D&D 5E Less armour but same protection

[Oofta]

Why are you limiting armor in the first place? Lack of metal? Alternative materials will handle it. "Realism"? Well ... any armor that realistically adds protection is going to be hot. Chainmail bikinis are mostly a thing of the past because it's obvious it's pointless.

So ... either just accept that you will have no PC that is strength based (except maybe barbarian) or come up with alternative materials. Or, of course, just accept that D&D isn't realistic.

 

[aco175]

The first few levels will be harder for the PCs wanting metal armor since I would have some sort of exhaustion or time per day of wearing this. Maybe you can put plate on and go through a cave or old temple, but after an hour, you start having penalties. This adds realism and such, but you also control the flow of other encounters where traveling between places you will wear armor, so too many wandering encounters without armor feels like gotcha.

I would also make magic items like armor that negates these penalties and rings of air conditioning. This rewards higher level PCs with items that function at the levels where you may want to start skipping over travel and exhaustion rules since they have now become repetitive.

Some other items would be portable campfires since wood tends to be always wet, umbrellas that can expand to a tent/campsite, or project bug repellant 10ft. Maybe self-filling waterskins and things that let you walk on water for a couple rounds to get across rivers and things. I'd call them jesus slippers after the lizard.

 

[GMMichael]

I'm going to need an explanation on that logic because that makes zero sense.

Sure:

Range: if my armor doesn't block much, I'd stay as far away from enemy attacks as possible, to reduce the threat.

Revel: no need to fret about armor limits. The locals have survived this long, haven't they?

Hit points: ACs are effectively capped, with the Dex limits and lack of +5 rings of protection. But hit points go up every level, on most short rests, every long rest, every Con increase, every... healing word? AC is nice, but gaining and regaining HP is nicer.

 

[BacchusNL]

Sure:

Range: if my armor doesn't block much, I'd stay as far away from enemy attacks as possible, to reduce the threat.

Revel: no need to fret about armor limits. The locals have survived this long, haven't they?

Hit points: ACs are effectively capped, with the Dex limits and lack of +5 rings of protection. But hit points go up every level, on most short rests, every long rest, every Con increase, every... healing word? AC is nice, but gaining and regaining HP is nicer.

I dont mind the range or revel part, but claiming HP is better then AC...no. Just no. You only need to take a single look at the damage a monster does on average and the amount of healing someone can put out, at an equal level, and see that you >definitely< want to avoid getting hit in the first place.

 

[jgsugden]

Certain races have innate QC (Tortle, Loxodon). Certain classes as well (monk, bladesinger, monk). You can expect some dipping into those pools if you do nothing to aid the PCs with their AC, and announce what it is before character creation.

 

[MarkB]

Steampunk armour with built-in air conditioning. Just as effective as normal, but it needs fuel and frequent maintenance.

 

[BacchusNL]

Steampunk armour with built-in air conditioning. Just as effective as normal, but it needs fuel and frequent maintenance.

I'm doing a deep jungle campaign

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I dont mind the range or revel part, but claiming HP is better then AC...no. Just no. You only need to take a single look at the damage a monster does on average and the amount of healing someone can put out, at an equal level, and see that you >definitely< want to avoid getting hit in the first place.

I pretty well survive with my 13 AC rogue/bard in a two men party fighting normal level appropriate enemies. And I didn´t even had alot hp also... it is indeed true in 5e: hit points is what keeps you going. AC just conserves them a bit more. The healing system is made under the assumption that you just get hit. And 1 point of AC is about a 10% increase in hp, nothing more, nothing less.

I also believe however, that you can have other materials to make armor from. Ironwood, chitin plates, might be a reason to go out hunting certain animals. A breast plate is easy to make from Iron wood. It might be a bit more cumbersome, but it protects well enough vs most blows from weapons. Also wooden scale armor should work well enough.

A different approach might be following:

If you are proficient with heavy armor, you can add 3 + half proficiency bonus or dex to AC, whatever is higher.
If you are proficient with medium armor, you can add half proficiency bonus and Dex to a maximum of +2 to AC

 

[Crimson Longinus]

�

Name	Cost		Armour Class (AC)	Mobility		Stealth & Acrobatics	Weight
No Armour
No armour	—		11 + ½ proficiency bonus + dex modifier	—		—	—
Light Armour
Leather armour	50 sp		13 + ½ proficiency bonus + dex modifier (max 2)	—		—	10
Composite armour	200 sp		14 + ½ proficiency bonus + dex modifier (max 2)	—		Disadvantage	30
Heavy Armour
Scale armour	350 sp		16 + ½ proficiency bonus	—		Disadvantage	50
War panoply	1500 sp		17 + ½ proficiency bonus	-5		Disadvantage	70
Shield
Shield	20 sp		+2	—		—	6

This is what I did for my low tech setting. The nomenclature may be confusing, there is only light and heavy armour. Classes that normally get light armour proficiency get no armour proficiency and classes that normally get medium armour proficiency get light armour proficiency.

You could do something similar.

 

[ph0rk]

Hit points: ACs are effectively capped, with the Dex limits and lack of +5 rings of protection. But hit points go up every level, on most short rests, every long rest, every Con increase, every... healing word? AC is nice, but gaining and regaining HP is nicer.

AC is part of determining effective hp vs various monsters. It matters, or folks would be happy dumping dex and wearing light armor.