, or must be a whole-body enchantment on armor, to avoid the "partial PD" problem that's been re-grandfathered into the system because of it (ugh).
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Old 12-18-2008, 08:41 AM   #7
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
But, IMO, it works 10x better when you remove the Deflect enchantment entirely, which should have been done when they purged PD from the system :D
Ditto. Deflect looks like just a legacy enchantment that should have been dropped. Defending Weapon/Shield are more fairly priced and sufficient for those effects, IMO.
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Old 12-18-2008, 09:01 AM   #8
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

It is a problem in that it is illogical, whether viewed from within the game (how magic "works"), or in terms of game balance (more powerful spells generally being more expensive). The fact that Deflect could be used to enchant any article of armor or clothing (or weapon) to give the bonus makes it even more egregious. I suppose if you are a philistine who does not care whether rules actually make sense, the inconsistency can be shrugged off, but it suggests a rather slipshod job of thinking the rules through during writing and editing.
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Old 12-18-2008, 10:56 AM   #9
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Default Re: Armor Enchantments

Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderingelf
I suppose if you are a philistine who does not care whether rules actually make sense, the inconsistency can be shrugged off, but it suggests a rather slipshod job of thinking the rules through during writing and editing.
"slipshod" isn't the exact word I'd use to describe what the public knowledge of the 4e Magic update reflects... but "rushed" is. If I'm allowed a few more words, "very rushed" might be used :D I'm not sure where I heard it, but I understand it was updated in a matter of one or two months, plus time for layout, art, etc., which is a very very short timespan for something this big.

It didn't need a lot of rough work, the base material has been worked with over the various editions and was pretty strong. However, it's the niggling little details (which so often have important numbers attached in RPGs) that make the difference.
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