Armor

(The Fighter Ibungar wearing Yebish Bone Plate) 

Simplicity in RPG rules allows for more variation and wider use of the imagination!

From my statement of intent:

“I believe that an RPG system should be as simple as possible while still having the fidelity to convince its players that metagame and in-game choices follow a predictable logic.”

“I also believe that the more one details and defines mechanics in an RPG system, the more time is spent trying to use mechanics to play, rather than using the imagination.”

With this I mind, I propose that detailed list of armor actually limit characters imagination rather than enable them, and should be abandoned in favor of a simple three category system.

In terms of mechanics, armor should be defined by the following:

1. How does it affect life outside of combat (encumbrance)?  

2. What benefit does it grant to AC?

In terms of Fiction, armor should be defined by character culture, taste, financial status, training, combat strategy, market availability etc.

In OD&D , there were three types of armor.

1. Leather

2. Chain

3. Plate

Later editions added many more types of armor with different armor classes, purportedly from some interpretation of medieval armors, but the veracity of the lists are doubtful (most famously banded mail which never existed and one of the more common Medieval European armor types brigandine is not included.) This creates the illusion of choice, players are free to choose any armor so long as it’s on this  list! Having detailed list of armor types also complicates making adjudications on nonstandard equipment. If a player wants to wear some sort of chitinous carapace, is it closer to scale mail or half-plate? The list also have a decidedly western-European bias, which works for many D&D games, but requires DMs to create new list for different milieus.

The less we mechanically differentiate various armors the more freedom we have in narrative definition. Making the categories vague, even encourages players and DMs to create setting appropriate armors. Taking a queue from the original rules, we should have three categories of armor, Light , Medium, and Heavy.

Classifying armor into three simple categories has several advantages:

1. Simplicity. Less chart usage, easier to determine enemy armor class, no “munchkin-like” cost benefit analysis when selecting armor.
2. Easier to create encumbrance rules by armor category
3. Encourages the creation of armor types that add to the narrative of the game without requiring long list of dubious armor types.

The Rules

Armor is divided into four categories

None

Light

Medium

Heavy

(Note: these rules assume an ascending armor class system.)

No Armor

Wearing no armor makes most task easier. Arcane magic can only be cast while wearing no armor.

Light Armor +3 AC

Un-encumbering and allowing almost complete freedom of movement. Wearing Light Armor generally will not penalize any actions including Thief skills.

Medium Armor +5 AC

Specifically designed to withstand blows in melee. Medium armor can be burdensome and may penalize actions taken while wearing it, such as climbing, swimming, and sneaking. Thieves can only use the disable traps and open locks skills while wearing Medium Armor. Counts as an encumbrance point (using LOTFP encumbrance system.)

Heavy Armor +7 AC

Heavy armor is a specific combat strategy. The wearer relies on the strength of the armor to deflect and stop blows. It seriously penalizes most actions taken while wearing it. Counts as two encumbrance points (using LOTFP system)

Examples of armor types:

From AD&D:

Light Armor: leather, padded, studded leather, ring mail , scale mail

Medium Armor: chain mail, splint mail, banded mail

Heavy Armor: plate mail

From Shulim:

Light Armor: leather jerkin, Yarapolkan padded gambeson, leather harness, metal helmet and bracers

Medium Armor: Adian suit of scales , Samarajyan mirror armor, Yebish bone lamellar

Heavy Armor: gilded Samarajyan plate, bronze plate, Chintck chitin armor, Yebish bone plate