D&D 5E [ToA] Heat & Heavy (armor)

CapnZapp · Sep 2, 2017

Will Tomb of Annihilation feature rules discouraging the use of plate armor in hot and humid jungles?

Optional variants?

Does anyone know?

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robus · Sep 2, 2017

CapnZapp said:
Will Tomb of Annihilation feature rules discouraging the use of plate armor in hot and humid jungles?

Optional variants?

Does anyone know?

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I've no idea but logic would say that characters wearing heavy armor would have disadvantage in a lot of situations. So players beware!

CapnZapp · Sep 2, 2017

robus said:
logic would say

Well, logic would say game balance isn't disrupted and fighters and paladins are free to roam Chult in full plate...

I'm asking almost against hope if the module will contain a rule to the contrary, even if only an optional variant rule...

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Oofta · Sep 2, 2017

<pulls out soapbox>
Why the continued hate for heavy armor? Why wouldn't half plate be just as hot and stifling? You do know that most armor comes with heavy padding underneath? Heck, even lowly padded armor is equivalent of wearing a heavy winter coat in the summer!

Modern armed forces use body armor today that is probably just as hot and along with the rest of their gear actually weighs more than plate. Do they complain! Sure they do! But they suck it up along with a ton of water and they go on!
:rant:

<puts away sandbox>

Thank you very much. Go on.

Mull Ponders · Sep 2, 2017

Charisma at disadvantage because you smell bad? That would be enough of a penalty.

MonkeyWrench · Sep 2, 2017

I can't imagine any of the armors being pleasant to wear while walking in a jungle, much less fight while wearing them. I'd be tempted to say that wearing any armor provokes a Con save per hour or gain a level of exhaustion. Medium and Heavy armors could have shorter intervals per save and fighting while wearing armor could also trigger a save per x rounds.

Dax Doomslayer · Sep 2, 2017

The issue with doing this I see is that it then makes the dexterity statistic even more important (as if it isn't important enough). This would effect lower dexterity Fighter type PCs more than others I would think. While for verisimilitude I'd understand it, I just don't want to give another reason for someone to take that high dexterity, rapier wielding fighter type...

Tony Vargas · Sep 2, 2017

CapnZapp said:
Well, logic would say game balance isn't disrupted and fighters and paladins are free to roam Chult in full plate...

That'd compromise realism to a degree only seen in every other sub-system in D&D.

If you don't want Paladins, Fighters, Life Clerics, Mountain Dwarves, or other heavy-armor-dependent characters in a given campaign or setting just let players know they'd be inappropriate - or ban them outright.

If you want players weighing the realistic trade-offs of armor, you can add detail to the system, but probably shouldn't add only details that disadvantage one type of armor...

jaelis · Sep 2, 2017

I think it is unlikely they will add any rules like that, since they didn't put any in the core rules. Obviously, house rule as you see fit

Of course that's just a guess, no one who knows would be allowed to say

Eric V · Sep 2, 2017

In some Al-Qadim 5e conversions I have seen (@Quickleaf is a good source for this) people who have proficiency with heavy armour simply get a flat bonus to AC instead. Simple solution.