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<blockquote data-quote="pawsplay" data-source="post: 3507923" data-attributes="member: 15538">There are two problems with the armors in D&amp;D.First of all, there are too many. Hence, there is a need to differentiate too many things that aren't that different. Second, they are from many different eras. The reason scale kind of sucks is because it's not as good as other armors. It was essentially replaced by chainmail and (briefly) by banded mail. There are some cases where it was developed into a technologically competitive quality armor (the Japanese and some of the Dark Ages Mediterranean nations did it), but in such a case, it's functionally identical to banded armor or plate mail, becauese the scales are riveted or linked together. Scale mail, as such, is just a bunch of scales on a backing. It's heavier than studded leather, which is very similar (except inside out), not as tough or flexible as chainmail, not as articulated or durable as banded, and no match at all for plate. It's an obsolete armor, just sort of hanging around. And this being D&amp;D, it's not restristricted to ancient, undead warriors. It has to have a price. Thus, some down on his luck fighter ends up buying this crappy, anachronistic armor because it's crappier and therefore cheaper, and thus one of the starting fighter packages in the PHB ends up with scale mail, even though nobody in the game, or the setting, would otherwise wear it. It's like the khopesh; it was originally included, I think, just to give something for mummies and jackal demons to wield, but then it was in the chart, so someone decided it should a useful, viable weapon. But in reality, a khopesh kind of sucks, since it's basically a narrow bladed axe, or a a really dull, easily bent sword. Scale mail: not your friend.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pawsplay, post: 3507923, member: 15538"] There are two problems with the armors in D&D. First of all, there are too many. Hence, there is a need to differentiate too many things that aren't that different. Second, they are from many different eras. The reason scale kind of sucks is because it's not as good as other armors. It was essentially replaced by chainmail and (briefly) by banded mail. There are some cases where it was developed into a technologically competitive quality armor (the Japanese and some of the Dark Ages Mediterranean nations did it), but in such a case, it's functionally identical to banded armor or plate mail, becauese the scales are riveted or linked together. Scale mail, as such, is just a bunch of scales on a backing. It's heavier than studded leather, which is very similar (except inside out), not as tough or flexible as chainmail, not as articulated or durable as banded, and no match at all for plate. It's an obsolete armor, just sort of hanging around. And this being D&D, it's not restristricted to ancient, undead warriors. It has to have a price. Thus, some down on his luck fighter ends up buying this crappy, anachronistic armor because it's crappier and therefore cheaper, and thus one of the starting fighter packages in the PHB ends up with scale mail, even though nobody in the game, or the setting, would otherwise wear it. It's like the khopesh; it was originally included, I think, just to give something for mummies and jackal demons to wield, but then it was in the chart, so someone decided it should a useful, viable weapon. But in reality, a khopesh kind of sucks, since it's basically a narrow bladed axe, or a a really dull, easily bent sword. Scale mail: not your friend. [/QUOTE]

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