So, I promise, I read and re-read the subclass and even went searching through the forms a bit to see if anyone even asked this question and didn't find anything. So here it is...
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to imbue mundane items with certain magical infusions. The magic items you create with this feature are effectively prototypes of permanent items. --Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a non-magical object and imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item.
At 3rd level, your metallurgical pursuits have led to you making armor a conduit for your magic. As an action, you can turn a suit of armor you are wearing into Arcane Armor, provided you have smith’s tools in hand.
You learn how to use your artificer infusions to specially modify your Arcane Armor. That armor now counts as separate items for the purposes of your Infuse Items feature: armor (the chest piece), boots, helmet, and the armor’s special weapon. Each of those items can bear one of your infusions, and the infusions transfer over if you change your armor’s model with the Armor Model feature. In addition, the maximum number of items you can infuse at once increases by 2, but those extra items must be part of your Arcane Armor.
How I read this is as follows... -I can infuse mundane (non-magical) items to become magical (2nd Lv) -I can use ANY armor as my Arcane Armor (3rd Lv) -I can now infuse my Arcane Armor on the separate parts that form the armor (Lv 9)
CONFLICT!!!!! So I can infuse a magical item, as long as it is my Arcane Armor? -Turning a +1/2/3 armor into having an add-on of +1/2 on top of it (For example)
I assume that the ultimate response to this post will be, up to the DM OR would you simply say no, because of the Lv 2 Rule? Seeing if anyone knows more, that I may be overlooking/missing.
yes you can infuse mundane items to become magical... any items, so long as they follow the rules listed... can't infuse magic items to double up
1st level gives you prof. in light and medium armor, and shields... 3rd level Armorer gives you prof. in heavy armor... that covers everything
yeah, they tell you what the pieces are considered as, you mentioned them above I believe, chest piece, boots, helmet, and weapon... in some cases the weapon won't be in the gauntlets but will be on the front of the chest, this does not count as the chest in this case... I mean you can infuse the chest piece as the armor, and infuse the chest as the weapon if that's where you choose to have the weapon
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"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
Focusing on the 1st line, so given the armor can be magical in use for the Arcane Armor, and even though Lv 9 states I can infuse the pieces, you'd say no, because of Lv 2?
Just making your point of view.
I also only say focusing on the 1st line, because the rest don't really pertain to my question is all.
sorry I overlooked the last part of your post about the conflict...
this may seem counterintuitive to the actually name of the feature... Arcane Armor, but it doesn't say anywhere under the feature Arcane Armor or Armor Model features that the armor is magical
they even make a point of saying that each weapon option either counts as a simple melee weapon, or simple ranged weapon
the only mention in all of the 2 features about anything magical is the following...
as the armor magically emits a distracting pulse when the creature attacks someone else.
even this can be interpreted as the armor not being magical but just using flavor text to describe how it distracts someone and gives them disadvantage
also, since you are a artificer and now specifically a armorer, they probably assume you will put at least 1 infusion, if not more or even all, into your armor, thus making it magical... but if you don't put any infusions into your Arcane Armor then all that good stuff the armor does is considered to be mundane and more the result of your tinkering that actually magic
so to try and clarify, your mundane Arcane Armor does all the cool stuff listed under the 3rd level features called Arcane Armor and Armor Model without any magic and doesn't count as magic in any way...
but if you infuse any part of it, then you get the magical effects of that infusion and now it becomes magical
it confused me the first few times I read it because all that cool stuff sure does sound/imply magical
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"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
I think you may still be confused on my train of thought/question.
ANY armor can be made to be the Arcane Armor. Meaning even magical armor can be made as the Arcane Armor. For example, Breastplate +1/2/3.
So following my OP: -Lv 2, I gain infusion ability -Lv 3, I can make ANY armor my Arcane Armor (We make Breastplate +1 my Arcane Armor) -Lv 9, I can add infusions to my Arcane Armor
CONFLICT/QUESTION: Can I add infusions to my now Breastplate +1 Arcane Armor, per the Lv 9 ability? -Turning my Breastplate +1 Arcane Armor really into +2 or +3 with the Enhance Defense Infusion, for example.
I think you may still be confusing my train of thought/question.
