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<blockquote data-quote="Tony Vargas" data-source="post: 7264893" data-attributes="member: 996"><p>Expectations get shaped by a lot of things. Hollywood actors have never liked having their faces covered on screen (and the audience needs to know who's who), so a lot of movies get made with heroes wearing no armor, or running around with their visors up or helmets off constantly.</p><p></p><p>The very heavy armor used in jousting was preserved in museums, and people wearing armor modeled on it as costumes (without training to accustom themselves to it, of course) got the impression it was incredibly cumbersome - something re-enactors later debunked.</p><p></p><p>Early D&D made being 'able' (allowed) to wear armor a major advantage of the fighter and cleric, and made it a very large advantage, so DMs were often tempted to push back against it by layering restrictions, many of them counter-genre or based on modern misconceptions on armor to 'balance' it. Even though unarmored characters are barely at a disadvantage relative to their heavy-armored comrades, now, that habit remains.</p><p></p><p> Calls for realism always seem to be selective, and are usually about something else. Armor is too effective, so make it unrealistically cumbersome (and throw rust monsters at the party). </p><p></p><p>It's never seemed to have worked before. Rather, for instance, in 3e, it became all about DEX. If your DEX bonus was +1 your optimal armor was full plate, +3, it was breastplate (or Mithral Full Plate, FTW), if your DEX bonus was +8 (yeah, it could happen), magical 'Celestial Mail' was the ticket... </p><p></p><p>Stealth has sometimes worked better, 5e's disadvantage on stealth, 3e & 4e armor check penalties affecting stealth and other skills, would make it reasonable to generally (or occasionally, depending on the build) choose mobility over protection, and not because your class 'forced' you.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tony Vargas, post: 7264893, member: 996"] Expectations get shaped by a lot of things. Hollywood actors have never liked having their faces covered on screen (and the audience needs to know who's who), so a lot of movies get made with heroes wearing no armor, or running around with their visors up or helmets off constantly. The very heavy armor used in jousting was preserved in museums, and people wearing armor modeled on it as costumes (without training to accustom themselves to it, of course) got the impression it was incredibly cumbersome - something re-enactors later debunked. Early D&D made being 'able' (allowed) to wear armor a major advantage of the fighter and cleric, and made it a very large advantage, so DMs were often tempted to push back against it by layering restrictions, many of them counter-genre or based on modern misconceptions on armor to 'balance' it. Even though unarmored characters are barely at a disadvantage relative to their heavy-armored comrades, now, that habit remains. Calls for realism always seem to be selective, and are usually about something else. Armor is too effective, so make it unrealistically cumbersome (and throw rust monsters at the party). It's never seemed to have worked before. Rather, for instance, in 3e, it became all about DEX. If your DEX bonus was +1 your optimal armor was full plate, +3, it was breastplate (or Mithral Full Plate, FTW), if your DEX bonus was +8 (yeah, it could happen), magical 'Celestial Mail' was the ticket... Stealth has sometimes worked better, 5e's disadvantage on stealth, 3e & 4e armor check penalties affecting stealth and other skills, would make it reasonable to generally (or occasionally, depending on the build) choose mobility over protection, and not because your class 'forced' you. [/QUOTE]
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