Unwritten Legends: Armor
Unwritten Legends: The Armor


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Armor List:
Below is an expanded armor list which accounts for DR, Hit Locations, and piecemail armor. The list is all inclusive. Weight is given in pounds and cost in gold pieces. A suit is a shirt, leggings, two arms, boots, gloves and helmet. Armor type is Light (L), Medium (M), or Heavy (H). Speed is based on armor weight (light, medium, or heavy) as in the PHB.


  • Padded armor suits comes with leather gloves and boots, and a padded coif.
  • Leather armor suits comes with leather gloves, boots, and coif.
  • Studded leather suits comes with leather glooves, heavy leather boots, and studded leather coif.
  • Hide armor suits comes with hide glooves, leather coif, hide boots.
  • Scale and Heavy scale suits come with hide gloves, scale coif, and heavy leather boots.
  • Chain, Double chain, and Tripple chain suits come with chain gauntlets, chained boots, and a similar chain coif (i.e. Double chain gets a double chain coif).
  • Fine chain and Scale fine mail suits comes with fine chain gauntlets, boots, and coif.
  • Plate suits comes with great helm, steel gauntlets, and sollerets.
  • Breatplate comes with nothing, and is usually worn over a shirt of something else.


Type Armor DR Wgt Cost Location Max Dex Spell Fail Check Penalty Armor Type
Padded Suit +1 - 12 9 6,8,9-14,17-18 +8 5% 0 L
Padded Shirt +1 - 4 2 9-11, 17-18 +9 1% 0 L
Padded Sleeve +1 - 1 0.5 6,8 +8 5% 0 L
Padded Leggings +1 - 4 2 12-14 +8 3% 0 L
Leather Suit +1 1/- 17 18 6,8,9-14,17-18 +6 10% 0 L
Leather Shirt +1 1/- 6 4 9-11,17-18 +7 5% 0 L
Leather Sleeve +1 1/- 1.5 1 6,8 +6 5% 0 L
Leather Leggings +1 1/- 6 4 12-14 +6 5% 0 L
Studded Leather Suit +2 1/- 24 41 6,8,9-14,17-18 +5 15% -1 L
Studded Leather Shirt +2 1/- 8 10 9-11,17-18 +6 10% -1 L
Studded Leather Sleeve +2 1/- 2 2.5 6,8 +5 15% -1 L
Studded Leather Leggings +2 1/- 8 10 12-14 +5 15% -1 L
Hide Suit +2 1/- 29 27 6,8,9-14,17-18 +4 20% -3 M
Hide Shirt +2 1/- 10 6 9-11,17-18 +5 15% -3 L
Hide Sleeve +2 1/- 2.5 1.5 6,8 +4 20% -3 M
Hide Leggings +2 1/- 10 6 12-14 +4 20% -3 M
Scale Suit +2 2/- 35 47 6,8,9-14,17-18 +4 15% -3 M
Scale Shirt +2 2/- 15 15 9-11,17-18 +5 10% -3 L
Scale Sleeve +2 2/- 3 5 6,8 +4 15% -3 M
Scale Leggings +2 2/- 9 10 12-14 +4 15% -3 M
Heavy Scale Shirt +3 3/- 18 18 9-11,17-18 +3 20% -3 H
Chain Suit +3 2/- 26 175 6,8,9-14,17-18 +2 30% -5 M
Chain Shirt +3 2/- 9 60 9-11,17-18 +3 25% -5 L
Chain Sleeve +3 2/- 2.5 15 6,8 +2 30% -5 M
Chain Leggings +3 2/- 6 60 12-14 +2 30% -5 M
Fine Chain Suit +3 3/- 17 1,590 6,8,9-14,17-18 +5 25% -2 M
Fine Chain Shirt +3 3/- 6 540 9-11,17-18 +6 20% -2 L
Fine Chain Sleeve +3 3/- 1.5 135 6,8 +5 25% -2 M
Fine Chain Leggings +3 3/- 6 540 12-14 +5 25% -2 M
Plate Suit +5 5/- 69 1,740 6,8,9-14,17-18 0 40% -7 H
Plate Shirt +5 5/- 20 600 9-11,17-18 +1 35% -6 H
Plate Sleeve +5 5/- 15 150 6,8 0 40% -7 H
Plate Leggings +5 5/- 20 600 12-14 0 40% -7 H
Double Chain Suit +4 4/- 41 335 6,8,9-14,17-18 +1 35% -6 H
