As you know, the abjuration wizard has an ability called "Arcane Ward" that acts as a shield to damage. It regains hit points equal to twice the level of an abjuration spell cast by the wizard:
Starting at 2nd level, you can weave magic around yourself for protection. When you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, you can simultaneously use a strand of the spell’s magic to create a magical ward on yourself that lasts until you finish a long rest. The ward has a hit point maximum equal to twice your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage.
While the ward has 0 hit points, it can’t absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.
Once you create the ward, you can’t create it again until you finish a long rest.
In addition there is an eldritch invocation called "Armor of Shadows" that lets you cast mage armor at will:
You can castmage armoron yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
The rules for casting multiple spells of the same type are as follows:
The effects of different spells add together while the durations of those spells overlap. The effects of the same spell cast multiple times don't combine, however. Instead, the most potent effect — such as the highest bonus — from those castings applies while their durations overlap, or the most recent effect applies if the castings are equally potent and their durations overlap.
For example, if two clerics cast bless on the same target, that character gains the spell's benefit only once; he or she doesn't get to roll two bonus dice.
WHAT THIS MEANS:
The abjuration ward's healing takes affect when you cast any abjuration spell of first level or higher. It does not specify needing to expend spell slots. In addition, when casting the same duration on a target, the casting doesn't fail. Instead, the most recent effect applies. In this way, using this feat, I believe that is it possible to spam Mage Armor on yourself during a break from combat to completely heal your ward using zero spell slots. What do you guys think?
Wow, this is cool! You can take Eldritch Adept for Armor of Shadows to avoid needing to multiclass, even. Great find! For extra damage-prevention shenanigans, consider a 3-level Artificer (Artillerist) dip and add a Protector cannon to your arsenal.
Seems to check out to me. It's just a faster way to recharge the ward vs repeatedly ritual casting alarm or similar.
This is not only faster , it is practical.
Healing your ward using a ritual-cast Alarm requires 10 11 minutes of not traveling per 2 HP (12 HP/Hour). Or, healing your ward using Mage Armor lets you walk around at normal walking speed with your group, while healing 2 HP every six seconds (1200 HP/Hour). That's a signifigant enough upgrade to make this MC dip into Warlock look pretty darn important, and not just like a niche trick.
But yes, agreed, it works and is intended to work.
As you know, the abjuration wizard has an ability called "Arcane Ward" that acts as a shield to damage. It regains hit points equal to twice the level of an abjuration spell cast by the wizard:
Starting at 2nd level, you can weave magic around yourself for protection. When you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, you can simultaneously use a strand of the spell’s magic to create a magical ward on yourself that lasts until you finish a long rest. The ward has a hit point maximum equal to twice your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage.
While the ward has 0 hit points, it can’t absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.
Once you create the ward, you can’t create it again until you finish a long rest.
In addition there is an eldritch invocation called "Armor of Shadows" that lets you cast mage armor at will:
You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
The rules for casting multiple spells of the same type are as follows:
The effects of different spells add together while the durations of those spells overlap. The effects of the same spell cast multiple times don't combine, however. Instead, the most potent effect — such as the highest bonus — from those castings applies while their durations overlap, or the most recent effect applies if the castings are equally potent and their durations overlap.
For example, if two clerics cast bless on the same target, that character gains the spell's benefit only once; he or she doesn't get to roll two bonus dice.
WHAT THIS MEANS:
The abjuration ward's healing takes affect when you cast any abjuration spell of first level or higher. It does not specify needing to expend spell slots. In addition, when casting the same duration on a target, the casting doesn't fail. Instead, the most recent effect applies. In this way, using this feat, I believe that is it possible to spam Mage Armor on yourself during a break from combat to completely heal your ward using zero spell slots. What do you guys think?
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Seems to check out to me. It's just a faster way to recharge the ward vs repeatedly ritual casting alarm or similar.
Wow, this is cool! You can take Eldritch Adept for Armor of Shadows to avoid needing to multiclass, even. Great find! For extra damage-prevention shenanigans, consider a 3-level Artificer (Artillerist) dip and add a Protector cannon to your arsenal.
Partway through the quest for absolute truth.
There's already a thread about this in the Wizards Forum, feel free to join in the discussion there.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/wizard/99136-how-good-is-an-abjuration-wizard-with-armor-of
This is not only faster , it is practical.
Healing your ward using a ritual-cast Alarm requires
1011 minutes of not traveling per 2 HP (12 HP/Hour). Or, healing your ward using Mage Armor lets you walk around at normal walking speed with your group, while healing 2 HP every six seconds (1200 HP/Hour). That's a signifigant enough upgrade to make this MC dip into Warlock look pretty darn important, and not just like a niche trick.But yes, agreed, it works and is intended to work.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.