Post by Xxsuperheroxx on Feb 20, 2023 13:48:15 GMT -6
Types of Armor & Encumbrance
The encumbrance factor for armor does not consider weight alone; it also takes into account the distribution of the weight of the armor and the relative mobility of the individual wearing the protective material. Therefore, weight for armor shown below are adjusted weights, and base movement speed is likewise shown.
*assumes human-size
Armor Types:
Banded Mail is a layered armor with padding, light chain, and series of overlapping bands of armor in vulnerable areas. Weight is somewhat distributed.
Chain Mail is padding plus interlocking mesh armor covering the upper and lower body. Vulnerable areas have multiple thicknesses. Weight falls upon the shoulders and waist of the wearer.
Chain Mail Elfin, is a fine wrought suit of chain which is of thinner links but stronger metal. It is obtainable only from elvenkind who do not sell it.
Leather Armor is shaped cuir bouli (leather hardened by immersion in boiling oil) cuirass and shoulder pieces and softer shirt and leggings.
Padded Armor is heavily padded, quilted coat and an additional soft leather jerkin and leggings.
Plated Mail is light chain with pieces of plate - cuirass, shoulder pieces, elbow and knee guards, and greaves. Weight is well distributed. (Plate armor is a full suit of plate which is no more weighty and a bit less bulky, considering what is known as "field Plate". If you allow such armor in your campaign, use the same weight, with 9" movement base and a base armor class of 2 sans shield. Such armor would be very expensive, c. 2,000 g.p.).
Ring Mail is relatively soft leather armor over padding. To the long coat of leather are sewn rings. This makes the coat rather heavy and bulky.
Scale Mail is armor similar to ring, but overlapping scales of metal are sewn to both coat and leggings - or a skirted coat is worn. As with chain, weight falls mainly on the wearer's shoulders and waist.
Shield, Large, includes such shields as large Viking round shields or the Norman kite shield. They are made of wood, covered with leather, and bordered with soft iron banding at the edges.
Shield, Small, is the typical kite and heater shields or small round shields constructed as a large shield, or else made of metal (more rare by far).
Shield Small, Wooden is the same as other shields, but it lacks the metal binding and reinforcement, so it will be more easily split.
Splint Mail consists of light chain, greaves, and a leather coat into which are laminated vertical pieces of plate with shoulder guards.
Studded Leather is leather armor to which have been fastened metal studding as additional protection, usually including an outer coat of fairly close-set studs (small Plates).
Helmets:
It is assumed that an appropriate type of head armoring will be added to the suit of armor in order to allow uniform protection of the wearer. Wearing of a "great helm" adds the appropriate weight and restricts vision to the front 60" only, but it gives the head AC 1. If a helmet is not worn, 1 blow in 6 will strike at the AC 10 head, unless the opponent is intelligent, in which case 1 blow in 2 will be aimed at the AC 10 head (d6, 1-3 = head blow.
Magic Armor:
When magic armor is worn, assume that its properties allow movement at the next higher base rate and that weight is cut by 50%. There is no magical elfin chain mail.
Magic Shield:
Magic shields are no less weight than their non-magical counterparts, but they are non-bulky with respect to encumbrance.
Small Shields: Bucklers and other small shields which are basically held with one hand are moved rapidly by the wielder, but they cover only a small area, so they are less effective by and large. Such shields are less cumbersome and fatiguing in employment, however, so no distinction is made between a small and normal-sized shield in AD&D.
Large shields: Although a large shield such as a Norman kite shield or a large Viking round shield covers much more of the body, employing one of these shields is far more difficult, as they are cumbersome and fatiguing. Therefore, large shields are treated as but +1 to armor class rating without a shield. Optionally, you may allow them to add +2 to this armor class rating with respect to small (non-war engine or giant hurled) missiles; if you do so, however, be certain that you also keep careful track of encumbrance.
