Boots of elven kind

[AxeMental]

The thing is, if the boots only eliminate the sound of the actual footfalls and not any other incidental noise then that's barely any advantage over a normal, non-magical pair of soft-soled boots. Would that marginal advantage really be worth 1000 XP and/or 5000 g.p. (which is the same value placed on, for instance, a Ring of Fire Resistance, Crystal Ball, and/or Sword +1, Luck Blade)? I know there's a tendency to interpret things strictly and unfavorably to PCs, but (at least to me) this would taking it too far.

Go ask Tim Kask about Clay Golem damage...

Ahem



Anyway, I agree with this assessment.

Hmmm, so your impression is that it magically silences the plate clanging together as well.

[thedungeondelver]

The thing is, if the boots only eliminate the sound of the actual footfalls and not any other incidental noise then that's barely any advantage over a normal, non-magical pair of soft-soled boots. Would that marginal advantage really be worth 1000 XP and/or 5000 g.p. (which is the same value placed on, for instance, a Ring of Fire Resistance, Crystal Ball, and/or Sword +1, Luck Blade)? I know there's a tendency to interpret things strictly and unfavorably to PCs, but (at least to me) this would taking it too far.

Go ask Tim Kask about Clay Golem damage...

Ahem



Anyway, I agree with this assessment.

Hmmm, so your impression is that it magically silences the plate clanging together as well.

They're magic boots worth the above xp/gp value. Yes, I do. Otherwise, what's the point? An elf in leather armor and soft boots gets exactly the same advantage, otherwise. So do halflings.

I should point out that by "clanging together", I mean "noise from walking". Standing there beating your mailed fist on your mailed chest will pretty much negate the effect.
I'm not suggesting that the boots can "detect your intent" (please let's not have an epic "cast invisibility on the door" thread), but rather that normal moving around or attempts at moving silently are absorbed by the boots. Other noises aren't, they're too extreme for the magic in the boots.

[genghisdon]

5,000 gp for a flawless move silently ability? sounds fine to me. GP prices for magic items are pretty whimsical, & I pity the DM that sells wishes via a luck blade for 5,000 gp. People learn by mistakes, however.

Thankfully, any arguments on standard items in my games is somewhat forestalled by the fact I make up the bulk of items I place (my players like lots of goodies, so many are weak, but more common than BTB). Boots of Stealth ( MS as Thief +4 levels higher), Cloak of Shadows (HiS as Thief +4 levels higher), +X Armor of Shadows, Silent Armor +X, and so on.

[AxeMental]

Do any of the really early modules have a NPC or monster with boots of elvin kind? That might offer a glimmer into Gygax thinking on this?

[genghisdon]

Not much I can see or think of, but there are pre gen characters with them, and the drow, who have 75% effective (drow) elven boots

[AxeMental]

Not much I can see or think of, but there are pre gen characters with them, and the drow, who have 75% effective (drow) elven boots

What about some of the early 0D&D dungeons then?

[genghisdon]

No idea, that's before my time & area of interest really (I have read the OD&D rules for some insights into later editions, but not adventures. I don't think I've ever read an OD&D module, unless some of the JG stuff I've seen was OD&D.)

B/X or BECMI may have some examples though.

[BlackBat242]

I think I need to get some sleep... just now I saw the title to this thread, and read it as Boats of Elven Kind.

When I first opened the "BTB AD&D" section it read Boots of Eleven Kind.


Hmmmm... two new magic items to stat up.

[EOTB]

Boots of Eleven Kind:

Usable only by Bards, these boots increase the volume of any instrument played to an ear splitting roar, deafening all listeners in a 100' radius for 1d20 turns unless a saving thow versus spells is made. Also, the wearers hair will grow at three times its normal rate.

[BlackBat242]

[deathsdj]

Boots of Eleven Kind:

Usable only by Bards, these boots increase the volume of any instrument played to an ear splitting roar, deafening all listeners in a 100' radius for 1d20 turns unless a saving thow versus spells is made. Also, the wearers hair will grow at three times its normal rate.

Awesome!

Cheers!

MJW