D&D 3E/3.5 3.5e: Fitting a Full-Plate

[irdeggman]

Although the quote continues on to make an exception for weapons and armor, I have also ruled that magical full plates refit to wearer. This is why non-magical full plates are rare (and non-masterwork are nonexistent) in my world. Anyone likely to sell the armor will acquire either a magical full plate or only a half plate.

Actually the quote goes on to support auto fitting for magical armor, not an exception.

Only say "it doesn't fit" if there is a good reason.

It then goes on to give examples of "good reasons" like self absorbed drow-elves or dwarves. But it is clear that as a general rule magic item size should not be an issue with treasure.

The use of the different "size" categories supports an assumption that any non-abnormal shaped creature of that size category should easily be able to pick up and use the item.

 

[Hassassin]

Actually the quote goes on to support auto fitting for magical armor, not an exception.

How so?

There may be rare exceptions, especially with racial specific items.

Armor and Weapon Sizes
Armor and weapons that are found at random have a 30% chance of being Small (01-30), a 60% chance of being Medium (31-90), and a 10% chance of being any other size (91-100).

I.e. like non-magical armor, magical armor only fits creatures of the size it was made for. No, it says nothing about full plate, but that's the point.

 

[irdeggman]

How so?



I.e. like non-magical armor, magical armor only fits creatures of the size it was made for. No, it says nothing about full plate, but that's the point.

Correct, that is what the rest of my post was saying.

Full-plate (normal per PHB) is sized for the individual not only for a size category.

The text in the DMG is pretty specific about not normally requiring specific resizing for magical armor and weapons (as is normal for non-magical full-plate)

 

[Hassassin]

Full-plate (normal per PHB) is sized for the individual not only for a size category.

The text in the DMG is pretty specific about not normally requiring specific resizing for magical armor and weapons (as is normal for non-magical full-plate)

Since full plate is the only armor for which this is normally true, it seems like it could fall under the "rare" cases. In any case, the RAW doesn't directly state that magical full plates resize (or any armors or weapons), so it's up to the DM. Even more up to the DM than actual rules, I mean.

Edit: To make it clear, there are IMHO two somewhat contradictory rules: full plates must be refitted for a new wearer, and most magical garments and jewelry can be worn by anyone. Since the former is much more specific and not even entirely contradictory, it could be argued to override the latter. However, I think it makes sense to ignore that.

 

[Greenfield]

Well, I did a little search of the SRD for the phrase "to fit", and guess what I found?

Table: Mundane Items
d% Mundane Item
-- ------------
01–05 Alchemist’s fire (1d4 flasks, 20 gp each)
06–10 Acid (2d4 flasks, 10 gp each)
11–12 Smokesticks (1d4 sticks, 20 gp each)
13–18 Holy water (1d4 flasks, 25 gp each)
19–20 Thunderstones (1d4 stones, 30 gp each)
21–22 Chain shirt (100 gp)*
23–27 Antitoxin (1d4 doses, 50 gp each)
28–29 Tanglefoot bag (1d4 bags, 50 gp each)
30–34 Masterwork studded leather (175 gp)**
35–39 Mighty composite shortbow†
40–43 Breastplate (200 gp)*
44–48 Banded mail (250 gp)*
49–66 xMasterwork common melee weapon (roll on Table 8–12: Common Melee Weapons, page 184)
67–68 xMasterwork uncommon weapon (roll on Table 8–13: Uncommon Weapons, page 184)
69–73 xMasterwork ranged weapon (roll on Table 8–14: Common Ranged Weapons, page 185)
74–83 Mighty composite longbow††
84–93 Half-plate (600 gp)*
94–100 Full plate (1,500 gp)*
*x Roll d%: 01–10 = Small, 11–100 = Medium-size. (Mundane armor is sized to fit its wearer. Magic armor resizes to its wearer’s size.)
**x Roll d%: 01–50 = Small, 51–100 = Medium-size. (Mundane armor is sized to fit its wearer. Magic armor resizes to its wearer’s size.)
†Roll on Table: Random Mighty Composite Shortbow for bonus.
††Roll on Table: Random Mighty Composite Longbow for bonus.

This was in the treasure section.

So, per RAW, magic armor does resize to fit its wearer.

 

[Hassassin]

Well, I did a little search of the SRD for the phrase "to fit", and guess what I found?


This was in the treasure section.

So, per RAW, magic armor does resize to fit its wearer.

Is that a 3.0 table? Doesn't look like the one in my DMG. Cf. this.

 

[Greenfield]

It's right out of the 3.5 SRD, page 145. Don't know how that would correspond to a DMG page, but...

 

[irdeggman]

It's right out of the 3.5 SRD, page 145. Don't know how that would correspond to a DMG page, but...

Not the WoTC SRD, someone must have added that text to "their version". The WoTC SRD has no special notes at the end of the table for armors. It is also not in the DMG text either (Table 3-8 pg 56 of the DMG)

 

[irdeggman]

Since full plate is the only armor for which this is normally true, it seems like it could fall under the "rare" cases. In any case, the RAW doesn't directly state that magical full plates resize (or any armors or weapons), so it's up to the DM. Even more up to the DM than actual rules, I mean.

THe DMG doesn't say "rare" it says specifically that the DM should not say "it doesn't fit" without good reason and then gives a couple of specific examples of what would be considered "good reasons" - both are very unique (self-absorbed drow elves and dwarves). And since only full plate has the specific requirement for sized to the individual then it is only logical that the examples are meant to apply for full plate and not other types (like chain) which per the RAW do not require resizing.

 

[Greenfield]

Not the WoTC SRD, someone must have added that text to "their version". The WoTC SRD has no special notes at the end of the table for armors. It is also not in the DMG text either (Table 3-8 pg 56 of the DMG)

Click on the System Reference Documents thread at the top of this forum.

Then click on the Open Gaming Foundation SRD link.

Look in "Treasures"

It's exactly as I quoted.