Armor is used to boost Armor Class, which represents how hard you are to hit during combat. The higher the value the harder you are to hit. Armor and shields can be used to raise that number, however the weight, restrictive movement, and other details of a type of armor can impact you negatively.
Armor Price is the amount, in silver pieces, that the basic version of the armor is worth. Specific armor values might differ if they have additional properties such as special materials.
Armor Bonus is the value that is added to your AC.
Dexterity Cap is the highest possible Dexterity Modifier that can be applied to AC while wearing this armor. If there is a dash, the armor in question does not impact your Dexterity Cap.
Check Penalty is subtracted from all Strength and Dexterity based skill bonuses. These are listed in the Skills section and include Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, and Thievery. If there is a dash, the armor in question does not have a Check Penalty. This is sometimes called Armor Check Penalty.
Speed Penalty is the amount your speed is reduced by when wearing this armor. If there is a dash, the armor in question does not have a Speed Penalty.
Bulk is the weight of the armor. If there is an ‘L,’ the armor in question is considered of ‘Light’ weight, where ten light weight objects add up to 1 Bulk.
Armor Tags are used for armor with particular qualities not listed elsewhere. The following is a description of the qualities that each tag imparts to the armor or shield.
- Clumsy. This armor’s Dexterity modifier cap also applies to Reflex saves and to all Dexterity-based skill and ability checks that are not part of a Strike action.
- Disguised: This armor does not look like armor.
- Fragile. If fragile armor takes a Dent, it is automatically broken.
- Noisy. This armor’s check penalty increases by 1 on Stealth checks.
- Resistant: This armor is still effective against firearms and the bonus is still applied to AC even against the Gunslinger and Perfect Thrust traits.
- Stealthy. This armor is built for sneaking. While wearing it, you gain advantage on all Stealth checks but disadvantage on all Diplomacy and Deception checks.
Light Armor
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Leather | 15 silvers | +1 | +6 | – | – | 1 | – |
| Studded Leather | 30 silvers | +2 | +5 | -1 | – | 1 | – |
| Assassin’s Cloak | 75 silvers | +2 | +5 | – | – | 1 | Stealthy |
| Chain Shirt | 45 silvers | +3 | +4 | -1 | – | 2 | Noisy |
Fantasy
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Padded | 2 silvers | +1 | +5 | – | – | L | Fragile |
Medium Armor
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Hide | 20 silvers | +3 | +4 | -2 | – | 2 | – |
| Chain Mail | 60 silvers | +4 | +3 | -3 | -5 feet | 2 | Noisy |
| Breastplate | 80 silvers | +5 | +3 | -3 | -5 feet | 3 | Clumsy |
Fantasy
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Scale Mail | 35 silvers | +3 | +4 | -2 | -5 feet | 2 | – |
Heavy Armor
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Half Plate | 175 silvers | +5 | +2 | -4 | -10 feet | 3 | – |
| Full Plate | 200 silvers | +6 | +2 | -5 | -10 feet | 4 | Clumsy |
Fantasy
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Split Mail | 125 silvers | +5 | +2 | -3 | -10 feet | 3 | Clumsy |
Light Shields
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Buckler | 1 silver | +1 | – | – | – | L | – |
Fantasy
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Wooden | 7 coppers | +1 | – | -1 | – | L | – |
Heavy Shields
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Steel | 10 silvers | +2 | – | -1 | – | 1 | – |
Fantasy
| Price | Bonus | Dexterity Cap | Check Penalty | Speed Penalty | Bulk | Tags | |
| Tower | 25 silvers | +3 | – | -2 | -5 feet | 2 | – |
Armor Dents
| Category | Hardness | Toughness |
| Armor, Light | 5 | 2 |
| Armor, Medium | 10 | 4 |
| Armor, Heavy | 15 | 8 |
| Shield, Buckler | 5 | 5 |
| Shield, Steel | 10 | 10 |
Each type of armor can take varying amounts of damage before gaining the Broken condition. If a source of damage deals more than the Hardness of the armor, the armor takes a dent. Once the armor takes a number of dents equal to its Toughness score, it gains the Broken condition. If the armor takes another dent before being repaired, it is destroyed, at least beyond repair. If the armor ever takes triple its hardness score or more at once, it takes two dents. If an item is made of a special material, add the material bonus to the Hardness and Toughness scores. See Equipment Rules, for more details about breaking objects.
Donning and Doffing Armor
| Category | Don | Doff |
| Armor, Light | 1 minute | 1 minute |
| Armor, Medium | 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Armor, Heavy | 10 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Shield, Buckler | Single Action | Single Action |
| Shield, Steel | Double Action | Double Action |
Don. This is the time it takes to put on armor. You benefit from the armor’s AC only if you take the full time to don the suit of armor.