Double Chain Shirt +4 4/- 16 120 9-11,17-18 +2 30% -6 M
Double Chain Sleeve +4 4/- 4 30 6,8 +1 35% -6 H
Double Chain Leggings +4 4/- 9 120 12-14 +1 35% -6 H
Triple Chain Shirt +5 4/- 23 450 9-11,17-18 0 40% -7 H
Scale Fine Mail Suit +4 3/- 42 2,090 6,8,9-14,17-18 +4 30% -4 M
Scale Fine Mail Shirt +4 3/- 16 740 9-11,17-18 +5 25% -4 L
Scale Fine Mail Sleeve +4 3/- 4 185 6,8 +4 30% -4 M
Scale Fine Mail Leggings +4 3/- 16 740 12-14 +4 30% -4 M
Breastplate +5 5/- 10 100 9-11,17-18 +3 25% -4 M
Heavy Plate Suit +6 6/- 100 2500 6,8,9-14,17-18 +0 45% -8 H
Interlocking Scale (Exotic) Suit +5 4/- 30 250 6,8,9-14,17-18 +2 30% -6 M
Battle Plate (Exotic) Suit +7 6/- 125 3000 6,8,9-14,17-18 +1 50% -7 H
War Plate (Exotic) Suit +7 7/- 225 4500 6,8,9-14,17-18 +0 60% -9 H
Head Protection
Padded Coif +1 1/- 1 1 3-4,5 - - - L
Leather Coif +2 1/- 1 5 3-4,5 - - - L
Studded Leather Coif +2 1/- 2 10 3-4,5 - - - L
Scale Coif +2 1/- 2 15 3-4,5 - - - L
Fine Chain Coif +3 2/- 1 100 3-4,5 - - - L
Chain Coif +3 2/- 2 10 3-4,5 - - - L
Double Chain Coif +3 2/- 4 20 3-4,5 - 5% - L
Tripple Coif +4 3/- 6 30 3-4,5 - 10% - L
Steel Skullcap +4 3/- 5 50 3-4 +2 5% - L
Great Helm +5 4/- 10 150 3-4,5 +5 15% -3 L
Hand Protection
Leather Gloves +1 1/- - 1 7 - 5% - L
Steel Gauntlets +4 2/- 1 50 7 +2 25% -3 M
Hide Gloves +2 1/- 1 2 7 +6 20% -1 L
Chain Gauntlets +2 2/- 1 5 7 +4 15% -2 M
Fine Chain Gauntlets +2 2/- - 50 7 - 10% -1 L
Foot Protection
Leather Boots +1 1/- 1 2 15-16 - - - L
Heavy of Hide Boots +1 1/- 2 5 15-16 - 5% -1 L
Chained Boots +2 2/- 3 10 15-16 +6 10% -2 M
Fine Chained Boots +2 1/- 1 90 15-16 +8 5% -1 L
Sollerets +2 3/- 3 40 15-16 +4 15% -4 H
Shield's
Large Wood Shield +2 - 10 7 6 - 15% -2 -
Small Wood Shield +2 - 5 3 6 - 5% -1 -
Buckler +1 - 5 15 6 - 5% -1 -
Large Metal Shield +2 - 15 20 6 - 15% -2 -
Small Metal Shield +2 - 6 9 6 - 5% -1 -
Tower Shield Cover 1 in. as matl. 45 30 6 - 50% -10 -
Extreme Shield, Steel +3 - 25 30 6 - 15% -4 -
Extreme Shield, Wooden +3 - 15 10 6 - 15% -4 -
Bracer, Light +1 1/- 2 3 6,8 - 2% -1 -
Bracer, Heavy +1 2/- 6 25 6,8 - 5% -1 -
Extras
Fast-Donning Straps - - - 250 - - - - -
Shield Sheath - - - 25 - - - - -


Battle Cloak, Gnome: This exotic shield is not a shield in the typical sense, but rather a special cloak that can be used to foil an opponent's attacks. Since the cloak is not really a shield, it confers no shield bonus to wearers who do not have the exotic shield proficiency.
You cannot use a battle cloak to make a shield bash attack, but a proficient user can use it to make a disarm attempt. When using a gnome battle cloak, you gain a +4 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an enemy (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails).
When used in combat, a gnome battlecloak occupies a hand just as a heavy shield does; you cannot carry other items in that hand nor weild a weapon with it. Gnome battlecloaks are retreived and readield just like other sheilds. Out of combat, they can be worn.

