D&D 4E 4e Expanded Armor Tables/Types/Varieties

ONINOTAKI18

First Post
This set of rules greatly expands the armor choices available to characters playing in 4e D&D, it is just about as all inclusive as can be, and covers all armor throughout human history. It is intended to be just as simple as stock 4e armor, while giving players deeper choices both in how their characters look, and are built.

How to read the armor tables:

AC(Armor Class): Armor that is readily available from the begining of the game(subject to DM's approval as always).

MCAC(Master Crafted Armor Class):This takes the place of all the mid tier fancy named armors in the 4e PHB, minimum enchantment +4, price is special. The MC has no game effect, it is placed in front of AC soley to indicate that the bonus listed is for the improved version of the armor available with a minimum enchantment of +4.

DCAC(Divinly Crafted Armor Class): This takes the place of all the high tier fancy named armors in the 4e PHB, minimum enchantment +6, price is special. The DC has no game effect, it is placed in front of AC solely to indicate that the bonus listed is for the best version of the armor available with a minimum enchantment of +6.

MB(Max Bonus): This is the maximum dexterity or intelligence bonus that you can add to you AC when wearing the armor.

Check: You take this penalty to all Strength-, Dexterity-, and Constitution-based skill checks when you wear the armor. You don’t take the penalty to ability checks (such as a Strength check to break down a door or a Dexterity check to determine initiative in combat).

Speed: This penalty is how much you reduce your speed by.

Price: How much the armor costs in gold pieces.

Weight: How much the armor weighs in pounds.

Str/Con: Strength and Constitution score you need to be able to use an individual suit of armor after you have been trained(as a class feature or take its respective feat) in it. You can still wear the armor if you dont meet the required strength and constitution scores, but you count as being untrained in the armor, and take the respective penalties.

SB(Shield Bonus): This is the bonus you apply to both your armor class(AC) and reflex defense when your character has a shield equiped.

Code:
Light Armor Table						
[U]Clothing  	AC   MCAC   DCAC	MB 	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Basic		+0	+1	+2	+9	-0	-0	1gp	4lbs	-/-
Durable		+1	+2	+3	+8	-1	-0	2gp	5lbs	-/-
Rugged		+2	+3	+4	+7	-2	-0	3gp	6lbs	-/-
[U]Simple Light	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Padded		+1	+2	+3	+9	-0	-0	15gp	10lbs	-/-
Leather		+2	+3	+4	+8	-1	-0	20gp	15lbs	11/11
Hide		+3	+4	+5	+7	-2	-0	25gp	20lbs	13/13
[U]Martial Light	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Studded Garb	+2	+3	+4	+9	-0	-0	30gp	20lbs	-/-
Ring		+3	+4	+5	+8	-1	-0	35gp	25lbs	11/11
Plated Garb	+4	+5	+6	+7	-2	-0	40gp	30lbs	13/13
[U]Superior Light	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Mithral Vest	+3	+4	+5	+9	-0	-0	100gp	15lbs	-/-
Dragon Scale(Y)	+4	+5	+6	+8	-1	-0	150gp	25lbs	11/11
Adamantine Vest +5	+6	+7	+7	-2	-0	200gp	35lbs	13/13

Code:
Medium Armor Table						
[U]Simple (Med)	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Scale		+4	+6	+8	+6	-2	-0	45gp	30lbs	11/11
Banded		+5	+7	+9	+5	-3	-0	50gp	35lbs	13/13
Breastplate	+6	+8	+10	+4	-4	-0	55gp	40lbs	15/15
[U]Martial (Med)	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Mail		+5	+7	+9	+6	-2	-0	60gp	30lbs	11/11
Lamellar	+6	+8	+10	+5	-3	-0	65gp	35lbs	13/13
Brigandine	+7	+9	+11	+4	-4	-0	70gp	40lbs	15/15
[U]Superior (Med)	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Mithral Coat	+6	+8	+10	+6	-2	-0	250gp	25lbs	11/11
Dragon Scale(M)+7	+9	+11	+5	-3	-0	300gp	35lbs	13/13
Adamantine Coat+8	+10	+12	+4	-4	-0	350gp	45lbs	15/15