ANY armor can be made to be the Arcane Armor. Meaning even magical armor can be made as the Arcane Armor. For example, Breastplate +1/2/3.
So following my OP: -Lv 2, I gain infusion ability -Lv 3, I can make ANY armor my Arcane Armor (We make Breastplate +1 my Arcane Armor) -Lv 9, I can add infusions to my Arcane Armor
CONFLICT/QUESTION: Can I add infusions to my now Breastplate +1 Arcane Armor, per the Lv 9 ability? -Turning my Breastplate +1 Arcane Armor really into +2 or +3 with the Enhance Defense Infusion, for example.
I think you are forgetting one of the core components of the Infusion system for Artificer:
Infusing an Item
Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a non-magical objectand imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item. An infusion works on only certain kinds of objects, as specified in the infusion’s description. If the item requires attunement, you can attune yourself to it the instant you infuse the item. If you decide to attune to the item later, you must do so using the normal process for attunement (see “Attunement” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Because of this you cannot infuse your +2 breastplate.
Many games, specific rules supercede general rules. Lv 2, general rule, says No Lv 9, specific rule/ability, leaves it open ended, stating I can, but only specifically to the Arcane Armor.
So yes, I can see the one point, it's an infusion, it follows the normal rules, but it doesn't clearly state that is my point. It just says you can to the Arcane Armor. Which earlier says any armor can be Arcane Armor.
Any armor can become Arcane Armor, but you can only infuse it if it is mundane. It is quite clear.
Unless you mean the now "separate" parts become mundane instead of as part of a whole suit that would otherwise be magical... That is a whole different argument. One that will get me yelled at again.
Many games, specific rules supercede general rules. Lv 2, general rule, says No Lv 9, specific rule/ability, leaves it open ended, stating I can, but only specifically to the Arcane Armor.
So yes, I can see the one point, it's an infusion, it follows the normal rules, but it doesn't clearly state that is my point. It just says you can to the Arcane Armor. Which earlier says any armor can be Arcane Armor.
Part of the problem is that the rules writers don't pay attention. Have you read the Metamagic Adept feat? It lacks the specific rule Sorcerers need to trump their general rule capping their sorcery points at their level - and as a result, almost everyone just throws the RAW out and has it change the cap on a Sorcerer who takes it to level +2. The game is full of examples like this - the cantrip Death Clerics get at level 1 is a rules atrocity - but Tasha's is a denser mass of rules no-one proofread or playtested than most of the rulebooks.
In this case, our problem is that while specific beats general, the L9 ability and the L2 ability have the same level of specificity - all class abilities beat the general rulebook, but class abilities contradicting each other are up to your DM. I can tell you the general consensus on this, which is that the L9 ability doesn't let you infuse magic armor - in fact, all it does is give you +2 infusions, because armor doesn't have to include the boots, helmet, or gauntlets, meaning you can infuse those separately at level 2, let alone level 9.
"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
Eh... I am pretty sure the "extending armor" bit is only really flavor until you encounter the "lost limb" scenario.
And then you have to remember that even though we as players know that armor is a mix of pieces, the game treats them as a single item. The rest of your complaint is certainly valid when you add realism, but the rules do not separate the pieces except for this specific instance "for the purpose of infusion".
As for the magic items, they either become part of the whole/replace the mundane part or standalone when used without armor is my understanding of it. That should still apply to Arcane Armor, minus the ability to infuse them in accordance with the other rule.
Many games, specific rules supercede general rules. Lv 2, general rule, says No Lv 9, specific rule/ability, leaves it open ended, stating I can, but only specifically to the Arcane Armor.
So yes, I can see the one point, it's an infusion, it follows the normal rules, but it doesn't clearly state that is my point. It just says you can to the Arcane Armor. Which earlier says any armor can be Arcane Armor.
Part of the problem is that the rules writers don't pay attention. Have you read the Metamagic Adept feat? It lacks the specific rule Sorcerers need to trump their general rule capping their sorcery points at their level - and as a result, almost everyone just throws the RAW out and has it change the cap on a Sorcerer who takes it to level +2. The game is full of examples like this - the cantrip Death Clerics get at level 1 is a rules atrocity - but Tasha's is a denser mass of rules no-one proofread or playtested than most of the rulebooks.
