D&D 5E D&D needs more armors

[Blue]

Though that is true in 5e, that does not need to be true. Yes, in 5e once you get Studded Leather as a Rogue, there is no longer any reason to have Leather Armor, and the same thing applies to Chain Mail with Plate Armor, and Scale Mail with Half-Plate.

However, that is only due to the fact that 5e's armor system is dumbed down and simplified to the point where any choice besides the obviously optimal one is a wrong choice. If the system were to be changed to there being a type of light armor that was more expensive than Studded Leather, possibly 100 gp, which would give you an AC of 13 + your Dexterity modifier, with a maximum bonus of +4, then in certain circumstances it would be better to take Studded Leather than this hypothetical armor.

And, that's just one example they could do similar things for a variety of new light and medium armors (possibly a heavy armor that is 17 + Dex mod., maximum of +1), and other similar ways of keeping armor simple while also having the choice matter.

Except that you addressed one point while ignoring the context that it was in. Which is that when you start wanting to introduce magic and materials and such you end up with a huge number of armors.

And your example of making it more fiddly (introducing a new max dex besides +2) makes it even more of a pain. How does introducing an armor that in exceedingly limited circumstances it is better improve the game, lower the barrier of play to new players, make sure that players actually can use and enjoy new magic items instead of them being potentially a bad choice, and just improve fun for everyone, not just those with the system mastery to compare multiple dimensions of change across the equipment list to figure out what's best right now. In an edition that's worked hard to get off the gear windmill.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Except that you addressed one point while ignoring the context that it was in. Which is that when you start wanting to introduce magic and materials and such you end up with a huge number of armors.

I ignored the context because I was not a fan of that suggestions and wanted to address that one key part that could fix the problem. There are different types of heavy armor, medium, and light armor, they're not just variations of the same armor with different materials.

And your example of making it more fiddly (introducing a new max dex besides +2) makes it even more of a pain.

Even more of a pain than the Medium Armor Master feat? Adding this "complexity" is no more of a pain than the current armor system.

How does introducing an armor that in exceedingly limited circumstances it is better:
1. improve the game
2. lower the barrier of play to new players
3. make sure that players actually can use and enjoy new magic items instead of them being potentially a bad choice
4. and just improve fun for everyone, not just those with the system mastery to compare multiple dimensions of change across the equipment list to figure out what's best right now

1. It improves the game because it makes player choice important, instead of just a "duh, I have to take this armor because it is the good armor and only good armor of this category."
2. I'm not trying to lower the bar from the current complexity of the game's armor system, this would match its current "complexity." Thus, it is no more of a barrier than the current armor system.
3. I didn't get rid of +X armors, Armors of Resistance, and other magic armors. This doesn't make the issue of a DM giving the polearm master a flametongue greatsword any more of an issue than it was before.
4. There are currently 3 types of light armor, 5 types of medium armor, and 4 types of heavy armor. One armor from each type is completely useless and will never see use by any character (padded, hide, ring mail), and the following armors quickly become useless once the characters get enough gold to buy them (leather, chain shirt, scale mail, chainmail, splint). So, with the current 12 armor types, two thirds of them are automatically useless and will never be seen in a campaign once they have enough gold to buy any armor they want, unless the DM gimps the party by destroying/taking away their armor. In my opinion and experience, it is more fun to have character choices for what your armor does than it is to just have a "duh, I need this one."

It is not more complex than the current system, and encourages character creativity and decision. If they just doubled the current amount of armors in the game (to 24), and made all of them viable choices for certain characters even if they have enough money to afford Plate, Half-Plate, or Studded Leather, that would not overcomplicate the current Armor System, and would make it intuitive and important.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

One way would be to do away with any magic armour giving an AC bonus, and instead have AC bonus come only from the type of armour. Magic armour would instead grant other properties rather than simple bonuses.

 

[GMMichael]

A while back, it occurred to me that D&D already basically works this way, and it would be extremely simple to adapt the Final Fantasy model of armor progression into a campaign. After all, what really is Silver armor, but Iron armor +1?

True enough. The problem with advancing armors by AC in 5e, if that's Minigiant's edition, is that there's not much room to work before the designers' intent breaks. So we'll have to get creative when implementing Wizard and Sorceror armor...

I like the idea of ablative armor (in theory). But who really wants to track the reduction of armor value?

Also, armor isn't that expensive. So you get some at 1st, around 3-4th you have enough to upgrade; and then you are done unless you find magic armor...

Players already track HP. Tie the two together? How about this: take an amount of damage equal to your armor's AC bonus, and it loses one point of AC after the battle. Do some smithing to restore the lost point(s).

Paper armor looks pretty good when your plate suit has been reduced to 11 AC.

 

[Drazen]

Vibranium armor.
Marvel materials?
XD

 

[zarionofarabel]

Nah.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

True enough. The problem with advancing armors by AC in 5e, if that's Minigiant's edition, is that there's not much room to work before the designers' intent breaks. So we'll have to get creative when implementing Wizard and Sorceror armor...

Unless you really want level 1 goblins to still hit you when you're level 20, it's as easy as handing out +7 weapons to level-appropriate enemies around the final town (where you buy the +7 armor).

 

[cbwjm]

I do have dark elven spider silk robes which grant 11+ dex AC and can be worn without any armour proficiency required.

Most of the time, a change in material is only that so half plate bone armour has the same stats as regular half plate. Other materials act like the various dragon scale armour and provide an additional bonus like resistance. A particularly fine material might grant a +1 bonus to AC like the Bestine steel of the Mandalorian.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I do have dark elven spider silk robes which grant 11+ dex AC and can be worn without any armour proficiency required.

That is mechanically identical to Pride Silk Outfits from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.

 

[cbwjm]

That is mechanically identical to Pride Silk Outfits from Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.

I don't own that book so don't know of it, but it makes sense that I wouldn't be the first to come up with something like this.