Battle Plate: This exotic heavy armor consists of reinforced plate armor made tougher and heavier.
Battle plate is dwarven armor, so a character with the Dwarven Armor Proficiency is considered proficient in its use.

Boots: Traditional footwear. Often included for free in a set of clothing.

Boots, Chained: Boot with an outer layer of chain. The type of chain dictates the amount of protection.

Bracers, Light and Heavy: Protection for the forearms, which can be used with and or as sheilds. You must have Armor Proficiency (Light) as well as (Shield) to use these properly. They can be worn with another form of armor as well. Heavy bracers are steel by default, but another metal can be substituted or another metal substitute can be used. Light bracers are a heavy leather, and other non-metals can be substitued as long as they are not metal substitutes. Bonuses shown are for a pair, wearing one halves bonuses (round down) but all penalties remain as for a pair.

Breastplate: A simple metal plate over a leather jacket which protects the front and back. Greeves are included to protect the legs from the knee down.

Buckler: This small metal shield is strapped to your foreamr, allowing you to wear it and still use your hand. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty. You can also use an off-hand weapon, but suffer a -1 on attack rolls because of the extra weight. This penalty stacks with fighting with your off hand, and two weapon fighting. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you don't get the AC bonus for the rest of the round. You cannot bash with a buckler. Shields only provide DR is the arm holding them is attacked, they provide DR as 1 inch of the material they are made out of.

Chainmail Armor: A mesh of interlocking rings. Rings as small as 3mm diameter are used in Fine mail. Normal chainmail is about 8mm. Double and triple mail refer to the thickness of the rings; they are twice and three times as thick respectively. This doesn't give the rings as much room to rotate, so they are more hindering and cannot make gloves out of them, or even leggings or sleeves out of triple. It includes a suit of padded armor underneath to prevent chaffing and cushion blows.

Coif: A hood like armor, almost like a ski mask, that covers the head. It hangs down to the shoulders to protect the neck.

Fast Donning Straps: Armor with fast donning straps has been fitted with a simpler system of straps and buckles, making it easier to don hastily. Whenever you don fast-donning armor hastily, you do not incur the normal increase in armor check penalty (although the armor's armor bonus to AC is still one point less than normal). This is dwarven or gnomish, and is rare outside their lands.

Gauntlets: Metal gloves, of either plate or chain for protecting the hands.

Gloves: Simple handcoverings.

Heavy Plate Armor: Forged for the strongest of warriors, heavy plate is simply a heavily reinforced suit of full plate armor.

Helm, Great: A helmet fully enclosing the head, with a flip up face guard.

Hide Armor: Untreated armor made from the tough skins or hides of animals.

Interlocking Scale Armor: This heavy suit of exotic armor includes a long coat and leggings made of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal. The scales are cunningly wrought so that they lock together to offer greater protection when the wearer is relatively still. If you move no farther than 5 feet on your turn while wearing interlocking scale, you gain an additional +2 armor bonus to your Armor Class until the beginning of your next turn. This special armor bonus stacks with the armor bonus from the suit of interlocking scale (but not with armor bonuses from other sources).
Interlocking scale is dwarven armor so a character with the Dwarven Armor Proficiency feat is considered proficient with its use.

Leather Armor: Leather boiled in wax to harden it so it provides protection. Metal studs can be riveted to the armor to create studded leather.

Padded Armor: Quilted cotton (or silk) cloth armor which provides almost no protection.

Plate Armor: Interlocking plates protect the best of all. It is made of shaped and fitted plates. It includes a thick layer of padding underneath. Each suit is indivudually fitted, so a captured suit must be refit at a cost of (2d4x10gp) to the new owner.