In this case, our problem is that while specific beats general, the L9 ability and the L2 ability have the same level of specificity - all class abilities beat the general rulebook, but class abilities contradicting each other are up to your DM. I can tell you the general consensus on this, which is that the L9 ability doesn't let you infuse magic armor - in fact, all it does is give you +2 infusions, because armor doesn't have to include the boots, helmet, or gauntlets, meaning you can infuse those separately at level 2, let alone level 9.
Which I overall get and makes sense. Just isn't specific that way, lol.
The last sentence is actually a conflict zone. As the Arcane Armor specifically states it expands to cover your entire body. So the question is, does it meld with the other pieces or simply replace it? Unless you get Plate Armor, which is a full set of gear, what happens with all the other armor that aren't full sets? ========================================================================================================
Some mess ups in the posts, here is what Nikuna297 responded to, apologies
Now we are hitting some interesting marks. X).
As for the first part, one way of looking is clear, yes, but given it is open ended in the 2nd part and continued to be opened ended in the 3rd part, I feel some wiggle room is there to argue, though probably generally moot to most people. And wholeheartedly, would probably agree, you either have an infused gear or a magical gear found at random. You do not have an infused magical gear. Though, to be further open, I don't fully agree or like that all +1/2/3 gear are considered magical. As in previous editions, they could just be more superiorly made or quality. I'd feel it would be fair to allow infusions on such gear, assuming the ONLY reason it was "magical", was because of the +X.
Now your second part is also an interesting thought and somewhat crossed my mind as well. Keeping to just the Breastplate +1. ---Breastplate covers mainly the chest. ---Arcane Armor clearly states that it expands itself over the entire body. So a simple piece of chest gear, becomes your entire body. =====I wouldn't argue that it enhances the AC though. The material is the same, it is just more all over. ---Lv 9 now states you can infuse multiple parts of the Arcane Armor
Technically speaking, the original magical armor is simply the chest, as that is all it originally covered. Does that +1 extend to the newly magically poofed material extending from the Breastplate +1? Assuming the DM states that the OP is invalid and not allowed, if the other pieces are mundane, this would at least allow Helm, Boots and Gauntlet(s) to be infused.
Another question then, what happens if I have something like Bracers of Defense or Gauntlets of Ogre Strength? Or Boots of Elvenkind? Does it simply meld with the Armor of Arcane or is it one or the other? If they meld, are they are now Bracers of Defense with Thunder Damage?
Eh... I am pretty sure the "extending armor" bit is only really flavor until you encounter the "lost limb" scenario.
And then you have to remember that even though we as players know that armor is a mix of pieces, the game treats them as a single item. The rest of your complaint is certainly valid when you add realism, but the rules do not separate the pieces except for this specific instance "for the purpose of infusion".
As for the magic items, they either become part of the whole/replace the mundane part or standalone when used without armor is my understanding of it. That should still apply to Arcane Armor, minus the ability to infuse them in accordance with the other rule.
They shouldn't have stated it how they did then, lol. Doesn't matter if it truly does or not, not like it would increase the AC of your character.
So you think you can have Arcane Armor of Breastplate +1, with Magical Boots, Bracers and Helm and still be "good"?
Eh... I am pretty sure the "extending armor" bit is only really flavor until you encounter the "lost limb" scenario.
And then you have to remember that even though we as players know that armor is a mix of pieces, the game treats them as a single item. The rest of your complaint is certainly valid when you add realism, but the rules do not separate the pieces except for this specific instance "for the purpose of infusion".
As for the magic items, they either become part of the whole/replace the mundane part or standalone when used without armor is my understanding of it. That should still apply to Arcane Armor, minus the ability to infuse them in accordance with the other rule.
They shouldn't have stated it how they did then, lol. Doesn't matter if it truly does or not, not like it would increase the AC of your character.
So you think you can have Arcane Armor of Breastplate +1, with Magical Boots, Bracers and Helm and still be "good"?
Forgot about this bit. Assuming you still mean infused items, RAW is still technically "no". Rather harsh, but most would probably throw that out and allow it anyway. Particularly with the +X argument. Not exactly game-breaking.
Eh... I am pretty sure the "extending armor" bit is only really flavor until you encounter the "lost limb" scenario.
