Lore reason for only one magical equipment?

Aozgolo108

I understand the basic gameplay balancing reasons for why Baldur's Gate games only allow you to equip one magical piece of equipment per character but I was curious if perhaps there is a lore reason within the Forgotten Realms as to why this is the case?

JuliusBorisov

According to the D&D rules, you can have a magic ring on each hand but you cannot use multiple items that affect the same AC modifier.

Jarrakul

It's not one magical piece of equipment. It's just that you only get one suit of magical armor *or* one [blank] of protection. Why? Good question. Early D&D is weird sometimes.

SethDavis

I think there was an item in nwn with flavour text about a character who made and wore several rings that did the same thing. they resonated with eachother and phased him out of existence. the rings were fine though, so that's nice.

Belanos

It's not a lore reason, it's a game balance thing. If you can wear multiple items that improve your AC, then you can end up with a character that's almost impossible to hit. If it really bothers you, the BG2 Tweaks mod at Gibberlings Three has an option that allows you to remove that restriction. Or change it so that you can still benefit from the save bonus without the AC boost. BG2 Tweaks also works with IWD:EE.

skinnydragon

I admit I know more 3rd than ad&d but I thought it was roughly the same that spells/items affected the base character not the buffed one. In theory you could wear 4 (+1) protection items (2 rings 1 armour and an amulet. The only problem is that you would still only get a +1 bonus. If any items bonus is higher that would be the one you use. This also stops two low level spells out performing a high level one

elminster

bengoshi said:

According to the D&D rules, you can have a magic ring on each hand but you cannot use multiple items that affect the same AC modifier.

As far as I know 2nd edition rules state that you can wear two rings of protection, but only the better ring will actually provide you with any bonuses. You can also wear a ring of protection with magical armour, but you only benefit then from its saving throw bonuses. I don't know anything in 2nd edition about you not being able to use multiple items that affect the same AC modifier (which explains why you can wear a ring of protection and a ring of earth control in BG2).

Implementing it so that only a Ring of Protection's saving throw bonus was in effect if you are wearing magic armor probably was too time intensive given the limited benefits, so I'm guessing the current system was just the easier approach given game limitations.

bob_veng

lore-wise It can be explained nicely like this: the protective enchantments on magical armor, rings of protection and cloaks of protection are of the same kind (have the same magical property) and the "protective fields" don't feed into each other. the stronger enchantment thus consumes the weaker one.

in the game this has been simplified so that you can't even have both protections on yourself but i truly believe that the above was the original intention. there's a certain mod component that enables you to turn off rings' ac effect which enables you to use other properties (such as the save bonus).

weapons, helmets bracers and mage robes that also affect your ac give a different type of magical protection which enables cumulation of effects...i rationalize that as follows:
melee weapons' ac bonus actually is magical parry bonus - your hand is magically guided to deflect incoming attacks
bows' ac bonus is actually like evasion that high dexterity also provides you with
helmet's enchantment only protects the head
mage robes' and bracers base-ac effect is like a permanent armor spell (of varying strength)

jackjack

So it's like same-polarity magnets?

bernardchu

I suppose it is for balance reason. Imagine covering your fighter from head to toe with AC enhancing items. You could easily achieve -20 AC or beyond and transform your fighter into walking GOD! You might as well activate Godmode.