Ask Jiro presents an assortment of kobold scribes and sages to clarify Tales of the Valiant RPG rules, answer mechanics questions, and confirm and catalog errata being sleuthed out by the ToV community!
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Let’s get to the questions!
Grimicus asks about the mechanist’s Mystic Metal feature
I have a few questions about the Mystic Metal subclass feature in the Metallurgist subclass of the mechanist. The description does not state if the armor made from the feature is light, medium, or heavy.
Since the Armor Expert talent specifies that it only works with medium or heavy armor, does the lack of an armor weight in the Mystic Metal feature mean that mechanists can’t benefit from the talent while using this class feature?
If the talent does benefit armor made from the Mystic Metal feature, are there any conditions for it, such as that it only applies if the Mystic Metal was created from medium or heavy armor? Also, the description states that it is lightweight and does not hinder movement. Would this mean that a character multiclassed into monk or barbarian would still benefit from the monk’s Unarmored Movement and the Barbarian’s Fast Movement features while wearing armor altered with Mystic Metal?
ANSWER!
The Mystic Metal feature transmutes existing armor. So, whatever armor you use retains the weight it had before you apply the feature. While wearing your transmuted armor, your AC calculation changes to that listed in the feature (13 + INT modifier), regardless of the AC calculation the armor has in different circumstances. This means a Mechanist with +3 INT who transmutes a suit of plate armor using this feature would have an AC of 16, not the plate’s normal AC 18 while wearing that armor.
Since a monk’s Unarmored Movement feature only works when you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield, it won’t work at all with the product of Mystic Metal. A barbarian’s Fast Movement works just fine, as long as the transmuted armor is Light or Medium weight.
Wilson asks regarding monks and natural armor
In the Player’s Guide, I read that a monk’s AC from the Unarmored Defense feature is 10 + DEX modifier + WIS modifier. If the monk has natural armor, does it stack with Unarmored Defense or not count?
ANSWER!
The phrase, “natural armor doesn’t stack with Unarmored Defense,” isn’t said plainly in the text anywhere, and frankly, it should be. Natural armor traits do not stack with Unarmored Defense.
It is implied in the multiclassing rules that other armor sources don’t stack with the Unarmored Defense feature—it states that you must pick one. The rule is also touched on in the Calculating Armor Class (AC) section of Chapter 5: “When you wear armor, use the AC equation listed with the type of armor you are wearing instead of the typical 10 + DEX modifier equation.”
In this case, “the armor you’re wearing” would be the Unarmored Defense feature. You must pick one to be the armor/armor formula that you use when calculating your AC.
Latheon asks about monster math
ToV stat blocks include PB in the ability modifiers. So, for spells such as cure wounds that ask for spellcasting ability modifiers, should we subtract the PB if it is included? Or is it intended for creatures to get the benefit of their PB for this sort of thing as well? Ditto with weapons, I suppose.
If a creature picks up a weapon that isn’t on their stat block, would they use the given STR/DEX for both the attack roll and damage roll, either including PB on both or excluding PB on both? Or should additions/subtractions be done such that it’s included for the attack roll but not the damage roll, the way it normally works for player characters?
ANSWER!
Use the ability modifier listed in the monster’s stat block for spells that require a spellcasting ability modifier. Do the same for any manufactured weapons a creature might pick up. If you’re concerned about a creature’s STR or DEX being too high or low when using a random manufactured weapon, look at weapon attacks and compare the creature’s to-hit bonus and damage amount. That shows you if it is proficient in STR or DEX. Then adjust how you use the creature accordingly.
For example, the iron golem has +12 STR. Its Shield Bash attack is +12 to hit and +7 to damage. The difference in those numbers shows that it has a PB of +5.
If the golem picked up a random greatsword, using just STR, it would have +12 to hit and +12 to damage. Beefy! If you think that’s too much for this one-off occasion, you can certainly drop that to +12 to hit and +7 damage, to match the to-hit and damage bonuses of its Shield Bash attack.
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Would it not have been easier and more convenient to add the Proficiency Bonus of monsters into their stat blocks? For that matter, what was the design reason for decoupling the ability score modifier from an actual ability score in the monster stat blocks? It doesn’t save space on the page and it seems to be leading to confusion among players and GMs, especially those coming from 5e, who I have to assume are your main audience.
I also wonder why monster skill proficiencies were removed from the game. Now a charismatic monster is automatically equally good at Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation. This stripping away of detail points from monster design seems very counterproductive.
All good points Craig, and well said. These are fair, and valid observations/queries. I, too, would be curious to hear the “why’s and where’s” of all three points you’ve made here.
I may very well attempt to track down an editor (or other staff member) or two and see if we can wring out a response or three from a few of them on these points. You might just see your questions and your name –(if your permission’s given)– published and responded to on a future “Ask Jiro” blog installment.
No promises yet, though.
The kobold warrens are large, labyrinthine, and multi-leveled. Our senior kobolds have devised many clever and complex ways to hide, communicate amongst themselves, and scurry about the warrens unseen and unheard.
But I shall try.
Well met, and best regards sir,
— Robert
Robert,
Please feel free to use my name and question in any future installments of Ask Jiro. I look forward to reading any answers you are able to track down and to the other questions posed by the community.
Thanks for the response.
– Craig
I do have a question about Enforcer Rogue’s capstone ability, which says I can trigger Sneak attack off of Attacks of Opportunity. The confusing part is that to my knowledge, Rogues can alreadydo this, since Sneak Attack triggers once per TURN, not once per ROUND. Doesn’t this make half of Enforcer’s capstone redundant?
I’m jotting this one down, too, Alex. Good question.
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Awesome Craig!
You are now destined to be ensconced within the eternal annals of the official KP blog (Possibly by next month!)