Scale Armor: Metal scales sewn onto a backing of leather or cloth. Simple, easy, and effictive armor.

Scalemail Armor: Scale armor backed up with fine mail.

Shields: You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A small shields weight lets you carry another object in your hand (though you cannot use weapons). Large sheilds are too heavy to use the sheild hand for anything else. Shield bashes can be performed with either shield. Shields only provide DR is the arm holding them is attacked, they provide DR as 1 inch of the material they are made out of.

Extreme Shield, Steel or Wood: You strap a large or larger shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. These exotic shields are so heavy that you can't use your sheild hand for anything else while using one, nor can you make sheild bash attacks. Shields only provide DR is the arm holding them is attacked, they provide DR as 1 inch of the material they are made out of.

Shield Sheath: A small sheath fits on the inside of a shield (but not a buckler) and holds one light weapon (of your size category or smaller). As long as you have the shield ready, drawing the weapon in the shield sheath is a free action. No shield can have more than one shield sheath attached to it. Shields only provide DR is the arm holding them is attacked, they provide DR as 1 inch of the material they are made out of.

Shield, Tower: This massive wooden shield is nearly as tall as the weilder. Basically it provides cover; up to an including complete cover. It does not provide cover from targets spells; a spellcaster can target you by targeting the tower shield you are carrying. You cannot bash with a tower sheild. Shields only provide DR is the arm holding them is attacked, they provide DR as 1 inch of the material they are made out of.

Skullcap: Also called a pot holm. This is any of a variety of simple metal helmets.

Sollerets: Boots which have metal plates bolted to them. Very uncomfortable except in combat.

War Plate Armor: Made of thick metal plates bolted and fused together, this exotic heavy armor is incredibly massive. Wearing War Plate negates the wearers ability to run. When wearing war plate, the dwarf's speed is reduced like he is not a dwarf (heavy armor typically reduces a character's speed).
Interlocking scale is dwarven armor so a character with the Dwarven Armor Proficiency feat is considered proficient with its use.
War Plate constructed of any material that would reduce its armor category from heavy to medium (such as mithral) gains all the benefity of the material except the armor category reduction.



Armor Special Features:

Masterwork Armor and Shields: Details are found on the Equipment Page.

Haubeck: An extended shirt of armor that extends down to the knee. Split up the middle for cavalry, and along the side for infantry. Weight +25%. Protects areas 12-14 on roll of 1-4 on d6.

Rust Protection: This adds a component to the cost to craft the armor. DC is noted after each type. Lacquering is the most expensive, 100 gp DC 15, but its thickness reduces noise and if a dark color is chosen, it reduces glare (+1 or +2 to armor check penalty for hide and move silently respectively). Cooking oil into the steel is done by boiling oil into the armor, then burning off the excess, this gave a glossy black finish, 75 gp DC 13. Blackening armor was the easiest, DC 10 40gp, and involved coating the armor in "dirty" oil and then burning it off. Lacquering, Cooking, and Blackening give a bonus to rust attack saves of +4, +2, and +1 respectively. This can only be done to metal armors.

Plating or Gilting: Gold and silver are most common, but other metals can be done as well. This is an expensive process, but moreso because of the material used. It takes one pound of metal to coat 15 pounds of plate, or 12 pounds of scale or chain. The DC is 15, and it costs 200 gp in addition to any type of work, material, or other features. If the coating is not steel or iron, it provides a +3 to rust attack saves. Plating and Gilting cannot be done in conjunction with Rust Protection.

Talisman Armor and Shield: Talisman armor is magically enchanted armor which is not powerful enough to grant an AC bonus by itself, but can do so in conjunction with a talisman shield. A set of talisman armor and shield together grant a +1 enhancement bonus to AC, which does not stack with enhancement bonuses from other armor or shields.
A suit of armor or shield does not have to be masterwork to receive a talisman magical aura, but it cannot have any other magical benefit. The cost of a talisman enhancement is 250 gp per item, and it can be done by character with either Craft Arms and Armor or Craft Wondrous Item. A set of talisman armor and shield never grant more than a +1 bonus to AC.

