Armor of the Open Road

Armor is not always required for hunting. Many monsters can simply crack plate with very little effort. Men, however, can not. This is why you should always wear it for battle.

— Anton of House Wolfheart

Armor is perhaps the most important piece of equipment you need in a world filled with monsters, as it should rather be a piece of metal taking the hit rather than your liver.

The Armor table shows the cost, weight, and other properties of the common types of armor and shields used in the worlds of D&D.

Armor Proficiency. Anyone can put on a suit of armor or strap a shield to an arm. Only those proficient in the armor’s use know how to wear it effectively, however. Your class gives you proficiency with certain types of armor. If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can’t cast spells.

Armor Class (AC). Armor protects its wearer from attacks. The armor (and shield) you wear determines your base Armor Class.

Heavy Armor. Heavier armor interferes with the wearer’s ability to move quickly, stealthily, and freely. If the Armor table shows "Str 13" or "Str 15" in the Strength column for an armor type, the armor reduces the wearer’s speed by 10 feet unless the wearer has a Strength score equal to or higher than the listed score.

Stealth. If the Armor table shows "Disadvantage" in the Stealth column, the wearer has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Shields. A shield is made from wood or metal and is carried in one hand. Wielding a shield increases your Armor Class by the specified amount. You can benefit from only one shield at a time.

Light Armor

Made from supple and thin materials, light armor favors agile adventurers since it offers some protection without sacrificing mobility. If you wear light armor, you add your Dexterity modifier to the base number from your armor type to determine your Armor Class.

Padded. Padded armor consists of quilted layers of cloth and batting.

Leather. 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.

Studded Leather. Made from tough but flexible leather, studded leather is reinforced with close-set rivets or spikes.

Medium Armor

Medium armor offers more protection than light armor, but it also impairs movement more. If you wear medium armor, you add your Dexterity modifier, to a maximum of +2, to the base number from your armor type to determine your Armor Class.

Hide. This crude armor consists of thick furs and pelts.

Chain Shirt. 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 and allows the sound of the rings rubbing against one another to be muffled by outer layers.

Scale Mail. 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 suit includes gauntlets.

Breastplate. 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.

Half Plate. 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.

Legion Armor. The armor of the Lorelian Legions, though variations of it exist all over the west of Orvas.

Heavy Armor

Of all the armor categories, heavy armor offers the best protection. These suits of armor cover the entire body and are designed to stop a wide range of attacks. Only proficient warriors can manage their weight and bulk.

Heavy armor doesn’t let you add your Dexterity modifier to your Armor Class, but it also doesn’t penalize you if your Dexterity modifier is negative.

Ring Mail. This armor is leather armor with heavy rings sewn into it. The rings help reinforce the armor against blows from swords and axes. Ring mail is inferior to chain mail, and it’s usually worn only by those who can’t afford better armor.

Chain Mail. 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 suit includes gauntlets.

Splint. 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.

Plate. 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.

Dwarven Plate. Exceptionally rare outside Dwarf Mountain Homes, Dwarven Plate is identified by thick, finely crafted plates that cover all parts of the body, with chain mail in the joints and padding all around. Although heavy as sin in human-sized variations, they are regarded as the best armor for any frontline fighter.

Shields

Shields are hand-held defensive equipment. They come in various size and shapes, which boil down to the three types laid out in the table.

Buckler. A hand-sized shield that is both light and mobile. It lacks much of the other shields defensive capablities, but still finds use amongst the exceptionally skilled.

Shield. The standard shield, also known as a "board" among soldiers. It offers a good balance between cost, weight, and protection.

Tower Shield. Big, heavy shields, these are the peak of defense. The Lorelian Legions are the chief users of this type of shield.

Getting Into and Out of Armor

The time it takes to don or doff a type of armor or a shield is shown in the Donning and Doffing Armor table.

If you get help from a creature also proficient in that type of armor, it takes half the time.

Don. This is the time it takes to put on the item. You benefit from its AC only if you take the full time to don it.

Doff. This is the time it takes to take off the item.