Doff. This is the time it takes to take off armor. If you have help, reduce this time by half.
Armor Descriptions
Assassin’s Cloak. This reinforced, light weight cloak and hardened leather accessories, including a chest piece, gloves, arm guards, and leg guards, is dark grey and brown. It is often, though not always, mottled and makes your outline harder to discern in poorly light areas, granting advantage to Stealth checks. However, this benefit also makes it a distinct and well-known tool for thieves and imposes disadvantage to Deception and Diplomacy checks. Such armor allows great maneuverability and protection for those seeking lighter armor who do not worry about their social interactions.
Breastplate. Named for its most prominent feature, the shaped metal strapped to the front and back of the chest, this armor includes hardened leather armor and leg guards. The full sheet of metal provides more protection than other medium armors and makes less noise as the metal in the armor are separate pieces. This single piece per body part however also comes with less maneuverability, inflicting the Dexterity Cap on other Dexterity based check beyond AC. This armor is excellent protection for those with less care towards their dexterity.
Buckler. This small, round shield is made of heavy, reinforced wood bound together with strips of metal, capped with metal, and, sometimes, inset with a shield boss or spike. It is small, providing less protection than other shields but it is more maneuverable due to its size.
Chain Mail. This highly renown armor is composed of flat metal stitched together with wire to create a heavy metal shirt that often drops to the knees and is held close with a belt. This shirt can be worn under loose clothing and is more maneuverable than solid metal armor, but the movement of the metal also makes more noise, imposing an increased penalty to Stealth. This is a good armor for most fighters, particularly if noise is not of top concern.
Chain Shirt. A classic of the light armors, a chain shirt is made of tightly interlocking rings. It always includes the shirt that can range in arm length from none to wrist, but often comes with hardened leather leg guards too. It grants superior protection to most other light armors and can be worn under most clothing. However, the tightly woven rings still make noise and impose an increased penalty to Stealth checks. This makes for great light weight, versatile armor for those who do not care about stealth.
Full Plate. The strongest of the armors, this heavy armor is a full metal breastplate, shoulder plates, metal arm and elbow guards, gauntlets, a metal skirt, and metal leg guards. This armor sometimes comes with interlocking rings riveted to the plate metal as a means of joining separate pieces and providing even more protection at the armor joints. Such protection has the common drawbacks of weight, loss of maneuverability, and restrictions on Dexterity based checks. For those seeking the best armor protection, full plate has the best to offer.
Half Plate. Named for having about half the number of pieces as full armor, it includes the full metal breastplate, metal arm guards, and metal leg guards. If half plate does come with armor joint protection, these are hardened leather padding worn underneath. Sometimes, half plate comes with gauntlets which are hardened leather reinforced with metal strips or rivets. While half plate does not offer the same protection as full plate, it is far more maneuverable and imposes fewer restrictions. This armor is great for high protection without losing as much flexibility.
Hide. Made up of animal skins, hide is superior to most leather armors because it is made with tougher, thicker leathers all stitched and overlapped for more protection. It also includes hide arm and leg guards and sometimes comes with gloves. One of the least restrictive of the medium armors, it still provides a good bonus with fewer drawbacks. This is an excellent choice for higher AC while maintaining movement and flexibility.
Leather Armor. The first among armors, leather armor is made of leather pieces stitched together to form a jacket. It rarely comes with more than the jacket, imparting only minimal protection. However, unlike most armors, it has little to no restriction on movement and Dexterity. Leather armor makes an excellent choice when movement is paramount, and a high armor bonus is not needed.
Padded (Fantasy). [Description pending]
Scale Mail (Fantasy). [Description pending]
Split Mail (Fantasy). [Description pending]
Steel Shield. This shield is less distinctive than the buckler but is entirely made of metal, granting higher protection. Steel shields can come in a variety of shapes, from rectangular to kite to oval and everything in between. Unlike most bucklers, steel shields are commonly painted with motifs and heralds since they are larger. This size, while inflicting a penalty, is also what provides a higher bonus. This is the shield for those seeking to augment their armor with more protection and little worry for flexibility.
Studded Leather Armor. Similar to leather armor, this armor is a jacket made of leather stitched together. However, it adds more protection by using large metal rivets to reinforce and catch weapons. This armor has little drawbacks while grant some more protection than leather armor. It is a desirable choice for those still seeking maneuverability while gaining that little bit extra AC bonus.
Tower Shield (Fantasy). [Description pending]
Wooden Shield (Fantasy). [Description pending]