D&D 5E removing heavy armor profiency

[GlassJaw]

I've been brainstorming on a campaign setting in which heavy armor will be extremely rare. The technology to craft it exists but it is impractical to do so (tropical island setting, hot & humid, lots of sea travel, scarce resources).

So while it's possible to acquire heavy armor, I'm wondering if it actually makes sense for starting characters to have proficiency to use it, nevermind actually own a set.

So campaign setting aside, what would be the implications of removing heavy armor proficiency from any class that would grant it? Will it upset class balance all that much (my gut says no)? If so, what are some options that it could be replaced with?

If I go this route for my setting, I'm inclined to simply remove it and not replace but wanted to some other opinions first (in favor or against).

Thanks!

 

[The Old Crow]

Damage reduction for medium armor equal to the character's strength modifier?

Damage resistance on any hit that bests their armor class but not their strength score?

 

[Tony Vargas]

what would be the implications of removing heavy armor proficiency from any class that would grant it? Will it upset class balance all that much (my gut says no)? If so, what are some options that it could be replaced with?

It would more upset the balance between STR and DEX focus. Most classes that have heavy armor can ignore it and use medium or light armor, they just need to invest in some DEX. It's not like the classic game* where better armor was strictly much better, regardless, and being able to wear the best armor was a major class feature.

What you'll likely see is more characters who depend on weapons and armor, depending on ranged & finesse weapons and light armor.


Edit: if you want a variant that replaces heavy armor with a similar level of DEX-independence-for-AC in the classes that normally get it, you could give them a feature that allows them to substitute proficiency for their DEX mod, up to a limit of 5, when calculating AC. Thus it would 'optimal' for such characters to dump DEX, start with medium armor, and graduate to light armor later.










* don't find myself say'n that a lot...

 

[Saeviomagy]

Strength already compares poorly to dexterity for most purposes. This will make that imbalance worse.

I would suggest that if you're getting rid of heavy armor, you probably also want to get rid of medium armor (because while there is a mechanical divide between them, the thematic divide is vanishingly slim).

At that point you condense all three armor proficiencies into "armor proficiency" which applies to any found armor.

Finally you want to add alternative AC calculations to classes that used to have heavy armor proficiency to address my first point: it would be nice if str based characters were competitive. Just make sure they don't stack with dex and you should be golden. This could be as simple as "parry: when wielding a shield or melee weapon, you may substitute your strength modifier for your dex modifier when calculating AC)"

At that point Strength and dex characters have parity for AC, all the armor types still work, and full plate is still the best armor if you ever find some. The only problem is that most medium and heavy armor is only worthwhile if your strength AND dex are low.

 

[FrogReaver]

I'd allow str to influence hp and healing dice just like con does and possibly even boosts spells like cure wounds and healing word when cast on you (but not goodberry). Or maybe half of what con does rounded up would be better.

Either way just remove heavy armor and give some kind of an hp bonus and restoration bonus based on str.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Like the others above, I feel like such a change would make the strength based Fighter much less desirable unless Strength users were given another way to compensate for the change.

 

[Oofta]

It depends on what your goal is. Currently heavy armor primarily supports the idea of a strong but clumsy melee type. Get rid of heavy armor and that archetype is incredibly handicapped unless you somehow compensate as @Saeviomagy suggested.

Another option is to allow very heavy and large shields. Add a tower shield that requires a 14 strength, grants +4 to AC and negates dex penalty. Allow medium armor made of alternate materials such as layers of silk or laminated armor.

That doesn't cover the big guy with a two handed weapon, but it at least gives people who want to play a tank an option other than barbarians and dex based fighters.

Or just look up information on what was historically used, which apparently included heavy armor, at least according to some sources

EDIT: I would make the tower shield proficiency equivalent to heavy armor proficiency; classes that have heavy armor proficiency would have tower shield proficiency and feats that apply to heavy armor would apply to the new shield category.

 

[DonT]

You need to cover the big guy with the two-handed weapon. That's my favorite type of character to play. Unless such characters were compensated in some way for the loss of heavy armor, I just wouldn't play in your game.

 

[akr71]

I'm not sure why you think it's necessary to have proficiency to _remove_ heavy armour... I think it's implied that you know how to remove it when you know how to use it.

Sorry, I've got nothing useful to add to the conversation


Sent from my iPhone using EN World

 

[The Old Crow]

Finally you want to add alternative AC calculations to classes that used to have heavy armor proficiency to address my first point: it would be nice if str based characters were competitive. Just make sure they don't stack with dex and you should be golden. This could be as simple as "parry: when wielding a shield or melee weapon, you may substitute your strength modifier for your dex modifier when calculating AC)"

At that point Strength and dex characters have parity for AC, all the armor types still work, and full plate is still the best armor if you ever find some. The only problem is that most medium and heavy armor is only worthwhile if your strength AND dex are low.

The more I think about this, the more I like it. It would allow for a burly swashbuckler type fighter. It would allow for disarming a burly swashbuckler type to be a great strategy. It would allow for the heavy armor wearer attacked in the middle of the night not wearing their armor to grab their weapon and actually literally defend theirself. A shield becomes an awesome piece of armor for the strong warrior, even if it is all they have.