D&D 5E Companion thread to 5E Survivor - Armor

[RealAlHazred]

A companion thread to talk about the Survivor thread for armor in 5E.

 

[RealAlHazred]

So, "padded armor," in Gary's original conception, was the gambeson undergarment (also called an arming doublet) a knight would wear under their actual armor. They were quilted and made from linen or wool, usually with straps or buckles to assist with attaching plate armor. Lots of poor soldiers couldn't afford plate amor, so they just wore the gambeson. That led to gambesons being designed purely for outerwear, which I think were called leather jacks, which were eventually replaced by the buff coat, made out of rough suede.

While they're a historical certainty, I don't know that they're the kind of image I want in my fantasy elfgame. The following image doesn't scream, "Elfgame with fireballs and unicorns and dragons" to me!

 

[DeviousQuail]

Thanks for reordering the armor list!

 

[Vaalingrade]

I love hie little beanie.

 

[jmartkdr2]

On the other hand, in Africa (especially Sub-Saharan West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin) they equipped heavy cavalry in quilted armor that's basically padded armor but as well-made as possible.

I can't find a really good article with a quick Google but there's actually a lot to be said about African armor, which looks so different from what we're used to seeing (although most of it is variations on the same technologies)

 

[Maxperson]

 

[CreamCloud0]

i don't think this is enough to spin off into it's own thread and it's armour related so putting it here, does anyone think it's a lost opportunity that shield proficiency isn't treated as more of it's own thing? how functionally it's synonymous with medium armour proficiency 99% of the time? there are several shield exclusive abilities mostly based in feats(shield training, shield master) or fighting styles(interception, protection, dueling (indirectly for sword and board use)) that i think it's a shame they're not treated as their own thing, to have people evaluating the benefits of a class with light armour and shields vs one that only has medium armour.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

i don't think this is enough to spin off into it's own thread and it's armour related so putting it here, does anyone think it's a lost opportunity that shield proficiency isn't treated as more of it's own thing? how functionally it's synonymous with medium armour proficiency 99% of the time? there are several shield exclusive abilities mostly based in feats(shield training, shield master) or fighting styles(interception, protection, dueling (indirectly for sword and board use)) that i think it's a shame they're not treated as their own thing, to have people evaluating the benefits of a class with light armour and shields vs one that only has medium armour.

Equipment as a whole in 5e is under-developed. This is just another symptom thereof.

 

[jmartkdr2]

i don't think this is enough to spin off into it's own thread and it's armour related so putting it here, does anyone think it's a lost opportunity that shield proficiency isn't treated as more of it's own thing? how functionally it's synonymous with medium armour proficiency 99% of the time? there are several shield exclusive abilities mostly based in feats(shield training, shield master) or fighting styles(interception, protection, dueling (indirectly for sword and board use)) that i think it's a shame they're not treated as their own thing, to have people evaluating the benefits of a class with light armour and shields vs one that only has medium armour.

Even just a shield proficiency feat would be nice.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Even just a shield proficiency feat would be nice.

it's UA, but that's in the Shield Training feat, it grants a +1 to STR, DEX or CON, shield proficiency, the ability to don or doff a shield as free object action and lets you use a shield as a spell focus.

Moderately Armoured also comes with shield prof but like i was saying before it's bundled as an extension of medium armour