Regarding Masterwork Armor

[elijin]

I was just checking through the forums, and some interesting things came up.
Firstly, let me quote from the PHB:

.... Masterwork armors never appear except as magic armor, and even then only at the highest levels (16th and above). The various kinds of masterwork armor fall into the same categories as mundane armor and have similar statistics, but they have a higher armor bonus than their mundane counterparts. The cost of masterwork armor is included in the cost of magic armor.

From the DnD forums what they were discussing about is..
If I find a magic item of a certain enhancement bonus, say +2, it automatically qualifies as a Masterwork armour piece, and thus gains the benefits of the higher tier of AC. From here

And this is backed up by the official PHB FAQ(I didn't even know they had such a thing):

5. On page 214 of the Player’s Handbook, some of the listed armor selections have a cost of “special.” What does this mean?

These types of armors are explained on page 212 of the Player’s Handbook. They are Masterwork armors and cannot be purchased. They serve as the base armors for creating magic armors with higher enhancement bonuses. For example, if your hide armor is +4 or +5, it is Darkhide armor. You would then use the base stats for Darkhide armor. If the bonus was +6 or greater, it would be Elderhide armor.

So can I be of the assumption that if my current Eldarin Chainmail +2, is not a mundane chainmail but a Finemail Eladrin Chainmail?(From AV) ;D
Finemail armor
AC: +7
Min Enhancement Bonus: +2
Armor Check Penalty: –1
Speed: –1
Cost; special
Weight:40 lb.

Normail Chainmail is just AC +6.

[thedungeonmaster]

Ok, I can't seem to find your Finemail Eladrin Chainmail...

Ok, from my understanding of the PHB. It is correct, and there is no need to refer to the FAQ because it is stated clearly on pg. 227 of the PHB; with the illustration of the +5 black iron dragonscale armor.

However, before you proceed to make the amendments, please let me see the exact material you lifted off from the AV. Because, I can't seem to find the fine eladrin chainmail. And secondly, is the cost stated as 'special'?

[elijin]

Its from AV and its stats is exactly as my above post.
The cost is listed as "special" is because it cannot be bought by itself unlike mundane armor, but it has to be part of the magic armor you are purchasing. By definition is has no cost, since the cost is including in buying the magical property.

Like if I were to purchase a +5 BlackIron Scale armor, it would be a masterwork Dragonscale armor and the market price would be as a +5 BlackIron property, which is listed in the PHB as 525,000gp.