D&D 5E Power Armor? Fallout Style

[Zardnaar]

As the title says. How would you do Power Armor in D&D Fallout style (mostly FO4). Assume artificers craft it.

Some thoughts. It counts as heavy armor and perhaps a tool proficiency (power armor).

Grants 19 strength or higher. Built in gauntlets of ogre power.

Built in feather fall effect.

Doubles carrying capacity.

Crap version (FO4 raider armor) use chainmail stats. Mk two uses AC17 stats.

T-45, 51, 60 and X-01 are full plate and +1/+2/+3 versions. The better versions might also have higher strength bonus.

Probably ignore the power core feature.

Thoughts? How would you do it.

 

[Oofta]

Some fallout armor is just armor, so not a big deal. But I agree - power armor should be special.

There should be grades of power armor, of course and I agree that the lowest level is pretty simple. I think some of the fun could be refurbishing/building a set. Getting pieces for the armor could be their own side quests or rewards to the point of having to potentially find a "magical" power core.

I could even see someone inheriting a minimal chassis missing pieces that would be the equivalent of mundane chain armor or not even functional and then slowly upgrading if you want.

After that? Skies the limit. Start with better AC, strength 19. Add in feather fall and then boots of flying. Possible options include resistance to magical energy types and so on.

 

[Zardnaar]

Some fallout armor is just armor, so not a big deal. But I agree - power armor should be special.

There should be grades of power armor, of course and I agree that the lowest level is pretty simple. I think some of the fun could be refurbishing/building a set. Getting pieces for the armor could be their own side quests or rewards to the point of having to potentially find a "magical" power core.

I could even see someone inheriting a minimal chassis missing pieces that would be the equivalent of mundane chain armor or not even functional and then slowly upgrading if you want.

After that? Skies the limit. Start with better AC, strength 19. Add in feather fall and then boots of flying. Possible options include resistance to magical energy types and so on.

Yes I've considered that.

The frame by itself would be the strength buff and carrying capacity.

Some abilities would be similar to the artificer: armorer subclass.

It's how much complication I want to add to the game I suppose. Each piece adds +1 AC with +2 for the torso? Full set an additional +1 AC? Frame +1 AC?

Raider armor +1 AC for legs or arms (both), +1 torso and head +1 frame, +1 complete set?

 

[DemoMonkey]

Use the stats from the reprint of Barrier Peaks.

 

[Oofta]

Yes I've considered that.

The frame by itself would be the strength buff and carrying capacity.

Some abilities would be similar to the artificer: armorer subclass.

It's how much complication I want to ad to the game I suppose. Each piece adds +1 AC with +2 for the torso?

So many options! I mean, you could have different levels of power cells. So the standard gets you AC 18 with a 19 strength. Then at that point you can upgrade strength, upgrade armor (I'd be a bit hesitant to upgrade too far), add fun things like the feather fall or jump boots.

But each component has a cost, there may be a maximum limit of options to the existing chassis and power cell. A lot of it depends on the power level you want.

Of course you can expand this out to any number of other options. Borrow from other sources where you get nano-tech stealth armor that functions like a cloak of elven kind or have a package that sprouts spider legs to replace slippers of climbing. The possibilities are nearly endless.

I'd probably start with magical items and figure out what I could replace with magi-tech.

 

[Mort]

Use the stats from the reprint of Barrier Peaks.

Or Lost Laboratory of Kwalish. The BM fighter in my group has this and the results are fun.

Edit: Or is that what you are referring to? It is a Barrier Peaks adventure.

 

[Zardnaar]

Or Lost Laboratory of Kwalish. The BM fighter in my group has this and the results are fun.

I don't have those source materials.

I don't need to duplicate FO4 100% but I want to spotlight the exploration pillar more. The wastelands might have bits of power armor in it.

 

[Istbor]

Hmmm. I would probably have it also break away as the armor does in the game, so maybe give it a hardness threshold and hit point pool on pieces that once depleted that piece no longer counts toward the bonus to AC. Obviously, that HP pool, or threshold could ramp up with better versions of the armor.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Do you have Explorer's Guide to Wildemount? If not, you really should buy it. If you do, check out the Stahlmast from the Dangerous Designs adventure. It's a large vehicle, can have one medium humanoid pilot it at a time (granting the pilot total cover), and has its own hit points, speed, AC, and attacks.

I would do something like that.

 

[cbwjm]

I think what you've got for power armour works, probably plate armour and then the better ones might have a "+1" to AC. Shock absorbers reducing falling damage. I'd think reducing falling damage would be better than feather fall, even though they do negate it completely in the game.

Power Armour Frame
Strength set to 19 minimum, double carrying capacity.
Shock Absorbers.

I'd maybe set up the AC of the various power armours as below.
Raider. AC 16
T-49. AC 17
T-51. AC 18
T-60. AC 19
X-01. AC 20

Then you can start getting into the various upgrades in the game. upgrades that boost strength, grant a fly speed, shoot a tesla coil, provide radiation protection, etc.