Converting D&D Armor and Shield Enchantments

In a previous post I discussed my ideas for converting magic weapons from D&D to Savage Worlds. This time I'm going to cover armor and shields.

The concept is pretty much the same, although one notable difference is that some of the magic bonuses for D&D armor and shields have a purely financial cost instead of a numeric bonus value. To keep things simple, I chose to stick to numeric bonuses (+1, +2, etc.). Some of the bonuses have also been merged (e.g., "Shadow" and "Silent Moves") or streamlined.

Standard Enchantments

Most magic armor and shields in D&D have a simple fixed bonus in the range +1 to +5, which is applied directly to the wearer's Armor Class. However Savage Worlds is far less granular, and even +1 armor is a potent bonus, so here is the approach I recommend.

+1 Armor: +1 armor, reduced to +0 if hit with a raise.

+2 Armor: +1 armor.

+3 Armor: +2 armor, reduced to +1 if hit with a raise.

+4 Armor: +2 armor.

+5 Armor: +3 armor, reduced to +2 if hit with a raise.

+1 Shield: +1 armor against ranged shots.

+2 Shield: +2 armor against ranged shots.

+3 Shield: +1 Parry.

+4 Shield: +1 Parry, and +1 armor against ranged shots that hit.

+5 Shield: +1 Parry, and +2 armor against ranged shots that hit.

This is also consistent with the ability prices listed in Savage Armoury. Note that if you're using Savage Armoury as well, enchanted weapons and armor should always have the Masterwork ability.

Special Enchantments

The following are some proposed conversions of the special armor and shield abilities used in D&D. As with the weapons, the goal is to retain the general flavor of the original ability, while significantly toning down the mechanical benefits to match those described earlier.

Acid Resistance (+1/+2): Acid damage against the wearer is reduced by 2 or 4 points.

Animated (+2): As a normal action you can release this shield from your hand, causing it to float beside you and protect you as if you were holding it. This is treated as if you were holding the shield for all purposes (including encumbrance and Arcane Spell Failure), except that you can use your hand for other things. You can grasp the shield again at any time as a free action, and cannot activate more than one Animated shield at a time.

Arrow Catching (+1): This shield can be activated as a normal action and deactivated as a free action. While active it attracts arrows, thrown weapons, and other ranged attacks, causing them to veer unerringly towards it. Any ranged attacks made against targets adjacent to you are automatically diverted towards you instead. All ranged attacks against you receive a +1 bonus to hit and halve any penalties for obscurement or poor lighting, but don't inflict any additional damage for Called Shots or raises, as they invariably strike the center of your shield. This ability does not work against spells or area-effect attacks, nor against particularly large attacks such as siege weapons.

Arrow Deflection (+2): This shield can be used once per round to try and deflect a ranged attack that would normally hit you, as long as you are aware of it and not Shaken; make an opposed Agility roll against the attack roll, if you win then the attack is deflected and misses you. This ability does not work against spells or area-effect attacks, nor against particularly large attacks such as siege weapons.

Bashing (+1): This shield inflicts +1 damage when used to make a Shield Bash maneuver.

Blinding (+1): This shield can unleash a flash of brilliant light up to twice per day as a normal action, filling an area the size of a Large Burst Template centered on the character. Everyone within the area (other than the character) must make a standard (TN 4) Agility roll or become Shaken; if a target rolls 1 on their Agility die (or rolls a critical failure if they're a Wild Card) they are also blinded until they recover from being Shaken.

Cold Resistance (+1/+2): Cold damage against the wearer is reduced by 2 or 4 points.

Electricity Resistance (+1/+2): Electricity damage against the wearer is reduced by 2 or 4 points.

Etherealness (+3): This armor allows the wearer to cast Intangibility on themselves, using Spirit for the arcane skill roll; the armor has 5 Power Points for this power.

Fire Resistance (+1/+2): Fire damage against the wearer is reduced by 2 or 4 points.

Fortification (+1/+2): This armor or shield produces a magical force which protects the vitals. Additional damage caused by Called Shots is reduced by 2 or 4.

Ghost Touch (+3): This armor or shield protects against both ethereal and non-ethereal creatures. It can also be picked up and used by ethereal creatures.

Glamoured (+1): This armor can take on the illusionary appearance of a normal set of clothing, although it still retains its normal weight and provides its normal protection. The illusionary appearance is always the same, but remains active as long as the wearer wishes; switching the illusion on or off is a normal action.

Invulnerability (+3): This armor increases the wearer's Vigor by +1 die step.

Reflecting (+5): This shield can be used once per day to reflect a spell that targets you personally (i.e., it doesn't work against area effect spells). Make a standard (TN 4) Spirit roll, with a -2 penalty if the spell was cast with a raise: on a failure you are affected by the spell, while on a success the spell is reflected back on the caster.

Shadowy (+1/+2): This armor grants you a +1 or +2 bonus to Stealth rolls when attempting to move silently or remain unseen.

Slick (+1): This armor grants you a +2 bonus to resist and escape from grapple, constrict, Entangle, and other forms of confinement.

Sonic Resistance (+1/+2): Sonic damage against the wearer is reduced by 2 or 4 points.

Spell Resistance (+2/+4): This armor grants the wearer a +1 or +2 bonus to resist opposed magic, as well as +1 or +2 armor against damage-causing magic.

Undead Controlling (+3): This armor or shield grants the wearer the ability to cast Puppet on any creature with the Undead ability, using Spirit for the arcane skill roll; the armor has 5 Power Points for this power.

Wild (+3): This armor or shield continues to provides its armor and Parry bonuses to the wearer while they are shapechanged into the form of an animal.