Super Simple Armor

[mrpopstar]

I don't see the point. 5e armour is already pretty simple.

I understand.

This will give heavy armour users annoyingly high armour class at first level.

The cost of the various armors hasn't changed.

The strength requirement for medium armour would strain medium armor classes, especially those that are not martial focussed.

I like the idea of martial characters benefiting most from armor and finding it the most attractive.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I felt like a Dex modifier max on light made sense. Is the Strength modifier requirement for medium armor sensible?

It's practical for PCs, because PCs tend to have above-average stats, and anyone with Strength less than 13 is intentionally dumping it.

I'm not sure if it makes sense for the rest of the world, unless you want basic training for a town guard to include getting their Strength to 13 (which seems reasonable enough to me). At that point, it would serve well as a differentiator between trained soldiers and simple peasants.

 

[mrpopstar]

It's practical for PCs, because PCs tend to have above-average stats, and anyone with Strength less than 13 is intentionally dumping it.

I'm not sure if it makes sense for the rest of the world, unless you want basic training for a town guard to include getting their Strength to 13 (which seems reasonable enough to me). At that point, it would serve well as a differentiator between trained soldiers and simple peasants.

Guards have Strength 13 in the standard nonplayer character stat block!

 

[mrpopstar]

Rogues will be a little sad about the light armor rule, they just lose a point of AC. Same for melee-oriented bards, I suppose.

Do you find that egregious? I like the idea of positioning armor to be a martial/warrior thing, giving Strength some emphasis, and capping Dexterity's influence even the tiniest bit. It also makes sense to me that an unarmored rogue is more nimble than an armored one.

 

[jaelis]

Do you find that egregious? I like the idea of positioning armor to be a martial/warrior thing, giving Strength some emphasis, and capping Dexterity's influence even the tiniest bit. It also makes sense to me that an unarmored rogue is more nimble than an armored one.

The logic makes sense to me. But I don't think that rogues are particularly strong in melee now, and this will make them worse. (Same for bards, really.) So as a practical matter, this will push rogues more towards ranged weapons, which is a little disappointing to me because I like melee rogues

You could houserule a new rogue ability at level 2 or something that gives them a +1 to AC when wearing light or no armor.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Guards have Strength 13 in the standard nonplayer character stat block!

And the knight has Strength 16, so that's covered. The only one in the basic document who looks like they would be in trouble is the priest, who is wearing a chain shirt with a Strength 10.

You could address that either by saying that it's a light chain shirt, giving it AC 12 (only one point off); or by giving them some other form of armor. You would also have to go through and recalculate the AC for almost everyone in the book, but only by a point or two in either direction. (Or don't, and just give them the AC you think they should have, without bothering to look it up.)

 

[Riley37]

Do you want cost to matter?

Are there PCs or NPCs, in the setting, who *would* wear heavier armor, if they could acquire it?

 

[Laurefindel]

I’m not sure I like the max DEX bonus on light armours, but I understand the concept. Mage armour becomes attractive for rogues and bards though...

I guess you could make a light armour master feat that brings it back to “no max DEX bonus” and another benefit.

Also, I feel that medium armour should have disadvantage on stealth too. Medium armour specialist fixes that if you really want to be stealthy, and it gives light armour another reason to exist.

 

[Shiroiken]

Yeah?



I felt like a Dex modifier max on light made sense. Is the Strength modifier requirement for medium armor sensible?

Putting a max Dex on Light makes a level of sense for this level of simplicity. I would suggest that your Str requirement for Medium not cause the same penalty as Heavy armor, but rather grant disadvantage on stealth.

 

[mrpopstar]

The logic makes sense to me. But I don't think that rogues are particularly strong in melee now, and this will make them worse. (Same for bards, really.) So as a practical matter, this will push rogues more towards ranged weapons, which is a little disappointing to me because I like melee rogues

You could houserule a new rogue ability at level 2 or something that gives them a +1 to AC when wearing light or no armor.

I support melee rogues! -- Do you think losing 1 point of armor class "nerfs" them in light of all of Dexterity's bounty?

And the knight has Strength 16, so that's covered. The only one in the basic document who looks like they would be in trouble is the priest, who is wearing a chain shirt with a Strength 10.
You could address that either by saying that it's a light chain shirt, giving it AC 12 (only one point off); or by giving them some other form of armor. You would also have to go through and recalculate the AC for almost everyone in the book, but only by a point or two in either direction. (Or don't, and just give them the AC you think they should have, without bothering to look it up.)

I appreciate you hitting the books! Interestingly, the standard nonplayer priest only has a speed of 25 ft., so nothing would change using my chart.

Do you want cost to matter?

Are there PCs or NPCs, in the setting, who *would* wear heavier armor, if they could acquire it?

I don't want cost or weight to factor in. Purely focusing on the maths and ripples of my consolidation.

I’m not sure I like the max DEX bonus on light armours, but I understand the concept. Mage armour becomes attractive for rogues and bards though...

Do you think it has a balancing effect on Dexterity, or would you say it goes too far and "nerfs" it?

I guess you could make a light armour master feat that brings it back to “no max DEX bonus” and another benefit.

Also, I feel that medium armour should have disadvantage on stealth too. Medium armour specialist fixes that if you really want to be stealthy, and it gives light armour another reason to exist.

Think in simplest terms, with no feats.

Putting a max Dex on Light makes a level of sense for this level of simplicity. I would suggest that your Str requirement for Medium not cause the same penalty as Heavy armor, but rather grant disadvantage on stealth.

I like your thinking, but that adds a level of complexity that I'm trying to avoid.


--

Thanks, all! I appreciate the thoughtful probes.