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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Neonchameleon" data-source="post: 8037086" data-attributes="member: 87792">First D&D armour has always been a mess. From inventing an entirely new armour type (studded leather) and missing two major types (lamellar, and brigandine/coat of plates) it's nowhere near a history textbook.Second the later plate armour types you're talking about (starting around 1420) that were curved with limited ornamentation were the result of extremely heavy automation and mechanisation in the manufactories of Milan (and other places). This lead to armour being ordered in lots that frequently exceeded 1000 full suits from a single factory. The level of embellisment dropped the way it did because plate armour stopped being a prestige piece for the ultra-wealthy and affordable only by the wealthy and started being something where the prestige was to outfit entire batallions. And also where they drove the makers of chain armour more or less out of business other than for armpits or gussets by undercutting them while providing far better protection, so chain armour was reduced to "cheap second hand" status.Most D&D settings don't have the manufactories needed to produce this level of armour to the right tolerances to fit together in lots of at least dozens, making it very much a prestige piece that takes a master armourer or mage fitting it to the wearer and making every piece to the right tolerances. That said 14th century plate armour (which is what IME D&D plate resembles; early fluted Gothic plate looks awesome but I've never heard it used in a description let alone full Maximillian) didn't tend ot be heavy on the muscle curiasses.Agreed. And I'm in two minds here. Socially D&D plate armour is late 1300s IME rather than mid 1400s+ - but it's also normally European styled and light on the muscle curiasses except in explicitly Greek or Roman themed sub-settings IME.</blockquote>

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