Armor Descriptions
Any special benefits or accessories to the types of armor found on Table: Armor and Shields are described below.
| Armor | Price | Armor Bonus | Damage Reduction | Max Dex Bonus | Check Penalty | A. Spell Failure | Weight | Bulk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Armor | ||||||||
| Padded | 5 gp | +1 | – | +8 | – | 5% | 10 lb. | 150 |
| Leather | 10 gp | +2 | – | +6 | – | 10% | 15 lb. | 200 |
| Studded Leather | 25 gp | +2 | 1 | +5 | -1 | 15% | 20 lb. | 200 |
| Chain Shirt | 100 gp | +3 | 1 | +4 | -2 | 20% | 25 lb. | 150 |
| Medium Armor | ||||||||
| Hide | 15 gp | +3 | 1 | +4 | -3 | 20% | 25 lb. | 250 |
| Scale Mail | 50 gp | +4 | 1 | +3 | -4 | 25% | 30 lb. | 300 |
| Chain Mail | 150 gp | +4 | 2 | +2 | -5 | 30% | 40 lb. | 300 |
| Breastplate | 200 gp | +5 | 2 | +3 | -4 | 25% | 30 lb. | 300 |
| Heavy Armor | ||||||||
| Splint Mail | 200 gp | +6 | 3 | – | -7 | 40% | 45 lb. | 350 |
| Banded Mail | 250 gp | +6 | 2 | +1 | -6 | 35% | 35 lb. | 350 |
| Half Plate | 600 gp | +7 | 3 | – | -7 | 40% | 50 lb. | 400 |
| Full Plate | 1,500 gp | +7 | 4 | +1 | -6 | 35% | 50 lb. | 500 |
| Shields | ||||||||
| Buckler | 4 gp | +1* | – | – | -2 | 5% | 3 lb. | 100 |
| Dastana | 15 gp | +1 | – | – | -1 | 5% | 5 lb. | 100 |
| Shield, Light | 6 gp | +1 | – | – | -1 | 5% | 5 lb. | 150 |
| Shield, Heavy | 10 gp | +2 | – | – | -2 | 15% | 10 lb. | 350 |
| Shield, Tower | 30 gp | +4 | – | +2 | -10 | 50% | 45 lb. | 500 |
Banded Mail
Price: 250 gp; Weight: 35 lb.; Bulk: 350
Built of overlapping bands of metal wrapped horizontally around the body fastened to a backing of chain mail, banded mail provides ample protection for the most vulnerable areas while leaving the user some mobility. The armor includes gauntlets.
Breastplate
Price: 200 gp; Weight: 30 lb.; Bulk: 300
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. It comes with a helmet and greaves to protect the head and shins.
Buckler
Price: 4 gp; Weight: 3 lb.; Bulk: 100
This small metal shield is held in the hand and used to actively defend when necessary. It is most commonly carried by civilians, as its small size and ability to double as a bludgeoning weapon make it particularly suitable to use in crowded cities.
Because a buckler is actively used to deflect attacks, pushing them away from the user, a proficient character may add a buckler’s shield bonus (including any enhancement bonus) to his touch AC.
Because a buckler is not strapped to a character in any way, the user’s hand is completely occupied by the shield and cannot be used to cast spells or retrieve items without first dropping the buckler.
Chain Mail
Price: 150 gp; Weight: 40 lb.; Bulk: 300
Made of interlocking metal rings, chain mail includes a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath the mail to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. The armor includes gauntlets.
Chain Shirt
Price: 100 gp; Weight: 25 lb.; Bulk: 150
Made of interlocking metal rings, a chain shirt is worn between layers of clothing or leather. This armor offers modest protection to the wearer’s upper body. This armor comes with a simple steel cap to protect the head.
Dastana
Price: 15 gp; Weight: 5 lb.; Bulk: 100
This type of arm guard is constructed of reinforced curved metal plate which stretches from the wrist to just past the elbow. It includes a secondary plate and chain mail to protect the wrist and hand while leaving the fingers free to move. A dastana (sometimes called a bazuband) is often employed as a kind of makeshift shield and used much as one might use a buckler; however, it is much less agile and used more for blocking than deflecting.
A dastana leaves the user’s hands free while still providing its shield bonus to AC. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand to attack, you don’t get the dastana’s AC bonus for the rest of the round.
You can’t shield bash someone with a dastana.
Full Plate
Price: 1,500 gp; Weight: 50 lb.; Bulk: 500
Full plate consists of shaped, interlocking metal plates to cover the entire body. A suit of plate includes gauntlets, heavy leather boots, a visored helmet, and thick layers of padding underneath the armor. Buckles and straps distribute the weight over the body.
Half Plate
Price: 600 gp; Weight: 50 lb.; Bulk: 400
Half plate consists of shaped metal plates that cover most of the wearer’s body. It does not include leg protection beyond simple greaves that are attached with leather straps. The armor includes gauntlets.
Hide
Price: 15 gp; Weight: 25 lb.; Bulk: 250
This crude armor consists of thick furs and pelts. It is commonly worn by barbarian tribes, evil humanoids, and other folk who lack access to the tools and materials needed to create better armor.
Leather
Price: 10 gp; Weight: 15 lb.; Bulk: 200
The breastplate and shoulder protectors of this armor are made of leather that has been stiffened by being boiled in oil. The rest of the armor is made of softer and more flexible materials.
Padded
Price: 5 gp; Weight: 10 lb.; Bulk: 150
Padded armor consists of quilted layers of cloth and batting.
Scale Mail
Price: 50 gp; Weight: 30 lb.; Bulk: 300
This armor consists of a coat and leggings (and perhaps a separate skirt) of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like the scales of a fish. The armor includes gauntlets.
Shield, Heavy
Price: 10 gp; Weight: 10 lb.; Bulk: 350
You strap a shield to your forearm and grip a rigid handle with your hand. A heavy shield is so heavy that you can’t use your shield hand for anything else.
A heavy shield can be crafted from either wood or metal. Both types of shield offer the same basic protection, though they respond differently to special attacks.
Shield, Light
Price: 6 gp; Weight: 5 lb.; Bulk: 150
You strap a shield to your forearm and grip a second strap with your hand. A light shield’s weight lets you carry other items in that hand, although you cannot use weapons with it. You may retrieve easily accessible items while wearing a light shield. You may also use that hand to cast spells with somatic components without dropping the shield; however, you lose the shield bonus to AC in any round you do so.
A light shield can be crafted from either wood or metal. Both types of shield offer the same basic protection, though they respond differently to special attacks.
Shield, Tower
Price: 30 gp; Weight: 45 lb.; Bulk: 500
This massive wooden shield is nearly as tall as you are. In most situations, it provides the indicated shield bonus to your AC. However, you can instead use it as total cover, though you must give up your attacks to do so. The shield does not, however, provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding. You cannot bash with a tower shield, nor can you use your shield hand for anything else.
When employing a tower shield in combat, you take a -2 penalty on attack rolls because of the shield’s encumbrance.
Splint Mail
Price: 200 gp; Weight: 45 lb.; Bulk: 350
This armor is made of narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding. Flexible chain mail protects the joints. The armor includes gauntlets.
Studded Leather
Price: 25 gp; Weight: 20 lb.; Bulk: 200
This type of leather armor, officially called brigandine, has been reinforced by lining it internally with small oblong steel plates riveted to the leather. The studs of the rivets visible on the surface give this armor its common name.