D&D (2024) What, exactly, is a 5e "scimitar"?

[Azzy]

Yet we still have splint armor, yet the dropped banded (laminar) armor. ¯\(ツ)/¯

 

[Ancalagon]

I just have to pretend it’s a brigandine

Brigandine is a fairly heavy and sturdy type of armor. Instead, I use jack of plate:

Jack of plate - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ancalagon]

Yet we still have splint armor, yet the dropped banded (laminar) armor. ¯\(ツ)/¯

Splint should be brigandine IMO.

 

[Charlaquin]

Brigandine is a fairly heavy and sturdy type of armor. Instead, I use jack of plate:

Jack of plate - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Jack of plate and brigandine are very nearly the same design. A jack is perhaps a bit less sturdy and a bit more flexible, but fundamentally they’re both textile garments with small overlapping metal plates lining the inside. The fact that the plates are riveted on instead of sewn on in the case of brigandine is what makes it resemble “studded leather.”

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Jack of plate and brigandine are very nearly the same design. A jack is perhaps a bit less sturdy and a bit more flexible, but fundamentally they’re both textile garments with small overlapping metal plates lining the inside. The fact that the plates are riveted on instead of sewn on in the case of brigandine is what makes it resemble “studded leather.”

Yes. But the fact that it actually is a coat of metal plates, definitely makes it not a light armour!

 

[Charlaquin]

Yes. But the fact that it actually is a coat of metal plates, definitely makes it not a light armour!

Again, weight is kind of a silly way to categorize armor to begin with. Whether it’s “light” or not, it is exactly the armor a medieval archer or light infantryman would most likely have been equipped with.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Again, weight is kind of a silly way to categorize armor to begin with. Whether it’s “light” or not, it is exactly the armor a medieval archer or light infantryman would most likely have been equipped with.

And why would it be less protective than a mail shirt or a scale armour?

Studded leather is placed near the bottom of the armour chart, because it is meant to be mainly made of leather. Its rules are not suitable to represent brigandine at all. Brigandine is basically the same thing than scale, the shape and attachment method of the small metal plates just is a bit different.

 

[Charlaquin]

And why would it be less protective than a mail shirt or a scale armour?

Realistically it wouldn’t, but D&D armors have never made a lick of sense. Which is why I proposed renaming the whole armor table.

Studded leather is placed near the bottom of the armour chart, because it is meant to be mainly made of leather. Its rules are not suitable to represent brigandine at all.

None of the armors are suitable for representing the things they’re named for, and several of them are named for things that neither existed historically nor would function as armor if they did exist as described.

Brigandine is basically the same thing than scale, the shape and attachment method of the small metal plates just is a bit different.

Kinda; frankly it’s much more effective armor than scale.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Realistically it wouldn’t, but D&D armors have never made a lick of sense.

Yes, but putting brigandine as 12+dex light armour would make it even more nonsensical.

Which is why I proposed renaming the whole armor table.

Sure. I'm all for that. But then one should actually try to improve it.

None of the armors are suitable for representing the things they’re named for, and several of them are named for things that neither existed historically nor would function as armor if they did exist as described.

Sure, kinda.

Kinda; frankly it’s much more effective armor than scale.

Yes, it is basically a higher tech-level version of the same concept. Thus it makes zero sense to make it worse than scale!

 

[Charlaquin]

Yes, but putting brigandine as 12+dex light armour would make it even more nonsensical.

I think having a cool studded leather jacket give you 12+dex AC makes a lot less sense.

try to improve it.

I did, if you saw my suggestion.

Yes, it is basically a higher tech-level version of the same concept. Thus it makes zero sense to make it worse than scale!

Well, I’d argue 12+Dex AC is actually better than 14+Dex (max +2) AC with disadvantage on Stealth.