Hoard Armor

Hoard armor is used by dragons both to take advantage of the large number of coins and gems that comprise their hoards for defensive purposes, as well as to dazzle other creatures with a garish display of their wealth. When this spell is cast, any unsecured gems or precious metals (copper, silver, electrum, gold, or platinum only) that are less than a half pound in weight apiece and within 20 feet of the spellcaster are drawn to the immediate vicinity of the spellcaster's body. The gems and chunks of precious metal (usually coins) form a whirling cocoon around the spellcaster that shimmers and sparkles in nearly any intensity of light. By means of the magic of this spell, the enveloping hoard never obscures the spellcaster's face, hands (claws), or feet, so it is possible to eat, talk, cast spells, fight, or walk normally.

If the spellcaster is of huge or gargantuan size, for every 1,000 gems or pieces of precious metal attracted by the spell, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus to his or her AC. If the spellcaster is of medium or large size, the Armor Class bonus is +1 per 100 gems or pieces of precious metal. If the spellcaster is of tiny or small size, the Armor Class bonus is +1 per 20 gems or pieces of precious metal. In all cases, the maximum AC bonus resulting from this spell is +5.

Although the spellcaster does not physically carry the material components of hoard armor, all movement rates of the spellcaster are reduced by 3, and, if the spellcaster can fly by means of wings or similar natural nonmagical locomotion, his or her maneuverability class is penalized by one class (to a maximum of E).

When this spell expires or a dispel magic or similar incantation is successfully cast, the enveloping hoard armor immediately falls off and is once again subject to the pull of gravity.

Casting this spell is costly, particularly to naturally avaricious dragons, for 1% of the gems and pieces of precious metal composing the hoard armor, selected randomly, are consumed by the magic of this spell and are forever lost. As a result, this spell is not as commonly employed as one might expect.

The material component of this spell is the 1% of the gems and pieces of precious metal used to comprise the hoard amor that are consumed when the spell ends.