Code:
Heavy Armor Table						
[U]Simple (Hvy)	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Plated Mail	+7	+10	+13	+3	-3	-1	75gp	40lbs	13/13
Scaled Mail	+8	+11	+14	+2	-4	-1	80gp	45lbs	15/15
Plated Scale	+9	+12	+15	+1	-5	-1	85gp	50lbs	17/17
[U]Martial (Hvy)	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Partial Plate	+8	+11	+14	+3	-3	-1	60gp	40lbs	13/13
Great Armor	+9	+12	+15	+2	-4	-1	65gp	45lbs	15/15
Full Plate	+10	+13	+16	+1	-5	-1	70gp	50lbs	17/17
[U]Superior (Hvy)	AC   MCAC   DCAC 	MB	Check 	Speed Price Weight Str/Con[/U]
Mithral Suit	+9	+12	+15	+3	-3	-1	250gp	35lbs	13/13
Dragon Scale(A)+10	+13	+16	+2	-4	-1	300gp	45lbs	15/15
Adamantine Suit+11	+14	+17	+1	-5	-1	350gp	55lbs	17/17

Code:
[U]Shields		SB	Check	Price	Weight	Str/Con[/U]
Light		+1	-0	5gp	6lbs	-/-
Medium		+2	-1	10gp	12lbs	11/11
Heavy		+3	-2	25gp	24lbs	13/13

Armor Rules: Use all the rules presented in the 4e PHB as normal with the exceptions being presented below.

DEX/INT bonus to AC:You always add your Deterity or Intelligence(whichever is higher) bonus to your AC, this bonus to AC is limited by the max bonus of any armor you are wearing, if you are not trained(proficient) in the armor you are wearing you cannot add your dexterity or intelligence bonus to your AC.

Code:
Armor Training by Class Table
Class		Light		Medium	         Heavy       Shields
Wizard		Clothing	none		none		none
Warlock	        Simple		none		none		none
Rogue		Martial		none		none		none
Ranger		Martial		Simple		none		none
Cleric		Simple		Simple		Simple		none
Warlord		Martial		Simple		Simple		Light
Fighter		Martial		Martial		Simple		Medium
Paladin		Martial		Martial		Martial		Heavy

Armor Proficiency Progression:

Light Armor: Simple>>>Martial>>>Superior
Medium Armor: Simple>>>Martial>>>Superior
Heavy Armor: Simple>>>Martial>>>Superior
Shields: Light>>>Medium>>>Heavy

Armor Training(proficency): Armor is divided into 3 categories; Light, Medium, & Heavy. Each armor category is broken down into 3 categories of proficency or training that progresses as follows: simple, martial, and superior. A character is also proficient in all categories that come before the ones they are listed as being proficient in. So if your class is listed as being proficient in medium martial armor, the your class is by default also proficient in medium simple armor.

Shield Training(proficiency): Shields are broken down into 3 categories of proficiency or training that progresses as follows: light, medium, heavy. A character is also proficient in all categories that come before the ones they are listed as being proficient in. So if your class is listed as being proficient in medium shields, then your class is by default also proficient in light shields.

Clothing: A seperate category that all characters are profocient in, and for all intents and purpuses counts as light armor.

Heroic Tier Armor Feats:

Light Armor Training:
Benifit: You gain proficiency in the next category of light armour in which you currently are not proficient, so if you have no light armour proficiency you become proficient in light simple armour, if you are proficient in light marital armour you become proficient in light superior armour.
Medium Armor Training:

Prerequisites: Light Simple Armor Training, strength 11, constitution 11
Benifit: You gain proficiency in the next category of medium armour in which you currently are not proficient, so if you have no medium armour proficiency you become proficient in medium simple armour, if you are proficient in medium marital armour you become proficient in medium superior armour.

Heavy Armor Training:
Prerequisites: Medium Simple Armor Training, strength 13, constitution 13
Benifit: You gain proficiency in the next category of heavyarmour in which you currently are not proficient, so if you have no heavy armour proficiency you become proficient in heavy simple armour, if you are proficient in heavy marital armour you become proficient in heavy superior armour.

Shield Training:
Benifit: You gain proficiency in the next category of shields in which you currently are not proficient, so if you have no shield proficiency you become proficient in light shields, if you are proficient in medium shields you become proficient in heavy shields.

Paragon Tier Armor Feats:

Light Simple Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Light Simple Armor, Con 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Light Simple Armor.
Special: If you are wearing padded you treat the weight of the armor as 0lbs.

Light Martial Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Light Martial Armor, Dex 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Light Martial Armor.
Special: If you are wearing Studded Garb you treat the weight of the armor as 0lbs.