And then you have to remember that even though we as players know that armor is a mix of pieces, the game treats them as a single item. The rest of your complaint is certainly valid when you add realism, but the rules do not separate the pieces except for this specific instance "for the purpose of infusion".
As for the magic items, they either become part of the whole/replace the mundane part or standalone when used without armor is my understanding of it. That should still apply to Arcane Armor, minus the ability to infuse them in accordance with the other rule.
They shouldn't have stated it how they did then, lol. Doesn't matter if it truly does or not, not like it would increase the AC of your character.
So you think you can have Arcane Armor of Breastplate +1, with Magical Boots, Bracers and Helm and still be "good"?
Forgot about this bit. Assuming you still mean infused items, RAW is still technically "no". Rather harsh, but most would probably throw that out and allow it anyway. Particularly with the +X argument. Not exactly game-breaking.
Nah, I meant tapping on the breastplate to make it Arcane Armor, but since there are other magical items, the "spreading of the armor", makes it sound weird.
1. You pick 4 infusion options and can infuse two items making them magical at lvl 2, and you are able to at the end of a long rest to replace one of your two active infusions with one of the others you picked.
2. You are able to freely choose Light, Medium and Heavy armor as Arcane Armor. Also nothing about you cant do it to a magic armor, so should be all good.
3. You are only able to infuse the Arcane Armor with 1 infusion until you reach lvl 9. Each infusion counts as separate items, they are just given a feature so you are allowed to equip extra magic items in places you already are wearing items. 3a. Also just for your +2 AC example, be aware that you cant have multiple of 1 infusion active at the same time. (like you cant infuse two items with Enhance Defense.. Only one at a time... But to that end I can highly suggest considering Armor of Magical Strength infusion, it's pretty sweet having 6 charges to either avoid going prone or to add int modifier to strength checks and saving throws)
1. You pick 4 infusion options and can infuse two items making them magical at lvl 2, and you are able to at the end of a long rest to replace one of your two active infusions with one of the others you picked.
2. You are able to freely choose Light, Medium and Heavy armor as Arcane Armor. Also nothing about you cant do it to a magic armor, so should be all good.
3. You are only able to infuse the Arcane Armor with 1 infusion until you reach lvl 9. Each infusion counts as separate items, they are just given a feature so you are allowed to equip extra magic items in places you already are wearing items. 3a. Also just for your +2 AC example, be aware that you cant have multiple of 1 infusion active at the same time. (like you cant infuse two items with Enhance Defense.. Only one at a time... But to that end I can highly suggest considering Armor of Magical Strength infusion, it's pretty sweet having 6 charges to either avoid going prone or to add int modifier to strength checks and saving throws)
I know how the process works. The point is the wording of Lv 9 says I can infuse the Arcane Armor. No limitations on whether it is Magical or Not. Lv 2 states you can't infuse magical items specifically, but Lv 9 is open ended with the Arcane Armor. I would assume that the intention is you follow normal infusion rules, but it doesn't say that, lol.
So far prone hasn't been an issue really. Having the INT boost is nice, on top of Quick Genius (I think?)
1. you can use a magic armor as Arcane Armor still.
2. You are unable to use infusions on your Arcane Armor if it's made from a magic armor.. However!
3. At lvl 9 you are able to infuse parts of your Arcane Armor except for the chest. 3a. Reasoning: The description says that the arcane armor become seperate items for the purpose of infusions, and the first part mentioned is "armor(the chest piece)" followed by boots, helmet and the armor's special weapon... Since the armor is specified as the chest piece, I would rule at my table that the magic armor is bound to the chest piece after arcane armor gets seperated.
So far prone hasn't been an issue really. Having the INT boost is nice, on top of Quick Genius (I think?)
It's a pretty sweet infusion in my opinion.
1. it has 6 charges. normally it would recharge 1d6 charges each dawn but we can start each day with max charges by just infuse it again.
" You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time. Moreover, no object can bear more than one of your infusions at a time. If you try to exceed your maximum number of infusions, the oldest infusion immediately ends, and then the new infusion applies."