The encumbrance factor for armor does not consider weight alone; it also takes into account the distribution of the weight of the armor and the relative mobility of the individual wearing the protective material. Therefore, weight for armor shown below are adjusted weights, and base movement speed is likewise shown.
| Armor Type | Bulk | Weight* | Base Movement |
| Banded | bulky | 35# | 9" |
| Chain | fairly | 30# | 9" |
| chain, Elfin | non- | 15# | 12" |
| Leather | non- | 15# | 12" |
| Padded | fairly | 10# | 9" |
| Plate (mail) | bulky | 45# | 6" |
| Ring | fairly | 25# | 9" |
| Scale | fairly | 40# | 6" |
| Sheild, Large | bulky | 10# | - |
| Sheild, Small | non- | 5# | - |
| Sheild, Small, Wood | non- | 3# | - |
| Splint | bulky | 40# | 6" |
| Studded (Leather) | fairly | 20# | 9" |
*assumes human-size
Armor Types:
Banded Mail is a layered armor with padding, light chain, and series of overlapping bands of armor in vulnerable areas. Weight is somewhat distributed.
Chain Mail is padding plus interlocking mesh armor covering the upper and lower body. Vulnerable areas have multiple thicknesses. Weight falls upon the shoulders and waist of the wearer.
Chain Mail Elfin, is a fine wrought suit of chain which is of thinner links but stronger metal. It is obtainable only from elvenkind who do not sell it.
Leather Armor is shaped cuir bouli (leather hardened by immersion in boiling oil) cuirass and shoulder pieces and softer shirt and leggings.
Padded Armor is heavily padded, quilted coat and an additional soft leather jerkin and leggings.
Plated Mail is light chain with pieces of plate - cuirass, shoulder pieces, elbow and knee guards, and greaves. Weight is well distributed. (Plate armor is a full suit of plate which is no more weighty and a bit less bulky, considering what is known as "field Plate". If you allow such armor in your campaign, use the same weight, with 9" movement base and a base armor class of 2 sans shield. Such armor would be very expensive, c. 2,000 g.p.).
Ring Mail is relatively soft leather armor over padding. To the long coat of leather are sewn rings. This makes the coat rather heavy and bulky.
Scale Mail is armor similar to ring, but overlapping scales of metal are sewn to both coat and leggings - or a skirted coat is worn. As with chain, weight falls mainly on the wearer's shoulders and waist.
Shield, Large, includes such shields as large Viking round shields or the Norman kite shield. They are made of wood, covered with leather, and bordered with soft iron banding at the edges.
Shield, Small, is the typical kite and heater shields or small round shields constructed as a large shield, or else made of metal (more rare by far).
Shield Small, Wooden is the same as other shields, but it lacks the metal binding and reinforcement, so it will be more easily split.
Splint Mail consists of light chain, greaves, and a leather coat into which are laminated vertical pieces of plate with shoulder guards.
Studded Leather is leather armor to which have been fastened metal studding as additional protection, usually including an outer coat of fairly close-set studs (small Plates).
Helmets:
It is assumed that an appropriate type of head armoring will be added to the suit of armor in order to allow uniform protection of the wearer. Wearing of a "great helm" adds the appropriate weight and restricts vision to the front 60" only, but it gives the head AC 1. If a helmet is not worn, 1 blow in 6 will strike at the AC 10 head, unless the opponent is intelligent, in which case 1 blow in 2 will be aimed at the AC 10 head (d6, 1-3 = head blow.
Magic Armor:
When magic armor is worn, assume that its properties allow movement at the next higher base rate and that weight is cut by 50%. There is no magical elfin chain mail.
Magic Shield:
Magic shields are no less weight than their non-magical counterparts, but they are non-bulky with respect to encumbrance.
Small Shields: Bucklers and other small shields which are basically held with one hand are moved rapidly by the wielder, but they cover only a small area, so they are less effective by and large. Such shields are less cumbersome and fatiguing in employment, however, so no distinction is made between a small and normal-sized shield in AD&D.
Large shields: Although a large shield such as a Norman kite shield or a large Viking round shield covers much more of the body, employing one of these shields is far more difficult, as they are cumbersome and fatiguing. Therefore, large shields are treated as but +1 to armor class rating without a shield. Optionally, you may allow them to add +2 to this armor class rating with respect to small (non-war engine or giant hurled) missiles; if you do so, however, be certain that you also keep careful track of encumbrance.