Light Superior Armor Specialzation:
Prerequisites: Training with Light Superior Armor, Str 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Light Superior Armor.
Special: If you are wearing a mithral vest you treat the weight of the armor as 0lbs.

Medium Simple Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Medium Simple Armor, Con 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Medium Simple Armor.

Medium Martial Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Medium Martial Armor, Dex 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Medium Martial Armor.

Medium Superior Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Medium Superior Armor, Str 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Medium Superior Armor.

Heavy Simple Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Heavy Simple Armor, Con 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Heavy Simple Armor.

Heavy Martial Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Heavy Martial Armor, Dex 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Heavy Martial Armor.

Heavy Superior Armor Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Heavy Superior Armor, Str 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC, and reduce the check penalty incurred by 1 when wearing Heavy Superior Armor.
Special: If wearing a mithral suit you instead of the above listed benifits you reduce the speed penalty to 0, and reduce the check penalty by 2.

Shield Specialization:
Prerequisites: Training with Shields, Dex 15
Benifit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to the SB provided by the shield you have equipped, and reduce its check penalty incurred by 1.
Special: If you equipped a light shield you may treat it as an off hand weapon for the purposes of the two weapon fighting feat, and two weapon defense feats.

Armour Descriptions:
Basic: Regular clothes, robe, pants & tunic, toga, etc
Durable: Durable clothing meant to withstand lots of wear and tear.
Rugged: Heavy clothing meant to protect in extreme enviroments.

Simple Light Armours:
Padded: Heavy and often stuffed clothing made from cotton, wool, cloth, paper or silk that maybe quilted or corded.
Leather: The skins of animals(often domesticated, but not always) treated by boiling, tanning, or lacquering.
Hide: Made from the untreated skins of animals with naturally thick hides, depending on the animal skin used the fur maybe left on. Example hides include Bear(furry), Rhino, Hippo, Gator, Elephant, Shark, Wooly Mammoth(furry), and Buffalo.

Simple Medium Armours:
Scale: Small overlapping metal scales, coins, shark teeth, or fantastical monster scales over a backing of cloth or leather.
Banded: Splints, or bands of thin bone, wood, horn, or metal placed vertically(splints) or horizontally(bands) around the torso, sewn or laced to a backing of leather or cloth.
Breastplate: A solid plate or cuirass that covers the entire torso made from metal or the large shells of creatures that are often though not always fantastical.

Simple Heavy Armours:
Plated Mail: Mail that is reinforced with thin strips of metal woven between the rings, or by covering the vital areas with small plates,disks,mirrors, bands or splints.
Scaled Mail: Mail that has a layer of scale or lamellar over the mail that covers the vital areas of the torso.
Plated Scale: Scale with plate reinforcing vital parts like the torso, & head or covering the inflexibale parts of the body like the forearm & shin.

Martial Light Armours:
Studded: Small studs of bone, wood, stone, horn, or metal used to reinforce a backing of leather, cloth or silk.
Ring: Non-Interlocking rings of bone, metal, wood, or horn, sewn or laced to a backing of leather or cloth.
Plated Garb: Small non-overlaping metal plates, disks, or mirrors fitted to a garment often a jacket or vest of cloth, leather, or silk.

Martial Medium Armours:
Mail: Interlocking rings of metal worn over a thick garment to prevent chaffing and provide cushining against blows.
Lamellar: Thin square or rectangular plates of metal or horn that overlap on one vertical side, and frequently cover the bottom of the plate above in an inverted scale pattern, often backed with cloth or leather.
Brigandine: hundreds of small overlapping metal plates sandwitched between a backing and covering of leather, cloth, silk, or swede.

Martial Heavy Armours:
Light Plate: Includes Platemail, Half Plate, Three Quarters Plate, & Light Plate armors that cover a large portion of the body in solid metal plates, with the gaps usually covered by mail.
Great Armor: Complex suits of armor that incorperate the best of mail,scale, lamellar with a banded cuirass or solid metal breastplate. Think Chinese Mountain Scale, Japanese Samurai Armor, and European Brigandine Torso/Full Plate everywhere else combination armors.
Full Plate: Armor that covers the entire body in complex interlocking plates of solid metal

Superior Light Armours:
Mithral Vest: Any style of armour made from mithral that only covers your torso.
Dragon Scale(Y): Armour made from the scales of young dragons, either shed or taken from a fresh dragon corpse.
Adamantine Vest: Any style of armour made from Adamantine that only covers your torso.