2. spending 1 charge to add your int modifier to roll when you make a strength check or saving throw only is a free action (meaning you should be able to stack it with flash of genious reaction if you wanted) 2a. Another nice thing is you are also able to spend 1 charge to add int mod to thinks like an Athletics check. (I'm playing a goliath armorer, and I use it that way a bunch. Pretty sweet when climbing, grappling, shove etc. going from +3 to +8 in those situations is pure bliss.
3. Haven't needed to use the feature to avoid being knocked prone either. But I think it's still worth an infusion. It could save me from a trap, help with natural hazards, or bypass a failed saving throw if it would result in knocking prone, etc.. Also for combat I'm sure that getting further into the campaign and also leveling up, that we're gonna meet higher CR and higher chance to encounter creatures with multiple different types of abilities that can knock prone or the like.
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So, I promise, I read and re-read the subclass and even went searching through the forms a bit to see if anyone even asked this question and didn't find anything. So here it is...
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to imbue mundane items with certain magical infusions. The magic items you create with this feature are effectively prototypes of permanent items.
--Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a non-magical object and imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item.
At 3rd level, your metallurgical pursuits have led to you making armor a conduit for your magic. As an action, you can turn a suit of armor you are wearing into Arcane Armor, provided you have smith’s tools in hand.
You learn how to use your artificer infusions to specially modify your Arcane Armor. That armor now counts as separate items for the purposes of your Infuse Items feature: armor (the chest piece), boots, helmet, and the armor’s special weapon. Each of those items can bear one of your infusions, and the infusions transfer over if you change your armor’s model with the Armor Model feature. In addition, the maximum number of items you can infuse at once increases by 2, but those extra items must be part of your Arcane Armor.
How I read this is as follows...
-I can infuse mundane (non-magical) items to become magical (2nd Lv)
-I can use ANY armor as my Arcane Armor (3rd Lv)
-I can now infuse my Arcane Armor on the separate parts that form the armor (Lv 9)
CONFLICT!!!!! So I can infuse a magical item, as long as it is my Arcane Armor?
-Turning a +1/2/3 armor into having an add-on of +1/2 on top of it (For example)
I assume that the ultimate response to this post will be, up to the DM OR would you simply say no, because of the Lv 2 Rule? Seeing if anyone knows more, that I may be overlooking/missing.
yes you can infuse mundane items to become magical... any items, so long as they follow the rules listed... can't infuse magic items to double up
1st level gives you prof. in light and medium armor, and shields... 3rd level Armorer gives you prof. in heavy armor... that covers everything
yeah, they tell you what the pieces are considered as, you mentioned them above I believe, chest piece, boots, helmet, and weapon... in some cases the weapon won't be in the gauntlets but will be on the front of the chest, this does not count as the chest in this case... I mean you can infuse the chest piece as the armor, and infuse the chest as the weapon if that's where you choose to have the weapon
Focusing on the 1st line, so given the armor can be magical in use for the Arcane Armor, and even though Lv 9 states I can infuse the pieces, you'd say no, because of Lv 2?
Just making your point of view.
I also only say focusing on the 1st line, because the rest don't really pertain to my question is all.
sorry I overlooked the last part of your post about the conflict...
this may seem counterintuitive to the actually name of the feature... Arcane Armor, but it doesn't say anywhere under the feature Arcane Armor or Armor Model features that the armor is magical
they even make a point of saying that each weapon option either counts as a simple melee weapon, or simple ranged weapon
the only mention in all of the 2 features about anything magical is the following...
as the armor magically emits a distracting pulse when the creature attacks someone else.
even this can be interpreted as the armor not being magical but just using flavor text to describe how it distracts someone and gives them disadvantage
also, since you are a artificer and now specifically a armorer, they probably assume you will put at least 1 infusion, if not more or even all, into your armor, thus making it magical... but if you don't put any infusions into your Arcane Armor then all that good stuff the armor does is considered to be mundane and more the result of your tinkering that actually magic
so to try and clarify, your mundane Arcane Armor does all the cool stuff listed under the 3rd level features called Arcane Armor and Armor Model without any magic and doesn't count as magic in any way...
but if you infuse any part of it, then you get the magical effects of that infusion and now it becomes magical
it confused me the first few times I read it because all that cool stuff sure does sound/imply magical
I think you may still be confused on my train of thought/question.
