Mithril and armor weight

[Omegium]

For non-armour items, the weight of mithril is onehalf its normal weight. But armour is considered a category lighter, but its normal weight is not affected. This seems against all logic.
Any errata or reason why?

 

[Darkness]

They do weigh only 50%; compare the Dwarven Plate and Elven Chain (DMG, p. 182) to normal full plate and chainmail, respectively (DMG, p. 249).

 

[Omegium]

thank you. Hadn't looked at the specific armor, just at the description of mithril at page 242. Guess it needs a errata...

This is VERY good for me, since it is hard to wear a mithril chain shirt of 25 pounds when you have to stay in your light load of 33 lbs. as a rogue...

 

[RHM]

thank you. Hadn't looked at the specific armor, just at the description of mithril at page 242. Guess it needs a errata...

This is VERY good for me, since it is hard to wear a mithril chain shirt of 25 pounds when you have to stay in your light load of 33 lbs. as a rogue...

Mithril shirts weigh 10 pounds. (p. 182 of the DMG) A good rule of thumb is to divide the armor's weight by two and then "round down" to the nearest increment of 5. This works for the other examples given in the DMG (mithril shirt and large shield, in particular). It's not official, but it works.

 

[Darkness8Me]

I asked this question before (on the old boards) and someone suggested that in making the armor "one category lighter" you use the weight of the lightest armor listed in the lighter category.

I personally use the divide in half, round down method. But since there's nothing official I figured I'd mention it.

 

[Gromm]

Which brings up the question.. does a mithril chain shirt count as armor?
Maybe its been answered officially or some place in the books, but its considered one category lighter than light... which leaves no armor.

Overall not a really important question in most cases, but more a matter of trivia that I've always wondered really.

 

[Crothian]

I'm pretty sure light armor is still light armor. I know I read that, I just can't find it at the moment.

I like the way they did Mithral and Adamantine and Darkwood (i think that's its name). I hope we get other types of mystical materials. Sure it helps out the min/maxers but I like the feel of mystery the Pcs get for running into strange things like that.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Which brings up the question.. does a mithril chain shirt count as armor?
Maybe its been answered officially or some place in the books, but its considered one category lighter than light... which leaves no armor.

Overall not a really important question in most cases, but more a matter of trivia that I've always wondered really.

Yes, it's still light armor - read the description in the back of the DMG.

 

[jontherev]

thank you. Hadn't looked at the specific armor, just at the description of mithril at page 242. Guess it needs a errata...

This is VERY good for me, since it is hard to wear a mithril chain shirt of 25 pounds when you have to stay in your light load of 33 lbs. as a rogue...

The light load limit is based upon your size and strength, not your class. Also, for small races, armor weighs half as much. My halfling's mithril chain shirt weighs only 5 lbs. Some advice for your pc...buy a Heward's Handy Haversack. Otherwise, you must not be carrying much of anything. The shirt plus your explorer's outfit only leaves you 15 lbs. Add a few weapons, a backpack, thieves' tools, and so on, and you might not have any room left for essentials like...food and water! Or...get a strength enhancer.

 

[IceBear]

I drop my backpack (unless I left the nonessentials on my house) as my first combat action. That usually frees up lots of weight.

IceBear