Can medium/heavy armor be stripped down to light armor?

[Kara]

Without this option, a tank fighter must either buy and carry around an extra suit of armor to sleep in and to wear about town, or be AC 10 for that night ambush or street mugging. But the high-dex rogue, archer, ranger, barbarian, etc. can all have AC 18 twenty-four hours a day, with penalty.

And that's precisely the point. The tank fighter has traded str/con for dex; the rogue can't take the hits that the tank fighter can take; the ranger isn't as effective a fighter, etc.

It all depends on how realistic you're making your campaign; I'd be willing to let the fighter sleep in the padding without penalty, but that's it. Unless the armor was specifically enchanted otherwise, I cannot imagine a way that wearing chain or even leather elements would be comfortable enough to allow rest.

 

[Quasqueton]

OK, you guys have convinced me that it wouldn't work/wouldn't be right for an across the board allowance.

But I'm still thinking on allowing something like this with the plate armors -- there's got to be some reason why +7 AC is almost 3 times as costly as +6. And +8 AC is well over twice as costly as +7.

Quasqueton

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Oh a fighter chain shirt nightie/jammies! Rofl, I can see it now!

Hmmm, not a bad idea really...

My cleric actually does this.

1 night ambush too many while dungeoneering (i.e. 1) and I sprang for a chain shirt. Although I'd really like to get that fancy full plate you can summon onto yourself. Also saves on the need to find help getting dressed in the morning - which is frankly embarassing.

 

[monboesen]

I let heavy armor users strip it down to chain shirt equivalence for sleeping. Hardly breaks any game and not letting the leads to stupid solutions like the aforementionend pyjamas armor.

Lets face +4 AC only makes the game slightly less dangerous for the fighter, but lets the player feel a lot better.

 

[Aaron2]

But I'm still thinking on allowing something like this with the plate armors -- there's got to be some reason why +7 AC is almost 3 times as costly as +6. And +8 AC is well over twice as costly as +7.

Half-plate as its described in the PHB isn't halfway between a breastplate and full plate, it is actually chainmail with additional armor plates attached. As such, it is really super chainmail rather than light full plate. The reason full plate is so expensive is that the joints needed to fit perfectly or the wearer would suffer severe (and lethal) limits on mobility. With half-plate, the joints were formed by the chainmail so the fit was not nearly as important. There are records of an English king making a full body casting in wax and then sending it to Italy to have plate armor made from it. All this extra hassle is simply factored into its cost.

There, historically, was such as thing as half plate which consisted of the breastplate and arm protection of full plate but with no leg protection and an open helm. This was used by foot knights who needed mobility and ventilation so he could trudge across the battlefield. It was also used in a special tournament duel were the knights fought each other over a low fence and hits below the waist weren't allowed.


Aaron (more than what you wanted to know, I'm sure)

 

[Gnimish88]

My cleric actually does this.

1 night ambush too many while dungeoneering (i.e. 1) and I sprang for a chain shirt. Although I'd really like to get that fancy full plate you can summon onto yourself. Also saves on the need to find help getting dressed in the morning - which is frankly embarassing.

Funny enough, I did almost the exact same thing, except it was the suit of leather armor he picked up for a stealth mission that was his 'pajamas'.
Eventually, I got the armor belt, as per Dragon Magazine.

 

[Krafen]

My cleric actually does this.

1 night ambush too many while dungeoneering (i.e. 1) and I sprang for a chain shirt. Although I'd really like to get that fancy full plate you can summon onto yourself. Also saves on the need to find help getting dressed in the morning - which is frankly embarassing.

If you are a cleric, why not just cast lesser restoration to banish the fatigue generated by sleeping in heavy armor?

 

[kigmatzomat]

Can a suit of medium or heavy armor be "stripped down" to the basic chain shirt (or whatever equivalent) for sleeping in overnight?

Many can be stripped down, but in a mostly-permanent fashion. Think of the leather or chain base as a frame with everything else riveted on. Many of the plates & bands attach directly to the leather or chain. A smith could turn heavy armor into some kind of lighter armor but not a "by the book" suit of armor per se. Furthermore, it would not be a thing you'd do each night.

Realize that heavy armors often forgo leather or chain backings behind the plates, relying on the padded under layer. So breastplate armor (steel breastplate over studded leather) probably doesn't have a leather breastplate since the sleeves and pants would strap to the steel breastplate.

Full plate is mostly plate with chain at specific locations like the crotch, under arms, behind knees, etc. Each plate attaches to the next plate over so it's one large set.

Just spend the 110gp and buy a chain shirt to sleep in. My barbarian keeps 2 around to use for repairs or as an ultra-heavy carry sack.

 

[jaults]

There are rules for piecemeal armor in MEG's Artificer's Handbook. The book is a decent, if slightly more complex, alternate set of rules for creating magic items.

http://www.mysticeyegames.com/products.php?product=23&p_id=3

Jason

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

I can give you a two word solution to the whole problem...

Mithral Fullplate.

'course, you'd better buy a wand of Prestidigitation, cause,... whoo.