Platemail sold here for CHEAP!!

[JiffyPopTart]

I'm going to object to your argument, my objection is that immersion is fun as well. And being able to buy plate armour at an improbable price (yes, let's stop the discussion about what was real and not real, it's all about what *seems* real) hurts immersion.

Conversely, speaking for everyone in my group, having one of the basic armor types cost WAY MORE than the one right below it on the list (3e) ruins our fun because we wanted to start with the plate armor we were planning on using for our character.

Different groups have different ideas of fun.

DS

 

[Bleoberis De Ganis]

The obvious answer is: it's priced so that a PC can afford it. I think a better solution would have been to simply give starting PCs a suit of armor that they are able to use and then to have platemail priced more appropriately.

It might be a good idea to have all PCs get a free item (heirloom), no matter the cost, as long as it is in the basic list. You might also allow a minor magic item in that - perhaps even an heirloom sword, heirloom/test-reward magic staff, etc.

Give a freebie with a cost limit - and only a single item even if it does not cost anywhere the cost limit.

I dunno.

 

[Herschel]

Adventurers in 4e are not normal people, they have experience and training, access to equipment etc. Why adventure because I have plate mail and a sword, uh, why adventure at level 8 when I'm sporting a +2 armor and +2 weapon and some cool toys, to get more of course, to gain power, the same reason as level 1. At Paragon and Epic things go a bit higher

Why does making everyone start with leather armor and the cheapest weapons they can get appeal to you? If you look at the prices most characters spend 75-100 of that starting gold to begin with on just the basics, and yes, in 4e plate is a "basic".

You still can't buy everything you want at level 1 but you can get what you need.

You start adventuring because you love the adventure and want to get cool stuff because you don't have much. I find starting with plate, etc. rather stupid. You make tough choices as to armor, etc. Then you upgrade as you can, eventually getting magic. Think red books in basic set.

Every army mook didn't get plate, they were lucky to get chain when they were elite, etc. As another mentioned, plate was rare and special. Training is one thing, but I find a first level fighter with plate, sword, board, longbow, etc. kind of silly.

 

[RefinedBean]

Training is one thing, but I find a first level fighter with plate, sword, board, longbow, etc. kind of silly.

I find a first level Paladin who's proficient in plate (which means, to me, he had some access to it and the ability to train in it) but unable to wear it from 1st level on kind of silly.

Opinions are fantastic!

 

[Doctor Proctor]

The armor you speak of, munition armor, was a very cheap version of plate armor for infantry. It was not the full plate of the heavy calvary.

I think some of you missed this from the second page. Whoever said that the "Plate Armor" of 4e was actual Full Plate armor fit for mounted cavalry? Who's to say that it's not the "munitions armor" this guy was talking about? Considering that you can buy this stuff for a relatively affordable price and it's supposed to size pretty easily (or at least it seems to since you don't have rules for how long sizing, fitting and the manufacturing takes) perhaps it's actually just a cheap, mass-produced version of Plate Mail that was made for infantry troops. Then the really good stuff would be the magic armor.

Plus, if you want to get all "realistic" about it, then archers and crossbowmen would completely rule the battlefield. Plate armor would be practically invulnerable to smaller weapons like what the Rogue uses, you would almost need to have a big Bastard Sword or Polearm to penetrate it. Yet you can hit with a dagger, a club or your fist. So don't talk about "realism" unless you want to completely revamp all the rules.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Image:Nedkellysarmour1882.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not exactly private-jet worthy.

 

[CapnZapp]

Plate isn't the best mundane armor in the game. Scale is.

Huh?

Plate's AC is higher than Scale's. How is Scale better?

 

[Danceofmasks]

Lol ...

As funny as it is, Ned's armour may be a fair example of how AC is treated in D&D ...
It isn't how much damage it soaks, 'cos where the plates are it's just about inpenetrable, it's about how difficult it is to bypass the armour.

'cos a rogue with max dex would easily gut him.

 

[Danceofmasks]

(sorry if this is a double post, but I think the board will automatically join the posts)

Huh?

Plate's AC is higher than Scale's. How is Scale better?

Assuming 2 (non-dwarf) characters have the armour specialisation feat for their respective suits of armour ...

The guy in plate has 1 more AC.
The guy in scale has 2 less armour check penalty and 1 more speed.

For some folks, that = better than plate.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Lol ...

As funny as it is, Ned's armour may be a fair example of how AC is treated in D&D ...
It isn't how much damage it soaks, 'cos where the plates are it's just about inpenetrable, it's about how difficult it is to bypass the armour.

'cos a rogue with max dex would easily gut him.

A rogue at first level with max dex and a shortsword and getting the jump on the wearer would have a +10 modifier, and be going versus a 19 ac (assuming no shield). So yeah, a rogue will easily gut him.

He could also use peircing strike and totally ignore the armor.

When you think about it, the armor you get for 50g isn't actually giving you the level of protection you would expect from a finely crafted suit of platemail...