Ceramic Coated Armor
The sight of a knight on horseback in full plate armor is one that would frighten any sensible person on the battlefield, except for perhaps a mage or wizard. Even in armor practically invulnerable to spears and arrows would pose little problems for one who is magically inclined. A single bolt of lightning from their fingers would cook a knight, and might also fuse skin to metal. To counteract the conductivity of full plate iron, armorers would sometimes coat the plate in ceramics, which worked as an insulator. It was by no means a perfect solution, but it kept the wearer alive, and was a hell of a lot cheaper than enchanting the armor to resist lightning.
Access & Availability
Plate armor itself is only available to the wealthy or professional, and anyone who can afford it can certainly afford to coat it in clay. Though the really wealthy prefer to enchant their armor to protect them from lightning bolts.
Complexity
It is very simple compared to the actual making of the armor, a common sculptor could do it with ease. Though people prefer to have more than a grey coating on their armor. Many hire artists to paint the ceramics, either with their house sigil, the number and symbol of their regiment, or just something that looks cool. Ser Robert Wulsen, a Wessian knight who fought for the Junta during the invasion of Gelgoreg, had flames painted on his ceramics. When asked why by another knight's squire he is reported by historians to have said, "because it looks fucking sick".
Discovery
While it had always existed as a concept, it was not put into practice until after the Magester Revolt (455-457). Full plate armor had become common on the battlefield only recently, this combined with the fact that due to rapid industrialized and the increase availability of an education, the magic wielding population had exploded in size. Once unstoppable knights that cut through conscripts like grass were being cooked alive in their suits of armor by mere novices in the magical arts. In response to requests came to coat the armor in ceramic to at the very least keep the knight alive.
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