Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
How many air-blown waterskins are needed, if wearing metal armors, to prevent sinking in water?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 9027995" data-attributes="member: 6801845"><p>The thing with plate armor is that so many DMs seem to just go out of their way to punish characters wearing heavy armor because they seem to feel that plate armor is "too good". They're simultaneously ignoring the trade-offs that come with heavy armor such as likely poor dex saves and, of course, being as stealthy as a one man band. All of this because they have a 10-15% lower chance of hitting someone in full plate compared to the maxed out dex based character. Completely ignore the fact that they probably have half the chance to make a dex save over some other builds.</p><p></p><p>So people in plate sink like a stone, you can't even take a nap in heavy armor and so on. Because suddenly for, and only for, people in plate armor D&D must be "realistic". Ever try to swim fully clothed? While carrying gear that, for you, is practically at your carrying capacity? Why is it that people in plate sink like a stone but that other PC in brigandine at 95% of their carrying capacity is just fine?</p><p></p><p>I had a player with a PC that <em>literally</em> could not carry an extra 5 pounds of gear because it would put them into the encumbered category. They also carried a weapon and a shield along with the ubiquitous backpack. But because they were wearing breastplate instead of plate, many DMs would have just given them a pass. DMs never ask what percentage of your carrying capacity you're at when it comes to this kind of stuff, never give the person holding things in both hands any kind of penalty. </p><p></p><p>I get that some armors may restrict your movement and make it difficult to swim. But I've also never seen anyone try to swim while carrying a longbow in their hand while still having that quiver strapped to your back. Much less a shield in one hand, weapon in the other, backpack stuffed to the brim.</p><p></p><p>Ultimately though I have to ask is it fun? Does a specific ruling I come up with penalize one type of build, one specific way to build a character? For the former the answer is no, for the latter the answer is yes. Is swimming in plate realistic? Maybe not, although I would still like to see a test with a gambeson under plate that I've never seen, but who cares? If we were being realistic any time anyone went overboard they'd have to lose most of their hard earned gear. But I've never seen any DM do that.</p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="Tangent: sleeping in armor"]This has nothing to do with the question, but since we had a good answer for that another issue I have is the penalty for sleeping in heavy armor. Why is this penalty only for certain types of armor? Is it really any worse to sleep in plate that has been made specifically for you than in armor that has plates of metals riveted between layers of leather (brigandine, i.e. studded leather) armor? Does a breastplate suddenly become warm and cuddly because you're trying to take a nap?</p><p></p><p>I've done a lot of backpacking, most of the time with no pad just a sleeping bag on hard ground or even rock. I slept just fine, maybe I needed to stretch the kinks out for a minute in the morning. Add in that for the vast majority of human history beds, if they even existed as we know them, were reserved for the wealthy. You do not need a comfy cushion to get a good nights sleep. Relatively warm and not wet make more of a difference than anything.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 9027995, member: 6801845"] The thing with plate armor is that so many DMs seem to just go out of their way to punish characters wearing heavy armor because they seem to feel that plate armor is "too good". They're simultaneously ignoring the trade-offs that come with heavy armor such as likely poor dex saves and, of course, being as stealthy as a one man band. All of this because they have a 10-15% lower chance of hitting someone in full plate compared to the maxed out dex based character. Completely ignore the fact that they probably have half the chance to make a dex save over some other builds. So people in plate sink like a stone, you can't even take a nap in heavy armor and so on. Because suddenly for, and only for, people in plate armor D&D must be "realistic". Ever try to swim fully clothed? While carrying gear that, for you, is practically at your carrying capacity? Why is it that people in plate sink like a stone but that other PC in brigandine at 95% of their carrying capacity is just fine? I had a player with a PC that [I]literally[/I] could not carry an extra 5 pounds of gear because it would put them into the encumbered category. They also carried a weapon and a shield along with the ubiquitous backpack. But because they were wearing breastplate instead of plate, many DMs would have just given them a pass. DMs never ask what percentage of your carrying capacity you're at when it comes to this kind of stuff, never give the person holding things in both hands any kind of penalty. I get that some armors may restrict your movement and make it difficult to swim. But I've also never seen anyone try to swim while carrying a longbow in their hand while still having that quiver strapped to your back. Much less a shield in one hand, weapon in the other, backpack stuffed to the brim. Ultimately though I have to ask is it fun? Does a specific ruling I come up with penalize one type of build, one specific way to build a character? For the former the answer is no, for the latter the answer is yes. Is swimming in plate realistic? Maybe not, although I would still like to see a test with a gambeson under plate that I've never seen, but who cares? If we were being realistic any time anyone went overboard they'd have to lose most of their hard earned gear. But I've never seen any DM do that. [SPOILER="Tangent: sleeping in armor"]This has nothing to do with the question, but since we had a good answer for that another issue I have is the penalty for sleeping in heavy armor. Why is this penalty only for certain types of armor? Is it really any worse to sleep in plate that has been made specifically for you than in armor that has plates of metals riveted between layers of leather (brigandine, i.e. studded leather) armor? Does a breastplate suddenly become warm and cuddly because you're trying to take a nap? I've done a lot of backpacking, most of the time with no pad just a sleeping bag on hard ground or even rock. I slept just fine, maybe I needed to stretch the kinks out for a minute in the morning. Add in that for the vast majority of human history beds, if they even existed as we know them, were reserved for the wealthy. You do not need a comfy cushion to get a good nights sleep. Relatively warm and not wet make more of a difference than anything. [/SPOILER] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
How many air-blown waterskins are needed, if wearing metal armors, to prevent sinking in water?
Top