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Author Topic: Druid Item Suggestion  (Read 357 times)

Llu

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    Druid Item Suggestion
    « on: August 22, 2006, 02:13:04 am »
    With druids comes a description of what they may and what they may not wear or use.
    Metal is prohibited, except for the scimitar, etc...
    And if I remember, I read something about suggestions welcome...
    If I may:

    chitin armor ==> chitin is an insect's natural amor
    a frenzied stag beetle attacks our druid, empathy fails, druid must kill...
    as his oath forces him, he "skins" the beetle with his stone knife goes home and works the carapace into armor..
    the result is something much like a platemail, only much lighter, and a little less protective (I'd said almost equivalent to breast plate, or splint mail)

    bark armor ==> bark is a tree's natural armor, some bark types are even highly resistant to fire...
    instead of metal plates, bands etc, use bark...

    during my holiday in scotland, I read Mistress of the Empire, a book written by Raymond E. Feist and his wife Janny Wurts.
    In this book, metal could only be found on another world, but still the warriors of tsuranuanni used swords and shields. These were made of specially treated hide, as strong as iron, but very lightweight...

    interesting?
    I hope so

    regards
    Llu
     

    Stephen_Zuckerman

    Re: Druid Item Suggestion
    « Reply #1 on: August 22, 2006, 06:42:19 pm »
    It's perfectly possible to make a nonmetal blade of real length, but it A) wouldn't hold an edge very well without magical treatment, and B) would also simply not have the weight to it that a normal metal blade would, thus SIGNIFICANTLY lowering its cutting power. I would think that having -1 damage, but +1 attack would represent this pretty well.

    Bark armor... Heh. Not a chance. Barkskin, the spell, adds +4 to AC because your skin is covered with thick, magically flexible and strong bark. Regular bark, skinned from a tree, is far to light, far too brittle, and crumbles far too easily to be useful as armor. Now, sure, perhaps you could make a suit of scale-like armor from chitin (which is actually steamed, shaped, and layered bugshell) or a hardwood, or even, as you said, a brigandine-esque sort of outfit.

    I, for one, wouldn't count on boiled leather to hold enough of an edge to use even as a heavy battle-pick.
     

    Fatherchaos

    Re: Druid Item Suggestion
    « Reply #2 on: August 22, 2006, 07:11:57 pm »
    Bark armor? While I agree armor made directly of bark chips would not be very plausable, there are other forms of natural armor. E.g. The earliest forms of Samurai armor were made of interwoven stalks of laqured bamboo that had been carefully treated for strength and durability. I would assume it is equivilant to its Splint Mail, Oyoroi, and Yoroi sucessors whose primary change was the inclusion of iron and bronze. If you think treated bamboo and rope lacks strength, please review the Japanese bamboo firework shows where young men performing for their adult hood hold a massive carefully packed charge of black powder and trace metals for a grand fireworks show. I forget the term off hand, but I can drum it up for you if necessary.

    Another reference occured in 1766 - 1122 BC during the Shang Dynasty, where troupes were given armor made of bronze & bamboo, and later kendo armor replicas made of bamboo. The use of bamboo in Asian military history appears to be more of a cultural representation that was perfected with the use of bronze, iron, and steel.

    On another note, there is also the natural armor that was used by various indigenous native tribes in America and Australia. Much of it was primarily ornamental, as I've seen some of the relics once worn by my own tselagi ancestors. But there is evidence of reed brestplates, if they could be called as much.
     

    Stephen_Zuckerman

    Re: Druid Item Suggestion
    « Reply #3 on: August 22, 2006, 07:16:52 pm »
    Bamboo (technically a grass) fits under the heading of "hardwood" in my book, in terms of armor and building materials. It's strong, light stuff that's incredibly cheap and easy to get. It's even edible, if cooked right. Great stuff. Sorry I didn't think to mention it more specifically when speaking of "hardwood" armors. Woven or overlapping bamboo would be (and is, in the armors I've seen) VERY strong. And if it breaks? Finding more is easy.
     

    Llu

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      Re: Druid Item Suggestion
      « Reply #4 on: August 23, 2006, 05:58:54 am »
      all is true, and the leather swords were kind of strange indeed, I just thought I'd mention them.
      but, if you would combine the bamboo armor, or leather armor, with patches of bark, it would make the wearer less vulnerable to fire.
      And even as "we" use wooden shields, why not tie these shields together, so you get some sort of plate mail? wooden plates in stead of metal
       

      Stephen_Zuckerman

      Re: Druid Item Suggestion
      « Reply #5 on: August 23, 2006, 03:09:03 pm »
      How would you be less vulerable to fire than, say, ice? You'll note that the druidic Wooden Tower Shield gives you a weakness to fire. Why? Wood is flammable.
       

      Llu

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        Re: Druid Item Suggestion
        « Reply #6 on: August 23, 2006, 11:38:21 pm »
        that's my point: MOST dried wood is flammable. but I've made enough fires in my life to know that not ALL woods burn. And for some trees, especially for those that groow in hot, dry areas, where forestfires are not uncommon, bark offers natural protection against fire, simply resisting to burn.
        I tried to burn bark once or twice, and it was usually redwood-tree-like bark that wouldened burn.
         

        Talan Va'lash

        Re: Druid Item Suggestion
        « Reply #7 on: August 24, 2006, 01:31:22 am »
        Items of this sort have been made but haven't been put in game yet due to a CNR database holdup.

        Hopefully the situation will be resolved before too long and we'll see them in game.
         

        Llu

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          Re: Druid Item Suggestion
          « Reply #8 on: August 24, 2006, 08:01:55 am »
          including chitin based items?
           

           

          anything