Rules for Enchanted Arms and Armour

These rules are a merge of the armour rules in Ars Magica’s Parma Fabula supplement and on the Insula Maledictus saga website; with additional adjustments and limitations added. The intent is to provide guidelines for enhancements that are achievable for younger magi, and somewhat scalable to power levels.

Weapons

A magus can improve arms and armour with Rego and Muto spells, using either Herbam or Terram forms – or both for some weapons, the other as a requisite.

If the effects use the same arts, they can be added together and instilled as just one effect, adding +5 for constant use.

Melee weapons

Rego Terram effects
Effect Levels Notes
Increase Damage +1 per magnitude if more than +50%, must toughen weapon
Increase Accuracy +1 per magnitude if more than +1, Intellego requisite needed
Increase Defence +1 per magnitude if more than +1, Intellego requisite needed
Reduce Str required +1 per magnitude
Reduce Load +0.5 per magnitude to minimum of 0
Muto Terram effects
Effect Levels Notes
Increase Damage +1 per magnitude Max: +6 for edged, +3 for pointed.
Max double the base value.
Blunt weapons do not benefit from this.
Increase Toughness -1 botch die per 2 magnitudes 10th level requires double botch to break,
20th level requires triple and so on.
Used with ReTe-damage increasing-effect above.

Missile weapons

Rego Herbam effects
Effect Levels Notes
Increase Damage of projectile +1 per magnitude
Increase Damage of weapon +1 per magnitude
Increase Accuracy of projectile +1 per magnitude Maximum positive modifier is +1.
Increase Accuracy of weapon +1 per magnitude Maximum positive modifier is +1.
Reduce Str required +1 per magnitude

Armour

Effect Levels Notes
Reduce load (ReTe) +1 per magnitude Minimum loads: Hauberk -1
Half armor -2
Full armor -3
Increase Soak (MuTe) +1 per magnitude Max double base value.

Shields

Most shields are wooden, but Terram should be used for metal shields and Animal for leather shields.

Effect Levels Notes
Reduce load (Rego) +1 per magnitude
Increase Defence (Rego) +1 per magnitude  Max double base value.
Strengthen shield (Muto) -1 per 2 magnitudes Fewer botch dice, as in toughening weapons above.

The effects should be applied with a description (like normal) which indicates how the item has been enhanced. All typical enchanted item limitations apply.

2 thoughts on “Rules for Enchanted Arms and Armour

  1. According to RAW? Yes, any effect needs to penetrate Parma.
    Many troupes (myself included when I can) use a house rule that effects need to be more than strengthening or effects upon the items themselves. Parma Magica is a can or worms either way it is applied, so I think allowing these to ignore Parma does not break the spirit of the game.

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