Messing with Clockwork Armor.

[Mister Lamp]

I recently found the link to the online article about the Clockwork Armor. Having read through it seems like fun, but I want to know how it could be more interesting. Assume for this purpose that you could craft your own, so the materials its made of could be changed.

Bonus points for:
     Style
     Fun
     Something people usually wouldn't think of.

[Ziltoid]

Welp, for starters I'd get the Diamond Mind maneuvers to replace a save with Concentration, to make sure you don't fail a save against any [Cold] effect, and maybe a few rerolls as well, plenty of ways for that

Maybe combine with Cyran Gliding Boots (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20061120a) for some kind of rollerball/hockey inspired bullrushing brute for a fun and pulpy flavor?

[Prime32]

Have it worn by a frostrager to avoid the icing problem.
A white dragonspawn wearing the armor likewise avoids the issue, and somehow the armor increases his fly speed.
Use a ring of arming or similar item to take it off. (you can do the same with the gliding boots if you build weapons into them)

[Bastian]

One way to get rid of its weakness to being directly damaged (not its weakness to cold however), is to turn it into a Legendary Item since Legendary Items can only be damaged by other Legendary Items. Note two things, Legendary Items are not Legacy Items and that you don't need to take levels in a Legendary Item class for the Legendary Item to be resistant to damage.

[Mister Lamp]

I don't know if it was intended, but, as written, the article seems to say that there is no arcane spell failure chance if you are proficient with heavy armor.

Success allows a Medium-size creature of any Strength to use the armor effectively, as long as they have Armor Proficiency (heavy). Creatures without that proficiency may still wear the armor but suffer a -8 Armor Check penalty to all the usual skills and suffer a 90% chance of spell failure

emphasis mine.

[Bastian]

I don't know if it was intended, but, as written, the article seems to say that there is no arcane spell failure chance if you are proficient with heavy armor.

Success allows a Medium-size creature of any Strength to use the armor effectively, as long as they have Armor Proficiency (heavy). Creatures without that proficiency may still wear the armor but suffer a -8 Armor Check penalty to all the usual skills and suffer a 90% chance of spell failure

emphasis mine.

Yep, it was pretty clearly intended.

[snakeman830]

For fun, I would try and trap it with a couple of spell turrets to go full-on battlemech mode.

[Tr011]

Is it right that it can be enchanted like any regular armor?
Hardness works against spells, too, and most spells deal only half damage to objects. So we need either to make the armor "immune" to attacks or optimize its values.
Hardening with CL boosts will help. CL 20 = 10 bonus hardness and pretty easy to get once you use transfer essence (spell that grants half the CL of another caster).
Also, after errata any magic enhancement bonus increases hardness by 2 times the enhancement (10 for +5 armor) and the HP by 10 (50 for +5). So we get with ease an armor with 30 hardness and 150 hit points. Crafted with the feat from #358, you get +4 on saves versus acid, rust and disintegration and +5 hp. Dwarvencraft for +2 hardness, +2 saves, +10hp. Hellforged for +1 hardness, +5hp.
The total would be 33 hardness, 170 hp. It can be improved even more with a greater CL, but I think this is a good start.

[Prime32]

Create a barding version, have a dragon wear it.

[AyeGill]

Create a barding version, have a dragon wear it.

You now have your own personal tank.

[Mister Lamp]

Create a barding version, have a dragon wear it.

You now have your own personal tank.

I like it. but how can it be abused best? 

We need something small that can make a DC 30 disable device check, just in case.
and a way to trigger metabreath wands on it.

[Bozwevial]

Create a barding version, have a dragon wear it.

Combine with Scintillating Scales to make it much harder to attack the armor directly.

[Mister Lamp]

Create a barding version, have a dragon wear it.

Combine with Scintillating Scales to make it much harder to attack the armor directly.

Not sure which is better, That idea, or that it was your 444^th post.

[Endarire]

Anticold sphere and energy immunity (both in Spell Compendium) make the wearer immune to cold.  Anticold sphere projects a 10' radius sphere centered on you.

[littha]

Create a barding version, have a White/Silver dragon wear it.

Fixed.

[Mister Lamp]

Create a barding version, have a White/Silver dragon wear it.

Fixed.

In this case I'd say a red dragon, a source of fire damage, and the spell Energy Immunity.

[Ziltoid]

Create a barding version, have a White/Silver dragon wear it.

Fixed.

In this case I'd say a red dragon, a source of fire damage, and the spell Energy Immunity.

How about a Half-White Red Dragon (Pink Dragon?) ?

[littha]

I would just go with the silver, they have decent caster levels anyway.

[Raven2049]

query:

would fire shield protect against the vulnerability to cold that the armor has?

Evocation [Fire or Cold]
Level: Sorcerer 4, Wizard 4, Sun 4, Fire 5,
Components: V, S, M, DF,
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

This spell wreathes you in flame and causes damage to each creature that attacks you in melee.
The flames also protect you from either cold-based or fire-based attacks (your choice).
This damage is either cold damage (if the shield protects against fire-based attacks) or fire damage (if the shield protects against cold-based attacks).
If the attacker has spell resistance, it applies to this effect.
The special powers of each version are as follows.
Warm Shield: The flames are warm to the touch.
You take only half damage from cold-based attacks.
If such an attack allows a Reflex save for half damage, you take no damage on a successful save.

emphasis mine, removed non-relevant info

im assuming that it would, but you would still have to make the save...

warforged juggernaut with clockwork armor 

[Nytemare3701]

Sacred Elder Eidolon Rukanyr with Clockwork Barding

40+ AC, DR 5/Adamantine, Fast Repair 5.
45 Speed
7d10+40 HP
10 attacks.

Oh, and it's intelligent and has a subtype/immunities associated with the god of your choice.

I'm totally going to make one of these sometime.