Category:Armor


 * When running in heavy armor, you move only triple your speed, not quadruple.
 * A tower shield can grant you cover.

Armor Qualities
To wear heavier armor effectively, a character can select the Armor Proficiency feats, but most classes are automatically proficient with the armors that work best for them.

Armor and shields can take damage from some types of attacks.

Nonproficient with Armor Worn

A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which they are not proficient takes the armor’s (and/or shield’s) armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all Strength-based and Dexterity-based ability and skill checks. The penalty for nonproficiency with armor stacks with the penalty for nonproficiency with shields.

Sleeping in Armor

A character who sleeps in medium or heavy armor is automatically fatigued the next day. They take a -2 penalty on Strength and Dexterity and can’t charge or run. Sleeping in light armor does not cause fatigue.

Cost

The cost of the armor for Small or Medium humanoid creatures. Armor and shields for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures, and nonhumanoid creatures have different costs and weights from those given above. Refer to the appropriate line on the table below and apply the multipliers to cost and weight for the armor type in question.
 * For Tiny or smaller armor, divide the armor bonus by 2
 * For Small armor, multiply the armor bonus by 0.75 (round down)
 * For Huge armor, multiply the armor bonus by 1.5
 * For Gargantuan or larger armor, multiply the armor bonus by 2

Armor/Shield Bonus

Each armor grants an armor bonus to DR and an equal penalty to DB. Shields grant a shield bonus to DB. The armor bonus from a suit of armor doesn’t stack with other effects or items that grant an armor bonus. Similarly, the shield bonus from a shield doesn’t stack with other effects that grant a shield bonus.

Maximum Dex Bonus

This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to DB that this type of armor allows. Heavier armors limit mobility, reducing the wearer’s ability to dodge blows. This restriction doesn’t affect any other Dexterity-related abilities.

Even if a character’s Dexterity bonus to DB drops to 0 because of armor, this situation does not count as losing a Dexterity bonus to DB.

Your character’s encumbrance (the amount of gear they carry) may also restrict the maximum Dexterity bonus that can be applied to their Defense Bonus.

Shields

Shields do not affect a character’s maximum Dexterity bonus.

Armor Check Penalty

Any armor heavier than leather hurts a character’s ability to use some skills. An armor check penalty number is the penalty to skill checks the character suffers while wearing the armor. This applies to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Tumble, and any Dexterity based skill. Double the normal armor check penalty is applied to Swim checks. A character’s encumbrance (the amount of gear carried, including armor) may also apply an armor check penalty.

Shields

If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, both armor check penalties apply.

Arcane Spell Failure

Armor interferes with the gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast an arcane spell that has a somatic component. Arcane spellcasters face the possibility of arcane spell failure if they’re wearing armor.

Casting an Arcane Spell in Armor

A character who casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usually make an arcane spell failure roll. The number in the Arcane Spell Failure Chance column is the chance that the spell fails and is ruined. If the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane spell failure.

Shields If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, add the two numbers together to get a single arcane spell failure chance.

Speed

Medium or heavy armor slows the wearer down. The number on table is the character’s speed while wearing the armor.
 * Elves, Fey, Grey Orcs, and Humans have a base movement of 30 and use the first entry.
 * Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings have a base movement of 20 feet and use the second entry.
 * Remember, however, that a dwarf’s land speed remains 20 feet even in medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.

Shields

Shields do not affect a character’s speed.

Weight

This column gives the weight of the armor sized for a Medium wearer. Armor fitted for other sized creatures can weight differently as described in the chart under the heading Cost.

Getting Into And Out Of Armor
The time required to don armor depends on its type; see Table: Donning Armor.

Don

This column tells how long it takes a character to put the armor on. (One minute is 10 rounds.) Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action.

Don Hastily

This column tells how long it takes to put the armor on in a hurry. The armor check penalty and armor bonus for hastily donned armor are each 1 point worse than normal.

Remove

This column tells how long it takes to get the armor off. Loosing a shield (removing it from the arm and dropping it) is only a move action.

The time after the slash is the amount of time it takes if the character has help. A single character doing nothing else can help one or two adjacent characters. Two characters can’t help each other don armor at the same time.

The wearer must have help to don half-plate or full plate. Without help, it can be donned only hastily.