ANY armor can be made to be the Arcane Armor. Meaning even magical armor can be made as the Arcane Armor. For example, Breastplate +1/2/3.
So following my OP:
-Lv 2, I gain infusion ability
-Lv 3, I can make ANY armor my Arcane Armor (We make Breastplate +1 my Arcane Armor)
-Lv 9, I can add infusions to my Arcane Armor
CONFLICT/QUESTION: Can I add infusions to my now Breastplate +1 Arcane Armor, per the Lv 9 ability?
-Turning my Breastplate +1 Arcane Armor really into +2 or +3 with the Enhance Defense Infusion, for example.
I think you are forgetting one of the core components of the Infusion system for Artificer:
Infusing an Item
Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a non-magical object and imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item. An infusion works on only certain kinds of objects, as specified in the infusion’s description. If the item requires attunement, you can attune yourself to it the instant you infuse the item. If you decide to attune to the item later, you must do so using the normal process for attunement (see “Attunement” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Because of this you cannot infuse your +2 breastplate.
Didn't forget it, it is why I asked the question.
Many games, specific rules supercede general rules.
Lv 2, general rule, says No
Lv 9, specific rule/ability, leaves it open ended, stating I can, but only specifically to the Arcane Armor.
So yes, I can see the one point, it's an infusion, it follows the normal rules, but it doesn't clearly state that is my point. It just says you can to the Arcane Armor. Which earlier says any armor can be Arcane Armor.
Any armor can become Arcane Armor, but you can only infuse it if it is mundane. It is quite clear.
Unless you mean the now "separate" parts become mundane instead of as part of a whole suit that would otherwise be magical... That is a whole different argument. One that will get me yelled at again.
Part of the problem is that the rules writers don't pay attention. Have you read the Metamagic Adept feat? It lacks the specific rule Sorcerers need to trump their general rule capping their sorcery points at their level - and as a result, almost everyone just throws the RAW out and has it change the cap on a Sorcerer who takes it to level +2. The game is full of examples like this - the cantrip Death Clerics get at level 1 is a rules atrocity - but Tasha's is a denser mass of rules no-one proofread or playtested than most of the rulebooks.
In this case, our problem is that while specific beats general, the L9 ability and the L2 ability have the same level of specificity - all class abilities beat the general rulebook, but class abilities contradicting each other are up to your DM. I can tell you the general consensus on this, which is that the L9 ability doesn't let you infuse magic armor - in fact, all it does is give you +2 infusions, because armor doesn't have to include the boots, helmet, or gauntlets, meaning you can infuse those separately at level 2, let alone level 9.
you can't add infusion to magic items... period
that's what the rules say anyway
Which I overall get and makes sense. Just isn't specific that way, lol.
The last sentence is actually a conflict zone. As the Arcane Armor specifically states it expands to cover your entire body. So the question is, does it meld with the other pieces or simply replace it? Unless you get Plate Armor, which is a full set of gear, what happens with all the other armor that aren't full sets?
========================================================================================================
Some mess ups in the posts, here is what Nikuna297 responded to, apologies
Now we are hitting some interesting marks. X).
As for the first part, one way of looking is clear, yes, but given it is open ended in the 2nd part and continued to be opened ended in the 3rd part, I feel some wiggle room is there to argue, though probably generally moot to most people. And wholeheartedly, would probably agree, you either have an infused gear or a magical gear found at random. You do not have an infused magical gear. Though, to be further open, I don't fully agree or like that all +1/2/3 gear are considered magical. As in previous editions, they could just be more superiorly made or quality. I'd feel it would be fair to allow infusions on such gear, assuming the ONLY reason it was "magical", was because of the +X.
Now your second part is also an interesting thought and somewhat crossed my mind as well. Keeping to just the Breastplate +1.
---Breastplate covers mainly the chest.
---Arcane Armor clearly states that it expands itself over the entire body. So a simple piece of chest gear, becomes your entire body.
=====I wouldn't argue that it enhances the AC though. The material is the same, it is just more all over.
---Lv 9 now states you can infuse multiple parts of the Arcane Armor
Technically speaking, the original magical armor is simply the chest, as that is all it originally covered. Does that +1 extend to the newly magically poofed material extending from the Breastplate +1? Assuming the DM states that the OP is invalid and not allowed, if the other pieces are mundane, this would at least allow Helm, Boots and Gauntlet(s) to be infused.
