Phantom Armour (spell)

Phantom armour is a spell that materializes a semi-real suit of plate mail armour that envelops the chosen recipient, granting them an armour class (AC) of 3. For onlookers, the armour appears predominantly invisible, save for an initial brief shimmer at the spell's activation, which gives evidence that the enchantment has been cast.

Phantom Armour

Range	touch
Duration	6 hours or until depleted
Area of Effect	1 creature; see text
Casting Time	1 round
Saving Throw	none
Level	illusionist (1st)

The spell bestows a +1 saving throw for every three levels of the caster with regards to area-effect attacks, such as breath weapons and various forms of magic, including fireballs and meteor swarm — unless the form is gas-based, in which case the armour gives no such benefit.

Absorbing Damage

The spell's chief benefit is that it intercepts damage (h.p.) before it affects the wearer. Phantom Armour absorbs damage up to a maximum of 4 hit points, +1 per level of the caster. For example, a 7th level caster's spell could absorb up to 11 damage.

Once the armor has absorbed all the damage it can withstand, the enchantment dissipates, and any further damage is directed toward the wearer. For example, Maria is equipped with armour able to withstand 8 h.p. When she's struck for 10 damage, the first 8 points are absorbed by the armour, causing it to vanish. The remaining 2 points are then taken by Maria herself.

Recipient

Any character class may enjoy the protective benefits of the spell, which has no adverse effects on their movement or spellcasting abilities. Phantom armour possesses no measurable weight and doesn't contribute to encumbrance.

The dweomer may be invoked atop whatever the recipient is wearing, even if they're already clad in armour. The AC benefit supersedes all other protective benefits, whether from armour or dexterity. Even if the character's actual AC is better than the dweomer's, since attacks strike the dweomer first, before the character's person can be struck, only the phantom armour's AC applies. Note that it's possible, therefore, that an attack may hit the phantom armour, destroy it, and then do no damage to the recipient, if the latter's AC is sufficiently higher.

Experience

When a recipient wearing phantom armour is hit, each point of damage taken gives 10 experience to the recipient and an equal amount to the caster, just as if real damage were done.

See also,
Armour (spell)
Barkskin (spell)
Insect Plague (spell)