Superior Medium Armours:
Mithral Coat: Any style of armour made from mithral that covers you in a long coat.
Dragon Scale(M): Armour made from the scales of mature dragons, either shed or taken from a fresh dragon corpse.
Adamantine Coat: Any style of armour made from adamantine that covers you in a long coat.

Superior Heavy Armours:
Mithral Suit: Any style of armour made from mithral that covers your entire body.
Dragon Scale(A): Armour made from the scales of ancient dragons, either shed or taken from a fresh dragon corpse.
Adamantine Suit: Any style of armour made from adamantine that covers your entire body.

Shields:
Light: Targets, bucklers, or small shields
Medium: Round, square, or kite shields
Heavy: Body,long, or tower shields

Notes:
1st) 4e has 8 armor and shield proficiencies that give training in 8 types of armor and shields(20 if you count the mastercrafted armors that come at +4 and +6 enchantment bonuses). These expaned rules have 12 armor and shield proficiencies that give training in 33 types of armor and shields (93 if you count the mastercrafted armors that come at +4 and +6 enchantment bonuses)

2nd) if a character wears a divinly crafted adamantine coat, and a heavy shield their AC will be 4 points higher then is currently possible in 4e, 6 points higher if the person somehow has a dex of 28 and had the superior heavy armor specilization feat. It would cost a paladin 1 or 2 feats to do this, a fighter 3 or 4 feats, a warlord 4 or 5 feats, a cleric 5 or 6 feats, a ranger 6 or 7 feats, a rogue 7 or 8 feats, a warlock 7 feats or 8 feats, and a wizard 8 or 9 feats.

3rd) This list should cover all(not including gladiator or piecemiel) the armors ever worn by man prior to the 20th century. My sources have been the 3e book From Stone to Steel, and the website Silk Road Designs Armory.
 
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hmm 77 views and no responses.... I thought this would be a pretty controvertial topic and suppressed that no one has responded. I am not really sure what to make of that. Are people just not interested in armor anymore or is my system so bunk that people do not want to even think about it?
 


Szatany said:
that 2nd option, sorry

really? Thats a really bummer cause I only make 3 sorta big changes to 4e's super duper simple system.

1) Instead of 1 armor per proficiency there is 3
2) Instead of you either getting all or none of your int/dex modifier to ac you get your int/dex minus your check penalty
3) Instead of just light and heavy, you have light, medium, heavy, and simple, martial, superior. Its very similiar to how weapons have ranged, melee & simple, martial, superior.

If that is a too complex armor system then 4e has a too complex weapon system. Too me 4e's armor system is like what if the following was its weapon system

Simple Weapons
Dagger
Spear
Club

Martial Weapons
Sword
Axe
Hammer

Ranged Weapons
Sling
Bow
Crossbow

I am only trying to make the armor choices as fleshed out as the weapons choices, while tweaking it so that people who wear heavy armor can still get some boost to ac from their int or dex without breaking the system.
 
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2) Instead of you either getting all or none of your int/dex modifier to ac you get your int/dex minus your check penalty

And this is what breaks your system. lose it and it looks "ok", but too much fluff for not enough real difference, imho.
 

Yeah, It is a bit much to swallow for such a new system. If you want, I can go more in depth on analysis and see if we can make it something more accepted by the general populous. :)
 

@ andur Of course!!! I feel so blind lol It wont work if you subtract the check penalty directly from a characters int/dex bonus, instead you have to come up with a max dex/int bonus similar to 3rd edition, and since we know that the max any stat can be at the moment is 28(+9), then we know that we can just start with a max bonus of +9 and work from there.

There are other balance benifits that come about too by not dirrectly tieing the max dex/int bonus to the check penalty as well such as not having to worry about what the change to the check penatly specilzation in armor does. See I already feel much better about the system, if even for my own personal use by asking lol.

@Malcom_n I knew it would be, but I couldnt hold it in lol. I think it would be awesome if you could take a poke at it and see if you cannot change it into something more palatable to the general public lol.
 
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I think the problem is that you're trying to make too big and complex change to a game that's been out for few days now. This sort of overhaul is good after few months, when everyone digested the rules and have a good grasp on what's not working and what their expectations are.
 

Szatany said:
I think the problem is that you're trying to make too big and complex change to a game that's been out for few days now. This sort of overhaul is good after few months, when everyone digested the rules and have a good grasp on what's not working and what their expectations are.


Well hopefully my armor expansion here wont seem so dawnting once everyone gets used to the core :)
 
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