Medium Armor type?

[Deodanth]

Hey, try some Ringmail on for size and let me know what you think!

Concept:
[sblock="Concept"]Armor choices, as with other equipment, have been vastly simplified in 4e. We've come from nine basic armor types in 1e, to twelve in 3e, down to only six in 4e. There are now only two armor categories, Light and Heavy. Between hide (+3 AC) and chainmail (+6 AC) is a gap left by the removal of "medium armor" from the system. Until masterwork armor becomes available at higher levels, there is nothing to fill this gap, unless you consider Dex or Int bonuses with light armors.[/sblock]
Proposal:
[sblock="Proposal"]A seventh type of armor can fill the gap. Since it's a step between hide and chainmail, I call this armor Ringmail (a nod to older editions of D&D... as well as a beloved Tolkien short story). For protection, ringmail is one step better than hide armor, but like leather it has no check or speed penalties. The drawback is that ringmail only adds 1/2 your Dex or Int bonus, as opposed to your full bonus, when wearing it.

As a result, characters with high Dex or Int will still tend to favor leather or hide armor, and characters with neither will gravitate toward any heavy armors they are trained in. Ringmail will still be an attractive option for a minor subset of PCs and NPCs. Therefore the item adds flavor to the game without unbalancing it.[/sblock]
RINGMAIL (Add to PHB Chapter 7, p. 213)
Ringmail: Consisting of a sparse layer of metal rings sewn to a leather armor backing, ringmail is similar to chainmail in design, but is lighter and less restrictive. It affords nearly as much mobility as leather armor. Forgering and spritring are masterwork designs similar to their chainmail counterparts.

Ringmail (Light)
Armor Bonus: +4
Check: --
Speed: --
Price: 35 gp
Weight: 30 lb.

Note: A character wearing ringmail adds only one-half his Dexterity or one-half his Intelligence bonus (whichever is higher) to his Armor Class, and only if he is proficient with ringmail.

Masterwork types: Forgering (+6 to AC), Spiritring (+8 to AC)
[sblock="Magic Ringmail"]
Forgering
Armor Bonus: +6
Minimum Enhancement Bonus: +4
Check: --
Speed: --
Price: Special
Weight: 30 lb.

Spiritring
Armor Bonus: +8
Minimum Enhancement Bonus: +6
Check: --
Speed: --
Price: Special
Weight: 30 lb.

MAGIC ARMOR: Most magical armors with the chainmail category may also include a ringmail option (ex. Eladrin Armor, Tombforged Armor).
[/sblock]
NEW FEATS (Add to PHB Chapter 6)
Heroic Feat: Armor Proficiency (Ringmail)
Prerequisites: Str 13, Con 13, training with leather or hide armor
Benefit: You gain training with ringmail.

Paragon Feat: Armor Specialization (Ringmail)
Prerequisites: Dex 15, training with ringmail
Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to AC while wearing ringmail.

NOTE: All character classes that have proficiency in chainmail get proficiency in ringmail as well.

Number crunching to follow...

 

[Fredrik Svanberg]

Well, I don't think this is really needed but if you are determined to keep it you might want to add that proficiency with Ringmail counts as proficiency with Chainmail for determining prerequisites for better armor feats. Also you should probably mention that all classes proficient with Chainmail are proficient with ringmail as well. If not you're not likely to ever see anyone use it.

I wonder why you didn't go with Studded Leather - that's much more iconic in my opinion.

 

[Deodanth]

Thanks for the comments, Fredrik. I meant to include a stipulation about class proficiency, and have done so. I'm still not convinced about letting ringmail be a direct stepping stone to scale armor, what do others think?

As for Studded Leather, that name implies a "modified" Leather armor type and I wanted to delineate a new, unique type. Also, Studded Leather may be iconic to 2e/3e players, but my roots go much further back. (If you like, call it an homage to Gygax as well as Tolkien!)

 

[Khaalis]

To be honest, I think I would rather see "studded leather" and "ring mail" (which are effectually the same thing) be an armor modification for leather and/or hide armor.

Something along the lines of: Add +1 AC at a cost of +50% and +3 lb.

Thus studded (or ringed) leather armor would give +3 AC, cost 37gp, and weigh 18 lb.

JMHO.

 

[Fredrik Svanberg]

Studded leather is iconic to me because it's what Errol Flynn wears in Robin Hood... or at least that's what it looks like.

Actually... you could just say that Chainmail proficiency also grants proficiency with Ringmail and leave it at that. Then you wouldn't need to worry about adding class proficiencies or feats or anything. Ringmail would simply be a special kind of chainmail.

You could then expand it, adding Splint as a special kind of Scale, and Breastplate as a special kind of Plate armor. For example.

 

[Deodanth]

To be honest, I think I would rather see "studded leather" and "ring mail" be an armor modification for leather and/or hide armor.

Something along the lines of: Add +1 AC at a cost of +50% and +3 lb.

Nice idea, but I'm also concerned with preserving the core equipment options "as is." If you offer the players a cheap +1 AC with no attendant penalties, they will grab it every time. All the rangers, rogues, and warlocks will buy studded leather, and the wizards will be doubly tempted to take leather proficiency so they can get it too.

If you pronounce a restriction, such as a proficiency requirement or my 1/2 ability bonus rule, it should bring the new item reasonably into balance.

Actually... you could just say that Chainmail proficiency also grants proficiency with Ringmail and leave it at that. Then you wouldn't need to worry about adding class proficiencies or feats or anything. Ringmail would simply be a special kind of chainmail.

I'm leaning in that direction, now

You could then expand it, adding Splint as a special kind of Scale, and Breastplate as a special kind of Plate armor. For example.

I thought about that too... putting Breastplate in the +5 slot, for instance, but depending how we work penalties and proficiency, I felt it would either replace chainmail as an armor of choice, or be left ignored.

 

[Frostmarrow]

I like it a lot!

I'm about to stat up Caramon for a Dragons of Despair-game I might be running. Sturm wears chainmail and wields a greatsword. Caramon wields longsword and light shield and wears ringmail. What to do? I can't make ringmail into chainmail because Sturm already has a patent. I can't make ringmail into hide armor because Caramon is the least rangery character of the lot (save for Sturm).

Caramon has Dex 11 and Int 12. That would make his AC 15 (10+4+1+½). This is a good chice of armor for Caramon even though his stats are low. His speed and checks remain unpenalized.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

You could just say ring mail is the same statistically as hide or chainmail.

 

[keterys]

It's weird, but my mental picture of Caramon has him wearing scale mail. *googles* Yeah, like this

 

[Deodanth]

It's weird, but my mental picture of Caramon has him wearing scale mail. *googles* Yeah, like this

Yes but remember in the 4e paradigm, Scale is heavier than before, closer to banded or half-plate than the "scale mail" of previous editions.

Caramon and Sturm are presumably both fighters, making them able to wear heavy armors. If you go by depictions of the more mature Caramon, he's usually wearing chain...
and in one case plate or breastplate:

Needless to say Sturm will inherit Solamnic Armor which is at least scale, at best modified plate. I realize DL1 is the introductory module and you can justify ringmail by saying Caramon can't afford heavier armor yet. Of course, 4e economics make it so that any basic armor type is available to a first level PC.

Anyhoo, I'm happy to see somebody might use my idea