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Ankheg Plate Mail +2, is it really "magical?"

BoasterBoaster Member Posts: 622
edited August 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
I was thinking about the "Ankheg Plate Mail +2" that the Thundersmithy guy makes for you out of the Ankheg scale and 4000 gold.

Is it really "magical?" In essence, it's considered a Plate Mail +2, but it's made from Ankheg scale.

In my opinion, I don't think this should be considered magical. It's just an armor made from a beast. I don't see anything magical about it, except that a blacksmith was able to make armor out of it. But that's more of the magical skills of the smith than the product itself.

Comments

  • FrozenCellsFrozenCells Member Posts: 385
    The Ankheg plate is weird in other ways too. Druids can use it just fine (since it's a natural armour I guess), yet there's a splint mail made out of (I think) Wyverns in BG2 but Druids can't equip it. Not much consistency.
  • AliteriAliteri Member Posts: 308
    Balancing purposes that can be easily justified storywise. Maybe Ankhegs are magical in nature and similar to these (relatively) common wards you can see in items throught the sword coast.

    Though I'd rather that the magical bonus simply couldn't be stacked, as opposed to being physically unable to put a ring of protection and the ankheg armor on.
  • YemethYemeth Member Posts: 36
    aah i love this armor, first thing to do when my party arrive in nashkel is to grab it in "secret" farm stash ( x = 186, y = 2744) :P
  • CheesebellyCheesebelly Member Posts: 1,727
    Their spits (like any other missile projectile really, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT) is homing... I consider that pretty damn magical XD

    Then again, maybe they aren't, that I can't say for sure. Lack proper expertise when it comes to mystical beings, but as other mentioned, for balancing purposes, I believe it's better if it IS magical :)
  • Daedalus87mDaedalus87m Member Posts: 92
    FrozenCells said:

    The Ankheg plate is weird in other ways too. Druids can use it just fine (since it's a natural armour I guess), yet there's a splint mail made out of (I think) Wyverns in BG2 but Druids can't equip it. Not much consistency.

    And Cernd can use the Shadow Dragon Armor thingy or whatever is the official name.
    His kit description says he shouldn't be able to wear armor at all!

  • BoasterBoaster Member Posts: 622
    Daedalus87m said:

    FrozenCells said:

    The Ankheg plate is weird in other ways too. Druids can use it just fine (since it's a natural armour I guess), yet there's a splint mail made out of (I think) Wyverns in BG2 but Druids can't equip it. Not much consistency.

    And Cernd can use the Shadow Dragon Armor thingy or whatever is the official name.
    His kit description says he shouldn't be able to wear armor at all!

    That's interesting.

    I just don't see how it should be considered magical.
  • bigdogchrisbigdogchris Member Posts: 1,336
    After reading the description for Ankhegs, I agree the magical portion should be removed. If the description would of mentioned some type of magical enhancements or that their chitin required a magical weapon to attack them then I would think the magic tag should stay.
  • TheGrapeTyphlosionTheGrapeTyphlosion Member Posts: 29
    After reading the Ankheg description in both an Advanced D&D Monster Manual and on the Forgotten Realms Wiki I agree that the Ankheg has no magical properties and the armor should not be treated as a magic item.
  • SynergeticSynergetic Member Posts: 69
    edited August 2012
    Magical monster = magical armor ;D

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Beast_(Dungeons_&_Dragons)

    Not a surefire source but a lot of the D&D sites do say its a magical monster.
  • JolanthusJolanthus Member Posts: 292
    Boaster said:

    I was thinking about the "Ankheg Plate Mail +2" that the Thundersmithy guy makes for you out of the Ankheg scale and 4000 gold.

    Is it really "magical?" In essence, it's considered a Plate Mail +2, but it's made from Ankheg scale.

    It's Full Plate, that's why it's got +2 over regular plate. It's not magical.
  • Twilight_FoxTwilight_Fox Member Posts: 448
    In my opinion, this full plate should not be magical.
  • Avenger_teambgAvenger_teambg Member, Developer Posts: 5,862
    http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/1287/bg1-bug-ankheg-plate-plat06-incorrectly-designated-as-magical
  • KraytKnightKraytKnight Member Posts: 31
    Why don't you just use Full Plate, Ring of Protection +2, And +3 Shield.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    Yemeth said:

    aah i love this armor, first thing to do when my party arrive in nashkel is to grab it in "secret" farm stash ( x = 186, y = 2744) :P

    I really need to learn all the secret stash locations. I only know of the ring of wizardry outside the friendly arm inn. You'd think having played the game ten years I'd have bothered to learn them by now.
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    @Elminster I know about the FAA ring but I've never been able to find it without Tutu to highlight the area and even then I've only found it once. I've been playing for over 10 years as well ans just hearing about this armor.
  • MornmagorMornmagor Member Posts: 1,160
    edited August 2012
    Well it's not considered magical any more so :p

    Now with the tab key however, finding all those miscellaneous stuff along with anything new they add will be easier.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    Why don't you just use Full Plate, Ring of Protection +2, And +3 Shield.
    Because there isn't a +3 shield in BG1?
  • MornmagorMornmagor Member Posts: 1,160
    Besides, what's the point in using regular full plate when you can look like an ankheg? :P

    Your badassery is obvious in green.

    Right? :p
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    Dragonspear said:

    @Elminster I know about the FAA ring but I've never been able to find it without Tutu to highlight the area and even then I've only found it once. I've been playing for over 10 years as well ans just hearing about this armor.

    I only play BG1 as the vanilla so I've got no tab to help me with any of this. I don't mind trilogy, but I'm not a fan of Tutu.
  • BoasterBoaster Member Posts: 622
    KraytKnight said:

    Why don't you just use Full Plate, Ring of Protection +2, And +3 Shield.

    Full plate takes a lot of weight. 70 lbs.
  • LadyRhianLadyRhian Member Posts: 14,694
    Yes, that's the best part of Ankheg plate- it protects like Full Plate, but weighs less.
  • DragonspearDragonspear Member Posts: 1,838
    Since we've done this though does that mean that the Red Dragon Plate and Shadow Dragon leather armor will also not be magical? (And awesome if that's true)
  • ddubiousddubious Member Posts: 29
    Its okay if Dragon Armor is magical. Its made of dragon bits. Dragons can even hurt creatures that take magic items to harm, and they come with hordes of magic spells.

    We've also allowed excellent craftsmen in the games to sell magic items that 'they created', without being spell casters themselves. Maybe a fantastic raw material and a fantastic crafter can make a magic item. Old school adamantine items (like those of the drow) also held 'magic' bonuses - and in pnp dnd too.

    Ankheg plate is... not magical, but for game balance, it should stay as 'magical'. Full Plate is hard to come by in BG1, and I always felt that Ankheg Plate was already overpowered without letting it stack with other magical protection. Plate +2 for everyone, easy peasy, (and stacking with rings) just doesn't feel right.
  • SeffSeff Member Posts: 1
    BG1 UB has an added line saying that Thalantyr enchanted it after Mr. Thundersmithy crafted it, before handing it to the player. That's a good middleway, if nothing else.
  • DazzuDazzu Member Posts: 950
    Daedalus87m said:

    FrozenCells said:

    The Ankheg plate is weird in other ways too. Druids can use it just fine (since it's a natural armour I guess), yet there's a splint mail made out of (I think) Wyverns in BG2 but Druids can't equip it. Not much consistency.

    And Cernd can use the Shadow Dragon Armor thingy or whatever is the official name.
    His kit description says he shouldn't be able to wear armor at all!

    You used Cernd?
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