Combining Armors [Archive] - Wizards Community

Combining Armors [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
tuberov
08-02-05, 12:37 AM Are you able to combine types of armor, say to combine a chain shirt with leather pants? What would the armor bonus be........combined? Or is it not possible to combine two times of armor?
steventirey1985
08-02-05, 02:31 AM No, it is not possible to combine different armors.
Drab Emordnilap
08-02-05, 02:55 AM A chain shirt and leather pants? Whatever you're into, I guess; I'm not here to judge.

You freak.
Eaglos
08-02-05, 03:28 AM Try this link http://adndd.dfxwebs.com/piecemeal.zip
It has something similar to your request.

Otherwise try here http://www.adnddownloads.com/equipment.php and download the above .rtf file
tuberov
08-02-05, 07:50 AM A chain shirt and leather pants? Whatever you're into, I guess; I'm not here to judge.

You freak.

Well, if he has only a chain shirt on, logic says he would wear something to protect his legs. The only reason I ask this is because my hexblade requires light armor to not suffer from arcane spell failure and I want the best AC I can get.
NeueRegel
08-02-05, 08:25 AM Well, if he has only a chain shirt on, logic says he would wear something to protect his legs. The only reason I ask this is because my hexblade requires light armor to not suffer from arcane spell failure and I want the best AC I can get.
D&D is a game of abstracts and mathematical probabilities. That said, When you are wearing a "chain shirt", as written, it already assumes that you are wearing some durable pants, and good boots/footwear able to withstand the rigors of hiking/dungeoning, etc. Just like with a breastplate, it's assumed that you're wearing greaves and such, and with most of them (totally skipped in 3.5!), an appropriate helm or helmet.

So your "leather pants", while not a bad grasp at one more point of AC, are not really game-compatible.

What if it comes down to, is, if the DM is supposed to decide "where" the creature aims, then he will play it that way: You'll be AC chain/torso, AC leather/legs, and AC nothing/head-neck-hands.

That brings us back to the averages: Chain Shirt is "average AC +4" of the "whole body".

Worst case scenario, if a DM allows you both "chain shirt" and "leather armor", he should have to apply partials of both weights, and partials of both Armor Penalties/Dex Maxes/etc. It would prolly raise the total to a medium armor, and in any case, would be a logistics nightmare.

However, describing the character being dressed that way: His appearance... That's all the stuff that roleplaying is about!

You might well get different answers; It seems to be all the rage in Europe, right now, (Don'tcha know!), to disregard all logic of armor rules, see related threads elsewhere. :)

Good Gaming,
NeueRegel
tarkin
08-02-05, 11:21 AM I think Oriental Adventures has a system like this.

But note, it is not straight additive.
Tony Vargas
08-03-05, 01:24 PM Are you able to combine types of armor, say to combine a chain shirt with leather pants? What would the armor bonus be........combined? Or is it not possible to combine two times of armor? Two items that give an armor bonus won't stack. While it might indeed be logically possible to combine bits of light armor to get more protection, the result would, in effect, be a heavier armor. For instance, you could add arm and leg protrection to a chain shirt - giving you something close to chainmail in protective value and encumbrance.

For your specific example, consider that chainmail adds full chain 'sleeves' and 'pants' to a chain shirt, and only improves AC by /one/. Obviously adding 'leather pants' or something to a chain shirt is not going to be as good, so wouldn't have a mechanical effect.
bjorntfh
08-03-05, 01:59 PM OA has a system like that, it has only two additive pieces of armor though: Dastanas and Char-Anas. Each can be added to Chain shirts, Leather or Padded armor to give +1 AC bonus for each one. They can be enchanted, but only the highest bonus counts for the enhancement bonus.

