"Neither blade nor shadow may claim one who walks the threshold of existence."

General Information

• Item Type: Armor (Breastplate)
• Rarity: Rare
• Material: Wraithsteel
• Weight: Medium (15 lb.)
• Armor Class (AC): 14 + Dexterity modifier (max 2)
• Stealth: No Disadvantage

Description

Forged from the rare and ethereal-infused metal known as Wraithsteel, the Wraithguard Breastplate is a masterpiece of spectral craftsmanship. Designed to protect its wearer not only from physical harm but from the insidious touch of undeath, this armor pulses with a faint ghostly shimmer, allowing its user to phase out of existence for the briefest of moments.

This armor is a prized relic of ghost slayers, planar knights, and those who walk the boundary between the living and the dead. While its Wraithsteel construction grants it an unnaturally light weight, the true power of the Wraithguard Breastplate lies in its ability to defy the grasp of both mortal steel and spectral claws alike.

Magical Properties and Features

✅ Ethereal Resilience – The wearer has resistance to necrotic damage, shielding them from the corrupting grasp of undead and dark magic.

✅ Phantom Evasion (1/Short Rest) – As a reaction, when an enemy makes an attack against the wearer, they may phase out of existence for a brief moment, causing the attack to be made at disadvantage. The wearer flickers between planes, appearing ghostly before snapping back into full reality.

✅ Wraithsteel Lightness – This breastplate is exceptionally light for its material, allowing its wearer to move with ease and agility. Unlike most breastplates, it does not impose disadvantage on Stealth checks.

✅ Fading Presence – While in dim light or darkness, the armor blends into the shadows unnaturally well, making the wearer appear half-transparent and difficult to track.

Physical Description

The Wraithguard Breastplate is a sleek, elegantly crafted armor composed of polished Wraithsteel, a material that shifts between solid and spectral states depending on the light. At first glance, the armor appears dark silver with a faint iridescent gleam, but upon closer inspection, its surface is etched with delicate spectral runes, which pulse subtly with an otherworldly glow when its magic is activated.

The breastplate itself is smooth and lightweight, designed with overlapping plates that phase slightly into each other, as though the armor is never fully solid in one place. When the wearer activates its Phantom Evasion ability, the entire armor briefly shimmers and vanishes, rendering them momentarily untouchable before they reappear, their form still trailing a ghostly mist.

Those who have worn this armor for long periods claim that it feels almost weightless, as though it exists partially outside the Material Plane, offering protection that defies traditional physical constraints.

Armor Bonuses

• Attribute Bonus: None
• Magic Bonus: +1 to AC in addition to normal breastplate AC
• Skill Bonus: No Disadvantage on Stealth checks
• Damage Resistance: Necrotic Damage

Drawbacks and Risks

⚠ Ethereal Instability – In areas of strong planar magic, the armor may temporarily phase in and out, causing its form to shift unpredictably for brief moments (purely aesthetic).

⚠ The Phantom’s Touch – Prolonged attunement to the armor may cause its wearer to feel partially disconnected from reality, experiencing momentary visions of the Ethereal Plane or phantom sensations of being watched.

⚠ Bound to the Veil – Undead creatures, specters, and ghosts may be drawn to the armor, sensing its connection to the boundary between life and death.

Lore and History

The Wraithguard Breastplate was first crafted by the Pale Forger, a legendary smith who specialized in planar-infused armor for warriors who fought against the endless tide of the undead. It is said that the first of these breastplates was worn by a ghostslayer, one who ventured into the Ethereal Plane to hunt down vengeful spirits, their form flickering between the two worlds as they struck down phantoms before they could return to the Material Realm.

Many believe that only a few of these breastplates exist, as crafting them requires Wraithsteel refined in ghostflame, an extremely rare process. Some say that each suit of Wraithguard armor retains a lingering spectral memory of its previous wearer, bound to the armor in a way that keeps it forever on the threshold of existence.

Additional Roleplay Features

• The Ghost’s Protection – While wearing the armor, the wearer sometimes hears faint whispers, as though the souls of past wearers linger within.
• The Vanishing Effect – Under magical scrutiny, the armor appears partially incorporeal, phasing slightly between the Material and Ethereal Planes.
• The Echoed Past – Occasionally, the armor reflects brief glimpses of previous battles it has witnessed, particularly in locations where undead have been slain.

Item Information

• Armor Type: Medium (Breastplate)
• Weight: 15 lb. (Lighter than most breastplates)
• Market Value: 8,000 gp
• Black Market Value: 20,000 gp (Highly sought after by planar warriors, undead slayers, and spectral enforcers)
• Attunement: None

Roleplaying Hooks & Story Integration

• The Ghostslayer’s Legacy – A warrior once clad in Wraithguard vanished into the Ethereal Plane, never to return. Now, the armor has been found again—where has it been all this time?
• The Spirit’s Bane – A necromantic warlord hunts for a set of Wraithguard armor, believing it to be the key to resisting a spectral curse.
• The Bound Knight – A famous knight was buried wearing Wraithguard, but rumors claim that his armor is no longer in his tomb. Has it been stolen, or has its wearer risen once more?

Summary of the Armor

The Wraithguard Breastplate is a rare, ghostly armor forged from Wraithsteel, granting its wearer resistance to necrotic damage and the ability to momentarily phase out of existence, forcing an enemy’s attack to disadvantage once per short rest. It is a relic of ghostslayers and planar knights, existing on the threshold between the Material and Ethereal Planes.

"Neither blade nor shadow may claim one who walks the threshold of existence."

This armor consists of a fitted metal chest piece worn with supple leather. Although it leaves the legs and arms relatively unprotected, this armor provides good protection for the wearer's vital organs while leaving the wearer relatively unencumbered.

Notes: Resistance: Necrotic, Bonus: Armor Class, Buff, Combat