Mithril Shirt Question

[sdt]

Is a Mithril Shirt a shirt (vestment) or armor? One of my players wants to wear a Mithril Shirt under a Robe; this isn't allowed if the Mithril Shirt is really armor.

 

[CRGreathouse]

It is armor. It's light and thin enough to be worn under clothing, even a robe, but you can't benefit from both magical armor (like mithral chain) and a magical robe.

 

[Alchemist]

It is armor. It's light and thin enough to be worn under clothing, even a robe, but you can't benefit from both magical armor (like mithral chain) and a magical robe.

Err. I'm pretty sure mithral chain is just chain mail made from mithral, a fantastic (but nonmagical) metal. The SRD for a mithral chain shirt:

Mithral Shirt: This extremely light chain shirt is made of very fine mithral links. Speed while wearing a mithral shirt is 30 feet for Medium creatures, or 20 feet for Small. The armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 10%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +6, and no armor check penalty. It is considered light armor and weighs 10 pounds.

No aura (nonmagical); Price 1,100 gp.

Note the bit about it being nonmagical. I see no reason why one couldn't wear magical robes over this armour and get any non-armour bonuses that might be provided.

I don't know where the idea you can't wear loose clothes over armour comes from. People did it all the time in the good old days. That's what your tabard was.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Note the bit about it being nonmagical. I see no reason why one couldn't wear magical robes over this armour and get any non-armour bonuses that might be provided.

I don't know where the idea you can't wear loose clothes over armour comes from. People did it all the time in the good old days. That's what your tabard was.

It's not that you can't wear it, it's that you can't gain the benefit of two magical items that take up the same spot. So if either the robe isn't magical or the chain shirt isn't, fine. But if you've got a Robe of Eyes and a +5 Mithril Chain Shirt of Heavy Fortification, you have to choose.

MAGIC ITEMS ON THE BODY
Many magic items need to be donned by a character who wants to employ them or benefit from their abilities. It’s possible
for a creature with a humanoid-shaped body to wear as many as twelve magic items at the same time. However, each of those
items must be worn on (or over) a particular part of the body.
A humanoid-shaped body can be decked out in magic gear consisting of one item from each of the following groups, keyed
to which place on the body the item is worn.
• One headband, hat, helmet, or phylactery on the head
• One pair of eye lenses or goggles on or over the eyes
• One amulet, brooch, medallion, necklace, periapt, or scarab around the neck
• One vest, vestment, or shirt on the torso
• One robe or suit of armor on the body (over a vest, vestment, or shirt)
• One belt around the waist (over a robe or suit of armor)
• One cloak, cape, or mantle around the shoulders (over a robe or suit of armor)
• One pair of bracers or bracelets on the arms or wrists
• One glove, pair of gloves, or pair of gauntlets on the hands
• One ring on each hand (or two rings on one hand)
• One pair of boots or shoes on the feet
Of course, a character may carry or possess as many items of the same type as he wishes. However, additional items beyond
those listed above have no effect.

A robe and a suit of armor take up the same magic item slot.

 

[Coredump]

But a Cloak and armour is okay..... whatever.

 

[irdeggman]

Just remember that like bonuses don't stack. So if both items provide an armor bonus then only the higher one applies. This applies to nonmagic items as well as magic ones.

 

[Alchemist]

It's not that you can't wear it, it's that you can't gain the benefit of two magical items that take up the same spot. So if either the robe isn't magical or the chain shirt isn't, fine. But if you've got a Robe of Eyes and a +5 Mithril Chain Shirt of Heavy Fortification, you have to choose.A robe and a suit of armor take up the same magic item slot.

Oh, absolutely. I certainly wasn't attempting to argue that. You had just made it seem like mithral chain was magical, and therefore benefits could not be had when wearing with with a magical robe or somesuch. Mithral chain isn't magical, and so wearing it with a robe of eyes shouldn't pose a problem. A Robe of Armour Bonus +X would, of course, conflict and one would take the higher bonus.

 

[Rel]

Oh, absolutely. I certainly wasn't attempting to argue that. You had just made it seem like mithral chain was magical, and therefore benefits could not be had when wearing with with a magical robe or somesuch. Mithral chain isn't magical, and so wearing it with a robe of eyes shouldn't pose a problem. A Cloak of Armour Bonus +X would, of course, conflict and one would take the higher bonus.

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but since the (non-magical) armor and the (magical) robe take up the same slot on the body, wouldn't this be sort of analagous to wearing non-magical full plate and also +1 padded armor of Heavy Fortification? After all, most historical suits of heavy armor had what was essentially padded armor underneath for comfort.

 

[Alchemist]

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but since the (non-magical) armor and the (magical) robe take up the same slot on the body, wouldn't this be sort of analagous to wearing non-magical full plate and also +1 padded armor of Heavy Fortification? After all, most historical suits of heavy armor had what was essentially padded armor underneath for comfort.

If your DM allowed you such a thing, I suppose so. Dosen't necessarily mean that you get the best of both armours though. They both (armour and robe) take up the same "slot", but "slot" is an abstraction for magic item purposes, not a physical limitation, and so, as I see it, only magic items take up "slots". I can wear a half dozen robes over a suit of full plate with a set of chainmail underneath and it dosen't change a thing as far as the number of slots I've used up. I've used none, until one of those robes or suits of armour is magical. Then I've used the "robe or suit of armor on the body" slot and can get no benefit out another magical robe I throw on because it's cold out.

I would like to pose it this way: There is a limit of 2 magical rings worn. Does that preclude wearing nonmagical rings? Of course not. I can wear as many rings, magical or not, as I like as long as I only want magical benefits from 2 of them. Can one actually wear 2 sets of armour and convince the DM that he should get the bonuses of both, magical or not? I doubt it.

 

[Rel]

I would like to pose it this way: There is a limit of 2 magical rings worn. Does that preclude wearing nonmagical rings? Of course not. I can wear as many rings, magical or not, as I like as long as I only want magical benefits from 2 of them. Can one actually wear 2 sets of armour and convince the DM that he should get the bonuses of both, magical or not? I doubt it.

Fair enough. I was just playing a bit of "devils advocate". I like your example with the rings.