Note though that Char-Anas count as medium armor and Dastanas count as light, and each has an armor check penalty of -1 and an ASF of 10%. Also, OA had a much smaller selection of armor, which is why they were included. Dastanas are bracers, Char-anas are a type of secondary breastplate (worn of the chain shirt.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tuberov 08-02-05, 12:37 AM	Are you able to combine types of armor, say to combine a chain shirt with leather pants? What would the armor bonus be........combined? Or is it not possible to combine two times of armor?
steventirey1985 08-02-05, 02:31 AM	No, it is not possible to combine different armors.
Drab Emordnilap 08-02-05, 02:55 AM	A chain shirt and leather pants? Whatever you're into, I guess; I'm not here to judge. You freak.
Eaglos 08-02-05, 03:28 AM	Try this link http://adndd.dfxwebs.com/piecemeal.zip It has something similar to your request. Otherwise try here http://www.adnddownloads.com/equipment.php and download the above .rtf file
tuberov 08-02-05, 07:50 AM	A chain shirt and leather pants? Whatever you're into, I guess; I'm not here to judge. You freak. Well, if he has only a chain shirt on, logic says he would wear something to protect his legs. The only reason I ask this is because my hexblade requires light armor to not suffer from arcane spell failure and I want the best AC I can get.
NeueRegel 08-02-05, 08:25 AM	Well, if he has only a chain shirt on, logic says he would wear something to protect his legs. The only reason I ask this is because my hexblade requires light armor to not suffer from arcane spell failure and I want the best AC I can get. D&D is a game of abstracts and mathematical probabilities. That said, When you are wearing a "chain shirt", as written, it already assumes that you are wearing some durable pants, and good boots/footwear able to withstand the rigors of hiking/dungeoning, etc. Just like with a breastplate, it's assumed that you're wearing greaves and such, and with most of them (totally skipped in 3.5!), an appropriate helm or helmet. So your "leather pants", while not a bad grasp at one more point of AC, are not really game-compatible. What if it comes down to, is, if the DM is supposed to decide "where" the creature aims, then he will play it that way: You'll be AC chain/torso, AC leather/legs, and AC nothing/head-neck-hands. That brings us back to the averages: Chain Shirt is "average AC +4" of the "whole body". Worst case scenario, if a DM allows you both "chain shirt" and "leather armor", he should have to apply partials of both weights, and partials of both Armor Penalties/Dex Maxes/etc. It would prolly raise the total to a medium armor, and in any case, would be a logistics nightmare. However, describing the character being dressed that way: His appearance... That's all the stuff that roleplaying is about! You might well get different answers; It seems to be all the rage in Europe, right now, (Don'tcha know!), to disregard all logic of armor rules, see related threads elsewhere. :) Good Gaming, NeueRegel
tarkin 08-02-05, 11:21 AM	I think Oriental Adventures has a system like this. But note, it is not straight additive.
Tony Vargas 08-03-05, 01:24 PM	Are you able to combine types of armor, say to combine a chain shirt with leather pants? What would the armor bonus be........combined? Or is it not possible to combine two times of armor? Two items that give an armor bonus won't stack. While it might indeed be logically possible to combine bits of light armor to get more protection, the result would, in effect, be a heavier armor. For instance, you could add arm and leg protrection to a chain shirt - giving you something close to chainmail in protective value and encumbrance. For your specific example, consider that chainmail adds full chain 'sleeves' and 'pants' to a chain shirt, and only improves AC by /one/. Obviously adding 'leather pants' or something to a chain shirt is not going to be as good, so wouldn't have a mechanical effect.
bjorntfh 08-03-05, 01:59 PM	OA has a system like that, it has only two additive pieces of armor though: Dastanas and Char-Anas. Each can be added to Chain shirts, Leather or Padded armor to give +1 AC bonus for each one. They can be enchanted, but only the highest bonus counts for the enhancement bonus. Note though that Char-Anas count as medium armor and Dastanas count as light, and each has an armor check penalty of -1 and an ASF of 10%. Also, OA had a much smaller selection of armor, which is why they were included. Dastanas are bracers, Char-anas are a type of secondary breastplate (worn of the chain shirt.)