Another question then, what happens if I have something like Bracers of Defense or Gauntlets of Ogre Strength? Or Boots of Elvenkind? Does it simply meld with the Armor of Arcane or is it one or the other? If they meld, are they are now Bracers of Defense with Thunder Damage?
They shouldn't have stated it how they did then, lol. Doesn't matter if it truly does or not, not like it would increase the AC of your character.
So you think you can have Arcane Armor of Breastplate +1, with Magical Boots, Bracers and Helm and still be "good"?
I think "assimilate" would be a good term to use here. Functionally, it is all the same, honestly. How you decide how it looks is up to you.
And I don't disagree with you. As already mentioned, the wording gets a little funky.
Forgot about this bit. Assuming you still mean infused items, RAW is still technically "no". Rather harsh, but most would probably throw that out and allow it anyway. Particularly with the +X argument. Not exactly game-breaking.
Nah, I meant tapping on the breastplate to make it Arcane Armor, but since there are other magical items, the "spreading of the armor", makes it sound weird.
there is a bit things here.
1. You pick 4 infusion options and can infuse two items making them magical at lvl 2, and you are able to at the end of a long rest to replace one of your two active infusions with one of the others you picked.
2. You are able to freely choose Light, Medium and Heavy armor as Arcane Armor. Also nothing about you cant do it to a magic armor, so should be all good.
3. You are only able to infuse the Arcane Armor with 1 infusion until you reach lvl 9. Each infusion counts as separate items, they are just given a feature so you are allowed to equip extra magic items in places you already are wearing items.
3a. Also just for your +2 AC example, be aware that you cant have multiple of 1 infusion active at the same time. (like you cant infuse two items with Enhance Defense.. Only one at a time... But to that end I can highly suggest considering Armor of Magical Strength infusion, it's pretty sweet having 6 charges to either avoid going prone or to add int modifier to strength checks and saving throws)
I know how the process works. The point is the wording of Lv 9 says I can infuse the Arcane Armor. No limitations on whether it is Magical or Not. Lv 2 states you can't infuse magical items specifically, but Lv 9 is open ended with the Arcane Armor. I would assume that the intention is you follow normal infusion rules, but it doesn't say that, lol.
So far prone hasn't been an issue really. Having the INT boost is nice, on top of Quick Genius (I think?)
I forgot about that part of infusions.
In that case it works a bit different..
1. you can use a magic armor as Arcane Armor still.
2. You are unable to use infusions on your Arcane Armor if it's made from a magic armor.. However!
3. At lvl 9 you are able to infuse parts of your Arcane Armor except for the chest.
3a. Reasoning: The description says that the arcane armor become seperate items for the purpose of infusions, and the first part mentioned is "armor(the chest piece)" followed by boots, helmet and the armor's special weapon... Since the armor is specified as the chest piece, I would rule at my table that the magic armor is bound to the chest piece after arcane armor gets seperated.
It's a pretty sweet infusion in my opinion.
1. it has 6 charges. normally it would recharge 1d6 charges each dawn but we can start each day with max charges by just infuse it again.
" You must touch each of the objects, and each of your infusions can be in only one object at a time. Moreover, no object can bear more than one of your infusions at a time. If you try to exceed your maximum number of infusions, the oldest infusion immediately ends, and then the new infusion applies."
2. spending 1 charge to add your int modifier to roll when you make a strength check or saving throw only is a free action (meaning you should be able to stack it with flash of genious reaction if you wanted)
2a. Another nice thing is you are also able to spend 1 charge to add int mod to thinks like an Athletics check. (I'm playing a goliath armorer, and I use it that way a bunch. Pretty sweet when climbing, grappling, shove etc. going from +3 to +8 in those situations is pure bliss.
3. Haven't needed to use the feature to avoid being knocked prone either. But I think it's still worth an infusion. It could save me from a trap, help with natural hazards, or bypass a failed saving throw if it would result in knocking prone, etc.. Also for combat I'm sure that getting further into the campaign and also leveling up, that we're gonna meet higher CR and higher chance to encounter creatures with multiple different types of abilities that can knock prone or the like.