Cloak of Displacement

This cloak causes reflected light to bend, making the wearer appear slightly off of their actual position.

Description. This hooded cloak appears to be made of fine, soft, dark fabric.

When the cloak's hood is raised, the cloak bends reflected light making the cloak appear to be 1-2-ft. from the wearer's actual position. Thus, the wearer will appear, at least superficially, to be 1-2-ft. from their actual position. Uncovered portions of the wearer still appear in their normal position (making for a strange effect). This light displacement has several effects:

• Any attack roll that targets the wearer by an opponent that relies on sight and has not experienced the displacement effect on the wearer will miss (no save). Thus, an opponent's first attack routine and any other simultaneous attacks from other opponents will miss. Thereafter, all opponents in line of sight of the attack (or those that communicate with the attacker) can attack the wearer without an automatic miss. Opponents that have witnessed the displacement effect on the wearer previously (in a prior engagement) are also not subject to automatic misses.

• Even after the first attack routine, the effect is disconcerting (similar to partial invisibility) and the wearer gains a +2 bonus to armor class versus opponents that attack using sight.

• In addition, effects that target the wearer (by opponents using sight) and offer a saving throw, grant the wearer a +2 bonus to the save. Examples are gaze attacks, hell hound breath, or targeted spells like hold person. 

• Effects that target an area, target creatures in an area randomly, or those that strike unerringly (e.g. magic missile) are unaffected by the displacement effect.

LIMITATIONS

• The cloak does not displace light unless the hood is engaged (allowing it to be worn in social settings without attracting undue attention).

• The cloak only operates against opponents attacking using sight. Against opponents that do not use sight, none of the cloak's abilities function (first miss, AC bonus or save bonus).

• If the wearer is invisible, none of the cloak's abilities function (even against opponents that can see or sense invisible).

• While the cloak bends light, the reflected light cannot be hidden inside solid objects. This means that even should the wearer stand next to a wall, the displacement effect changes such that the cloak is visible (and not somehow hidden "inside" the wall).

• Any effect that does not use an attack roll to strike or contact the wearer is not subject to the automatic miss feature.

• Even "first" attacks that would have missed (regardless of the feature of the cloak) will remove the effect of automatic misses by subsequent attacks.

EXAMPLES

• Example 1. The wearer faces four orcs. Two orcs wield loaded crossbows, one wields a battle axe and one wields a hand axe. The wearer and the axe wielding orcs declare a charge attack and the crossbow-wielding orcs declare missile attacks. As the wearer charges, the crossbow wielders fire and, due to the effect of the cloak, both miss automatically. Once the wearer and the axe wielding orcs engage, attack rolls have the normal chance to hit (taking into account bonus for charging and the better AC granted by the displacement effect).

• Example 2. The wearer engages two evil fighters in melee. One wields a long sword and the other a medium spear. The fighters win initiative and, due to weapon speed factor, the long sword wielder strikes first and automatically misses. The spear wielder sees this and can attack without an automatic miss.

• Example 3. The wearer enters melee with a dire wolf and a hill giant. Due to weapon speed factor, the dire wolf will strike first (and automatically miss) while the hill giant will attack normally.

Cloak Sizing

The cloak does not resize and will fit one of the following forms (d%): The cloak fits Man-sized wearers from 4.5 to 6.5 ft. tall (01-75); otherwise, the cloak fits wearers from 2.5 to 4.5-ft. tall (76-00). Cloaks do not function on a creature with wings (located on the creature's back) or those not at least roughly humanoid in shape.