Potency
An armor's potency adds an enhancement bonus to its armor bonus equal to the potency value. For example, a chainmail (+6 armor bonus) with a +1 potency rune adds a +1 enhancement bonus to the armor bonus, making the total armor bonus to DR/armor a +7. In addition, an armor's potency adds a resistance bonus to your saving throws, and a deflection bonus to your DV and CMD.
Unlike armor, a shield's potency does not add an enhancement bonus to its shield bonus, only a resistance bonus to your saving throws, and a deflection bonus to your DV and CMD equal to the potency value. It also behaves the same way as a weapon potency rune when the shield is used as a weapon such as when doing a shield bash.
Armor and shield potency also reduces armor check penalty by the same amount (to a minimum of 0), and increases the maximum Dexterity by the same amount. This overlaps with the changes from the armor's and shield's quality bonus.
Exceptionally, resistance and deflection bonuses from both armor and shields stack together, but while you can wield multiple shields, you can only wear one set of armor (your armor and shields combined count as one source). Resistance and deflections bonuses from other sources do not stack with the ones provided by armor and shields, use the highest value between the armor and shields combined or the other sources.
Table: Armor & Shield Potency
| Potency | Price | Caster Level | Min. Item Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| +1 | 2,000 gol | 3rd | Standard |
| +2 | 8,000 gol | 6th | Expert |
| +3 | 18,000 gol | 9th | Master |
| +4 | 32,000 gol | 12th | Legendary |
| +5 | 50,000 gol | 15th | Legendary |
Properties
Each property has a quality which indicates the minimum quality required of the armor it is placed on.
Standard Properties
Expert Properties
Master Properties
Legendary Properties
Specific Magic Armors
Crystal Spaulders
Aura faint psychokinesis; ML 3rd (+1), 6th (+2), 9th (+3), 12th (+4), 15th (+5); Slot armor; Price 5,600 gol (+1), 22,400 gol (+2), 50,400 gol (+3), 89,600 gol (+4), 140,000 gol (+5); Weight 2 lbs.; Quality varies
Description
Crystal spaulders are crystalline plates resembling armor and are worn on the upper arms and shoulders, although they take up the armor magic item slot. An aegis, or anyone else with the ability to create an astral suit or mind armor, can channel their astral suit or mind armor through the crystal spaulders when creating it. This does not otherwise alter the action needed to create an astral suit or mind armor, the summoner must simply be wearing the crystal spaulders and choose to create the astral suit or mind armor through the spaulders.
Crystal spaulders have 45 hit points and a hardness of 15.
Crystal spaulders grant the benefits of a potency rune of +1 to +5 to the astral suit or mind armor. A standard crystal spaulders can have a potency value up to +1, an expert can have up to +2, a master can have up to +3, and a legendary can be +4 or higher. Armor property runes can be added to these spaulders as if it was an armor of the same quality.
When an astral suit is created in this fashion, the character gains a number of customization points to spend equal to the potency value of the crystal spaulders.
When mind armor is created in this fashion, the potency value and the maximum potency value of the mind armor is increased by the potency value of the crystal spaulders, although any potency value above +5 is lost.
Construction Requirements
Feat Craft Crystalline Focus; Special ability to manifest mind armor or an astral suit; Cost 2,800 gp (+1), 11,200 gp (+2), 25,200 gp (+3), 44,800 gol (+4), 70,000 gol (+5).