Empirate
First Post
Take a look at Pathfinder. They really thought about armor types for that system overhaul, and the result is at least a bit better than 3.5:
Padded (5 gp): +1 / +8 / 0 / 5%
Leather (10 gp): +2 / +6 / 0 / 10%
Studded Leather (25 gp): +3 / +5 / -1 / 15%
Chain Shirt (100 gp): +4 / +4 / -2 / 20%
Hide (15 gp): +4 / +4 / -3 / 20%
Scale Mail (50 gp): +5 / +3 / -4 / 25%
Chainmail (150 gp): +6 / +2 / -5 / 30%
Breastplate (200 gp): +6 / +3 / -4 / 25%
Splint Mail (200 gp): +7 / 0 / -7 / 40%
Banded Mail (250 gp): +7 / +1 / -6 / 35%
Half Plate (600 gp): +8 / 0 / -7 / 40%
Full Plate (1,500 gp): +9 / +1 / -6 / 35%
The improvement seems to be more or less linear, so you will probably find the armor to fit your Dex mod. Non-Full Plate heavy armor is viable now (especially on a budget), and the medium armor types have received a buff as well, while light armor stays more or less as is.
Padded (5 gp): +1 / +8 / 0 / 5%
Leather (10 gp): +2 / +6 / 0 / 10%
Studded Leather (25 gp): +3 / +5 / -1 / 15%
Chain Shirt (100 gp): +4 / +4 / -2 / 20%
Hide (15 gp): +4 / +4 / -3 / 20%
Scale Mail (50 gp): +5 / +3 / -4 / 25%
Chainmail (150 gp): +6 / +2 / -5 / 30%
Breastplate (200 gp): +6 / +3 / -4 / 25%
Splint Mail (200 gp): +7 / 0 / -7 / 40%
Banded Mail (250 gp): +7 / +1 / -6 / 35%
Half Plate (600 gp): +8 / 0 / -7 / 40%
Full Plate (1,500 gp): +9 / +1 / -6 / 35%
The improvement seems to be more or less linear, so you will probably find the armor to fit your Dex mod. Non-Full Plate heavy armor is viable now (especially on a budget), and the medium armor types have received a buff as well, while light armor stays more or less as is.