Armor & Shields

Weapons, Armor, & Gear

Armor and shields protect you from harm, but in different ways. Shields make you harder to hit, while armor reduces the damage you take when you are struck. Depending on your class and your talents, you may use neither, one or the other, or both armor and shield. Warriors and rogues start with some training in armor use, and warriors usually wear the best armor they can afford. Using a shield properly requires the Weapon and Shield Style talent; this is most common among warriors. Those who prefer two-handed weapons or archery, however, usually forgo shields. You’ll find more information on the role of armor and shields in Playing the Game.

Armor & Shield Details

The two accompanying tables provide game system information for armor and shields. The following details are provided:

• Armor Rating

  Each armor type has a numeric rating. When you take damage in a scuffle, you subtract the armor rating before losing Stamina. This applies each time you are hit, so over time even poor armor can prevent you from taking a lot of damage. Certain attacks, however, can bypass the effects of armor. They inflict what is called penetrating damage, which ignores armor altogether. Armor offers no protection against penetrating damage.
• Armor Penalty

  Each armor type also has a penalty that represents its weight and bulk. The penalty applies to your Speed if you are trained in the armor’s use, but to Body (and thus to Speed) if you are not. See the Armor Training talent.
• Cost

  The item’s price in silver bits.
• Shield Bonus

  If you are carrying a shield, you get the listed bonus to your Defense. This helps you avoid getting hit in the first place. You need proper training to get the most out of shields, however. If you do not have the Weapon and Shield Style talent, the maximum Defense bonus you receive from a shield is +1. In other words, you must have the talent to get any benefit from using a medium or heavy shield.

Armor

Armor	Armor Rating	Armor Penalty	Cost
Light Leather	3	0	1500
Heavy Leather	4	-1	3000
Light Mail	5	-2	5000
Heavy Mail	7	-3	7500
Light Plate	8	-4	10,000
Heavy Plate	10	-5	15,000
Light Leather Duster	3	0	1500
Tailored Leather Duster	4	0	+4500
Lining with Concealed Pockets	+1 to Special Skill: Legerdemain tests		+2500

Shields

Shield	Shield Bonus	Cost
Light Shield	+1	1500
Medium Shield	+2	3000
Heavy Shield	+3	6000

Armor & Shield Descriptions

Descriptions of the various armors and shields follow. They are classed into broad categories for ease of play. It is not important to know every little piece of armor your pony wears. For game purposes, you just need to know the overall level of protection. Light mail, for example, could indicate a mail shirt and a helmet, a full suit of ring mail, or a mix of heavy leather and chainmail with a coif. You can decide the specifics if you like, using the categories as a guideline.

Contents

Related Articles

Armor & Shields

Heavy Leather Armor

Light Leather Armor

Light Mail Armor