D&D 5E What would be the hierarchy of materials from weakest to strongest used in both Armor & Weapons?

[Slit518]

I see many of you have come to answer this question.

Does anyone have a list they can compile from the materials I listed? And of course, optional, other fantasy materials.

Any material that is equal to another, they can be listed as such, "material 1 - material 2"

 

[snickersnax]

In reallife, a chain armor *always* has padding under it, typically a gambeson (tunic quilted with various padding, such as leather rags and horse hair), but alternatively layers of heavy wool tunics.
At least in my campaigns, ‘chain shirt’ armor includes the ‘padded’ armor by default, just like it includes a ‘helmet’ by default. If for some reason it was lacking, then the chain armor would be defective and the AC would lower, missing the +1 from the padded armor.
But the mithril shirt is something different. It can be worn explicitly without padding. Yet it dampens bludgeoning.

Right, so chainmail has the padded gambeson as per the PHB description(and the stealth disadvantage associated with padded armor), and chain shirt does not. In fact a chain shirt doesn't look like a chain shirt because it as a layer of cloth or leather on the inside and the outside.

If it were up to me chainmail with or without padding would do little to reduce bludgeoning damage. At your table you can have whatever rules you want. But I don't think there is sufficient evidence in RAW or historically (in D&D or LOtR) to imagine that mithril metal has some unexplained bludgeoning resistance other than the *un*explainable resistance already granted to chainmail.

 

[snickersnax]

I see many of you have come to answer this question.

Does anyone have a list they can compile from the materials I listed? And of course, optional, other fantasy materials.

Any material that is equal to another, they can be listed as such, "material 1 - material 2"

Its really tricky, because there are so many things to consider. For example copper would make a better mace than stone, but flint would make a better arrow head or knife than copper. Obsidian can be sharper than most steels, but steel is much tougher. Perhaps you could be a bit clearer about what you mean when you say strong. Also as I mentioned in previous posts titanium and probably mithril don't make great weapons because they lack weight, but they would still be nearly indestructible and make very good armor.

 

[Yaarel]

Right, so chainmail has the padded gambeson as per the PHB description(and the stealth disadvantage associated with padded armor), and chain shirt does not. In fact a chain shirt doesn't look like a chain shirt because it as a layer of cloth or leather on the inside and the outside.

If it were up to me chainmail with or without padding would do little to reduce bludgeoning damage. At your table you can have whatever rules you want. But I don't think there is sufficient evidence in RAW or historically (in D&D or LOtR) to imagine that mithril metal has some unexplained bludgeoning resistance other than the *un*explainable resistance already granted to chainmail.

The chainmail lacks protection against bludgeoning. The padding underneath is the protection.

The cloth/leather under the chain shirt, just like under a reallife chain shirt, is the padding.

Yet, the mithril shirt is worn without padding − you can even wear the mithril shirt like a T-shirt, and be fully armored!

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

@snickersnax, @kap'n Kobold

But there is no ‘padding’ under a mithril shirt. It is silk-like. And often it is worn as an undershirt.

Somehow this silky metal mesh is able to dampen bludgeoning weapons.

I believe that Tolkien was describing a chain shirt made as a single piece, with the under padding stitched onto the chain to make a single garment. Fine chain will easily conform to the shape of the under-layers.
Given Tolkien had a tendency to depict the elves as just plain better at everything than anyone else, making the shirt including underlayers as supple as linen was hardly the most egregious example of elven supremacy.

Butcher's mail - which is the closest analogue I can think of itself is easily worn under even the relatively close-fitting modern clothing. It is thin and conforms well to the body. - To the point where it can even make rather startling lingerie.
The main difference would be that butcher's mail is welded, not riveted, and thus can be worn directly against the skin. A medieval mail, even one with small, fine rings would be extremely uncomfortable due to the rivets scratching.

Right, so chainmail has the padded gambeson as per the PHB description(and the stealth disadvantage associated with padded armor), and chain shirt does not. In fact a chain shirt doesn't look like a chain shirt because it as a layer of cloth or leather on the inside and the outside.

If it were up to me chainmail with or without padding would do little to reduce bludgeoning damage. At your table you can have whatever rules you want. But I don't think there is sufficient evidence in RAW or historically (in D&D or LOtR) to imagine that mithril metal has some unexplained bludgeoning resistance other than the *un*explainable resistance already granted to chainmail.

Well-fitted chain is pretty elastic, but only to a certain point, and provides a reasonable amount of resistance to bludgeoning damage. Combined with the padded leather underlayer it spreads out impact. Obviously it is more effective against slashing weapons, but quite frankly 5e isn't granular enough to deal with weapon types vs armour types etc.