Alchemical Processes: A suit of armor may only have one type of alchemical process. Blueshine and Everbright are two of the most popular alchemical processes to apply to armor. They duplicate the abilities of the enchantments, though at a higher price because of the (no suprise) lack of enchantment.
Blueshine creates a blue-black finish which can only be applied to metal armor, and costs 5,000 gp, requires a Alchemy skill minimum of twelve to succeed at a check DC of 30. Blueshine armor is immune to acid and rust attacks, and provides a +5 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.
Everbright creates a bright shiny finish like polished silver, which can only be applied to metal armor. It costs 6,000 gp and requires a minimum Alchemy skill of fourteen. The DC to create is 32. The armor never tarnishes and is immune to acid and rust attacks. The wearer gains acid resistance 5.
Both treatments can only be done once the armor is created and finished. Failure at the Alchemy check damages the armor and requires repair. The armor is damaged one tenth of the value of the alchemical process. The amount of damage is subtracted as a gold piece value from the total value of the armor, and an equivelant amount of hit points are removed. The amount of damage done can be repaired with normal craft checks. The most valuable components of the cost of the armor are damaged first. Thus a suit of Superiorwork Chainmail (900 gp) was being treated with Everbright, but it failed. Thus the armor is now worth but 300 gp (900 minus one tenth of 6000 is 300) and has two thirds of its hit points removed. Since the chainmail component of cost is only 150 gp, all of the 600 gp worth of damage is the Superiorwork component. To repair the armor is like recrafting the Superiorwork part, but cost is only 600 gp, and the DC is 30.

Brigandine: This is designed for concealment and gains its name from the tendancy of rogues or brigands to wear it. It adds component of cost equal to 25% of the armors base cost plus the value of the garment. This can only be made of scale or scale mail (not heavy), leather, padded, studded leather, or fine chain. It gives the armor a DC against Spot checks, which normal armor lacks. The DC needed for the Spot check is 30. This DC can be modified by the mastercraft benefit Well-Crafted.

Augmented Mail: Flexible leather strips are sewn vertically through the chain links. This can only be done mail (not including Double mail, Triple mail, or Scale mail). It increases weight 120% and cost 120% to the base armor (not material or work). I provides +1 to DR. It increases armor check penalty by -1, max dex by -1, and spell fail by 5%. A mail may not be both Augment and Splint.

Splint: Vertical metal bands are riveted onto the mail. Hand and foot protection cannot be made from this. This can only be done mail (not including Double mail, Triple mail, or Scale mail). It increases weight 180% and cost 180% to bhe base armor (not material or work). I provides +2 to DR. It increases armor check penalty by -1, max dex by -1, and spell fail by 5%. A mail may not be both Augment and Splint.

Medial Ridges: An emboss of a vertical rigde on each scale gives them more rigidity to resist a strong blow. It is very attractive and gives the appearance of feathers. It adds 50% to base cost of the armor and increases DR by 1. This can only be done to scale made of metal.

Materials: Special materials can be used. They add a Material component to creation cost (similar to "work"). Each piece of armor can only be made out of one type of material. None can be done in conjunction with Cheapwork.

Cost of Armor: To figure the cost, take the base price off of the chart and multiply in any percents or multipliers from options or material. Material, forging, and "work" add components to the cost, which is figured afterwards.

Component Costs for Piecemeil Armor: When creating a piece of armor, which is not a suit use a percent of any component costs (from work, forging, and material). A shirt is 40%; leggings are 22%; each sleeve is 10%; two gloves are 4%; two boots are 8%; and a helmet is 6%. So if you are creating a suit of armor, you would use 100% of the cost of components.

Weight of Armor: Weight of armor is figured in order. Take the base armor, multiply in any options, then material, and finally any forging.

Sundering Armor: For purposes of hit points and DR, all armor is assumed to be one quarter an inch thick per size category up to medium, and one half inch thicker per size category over. Each successful Sunder reduces Armor Bonus of a location hit by 2 points. This is effectively a hole in the armor. To target a hole in armor is a location four sizes smaller, and the target still gets the bonus from armor on this attack, though not DR if the strike hits. When Armor Bonus is reduced to zero, the armor is effectively destory by the major holes put in it. Magical enhancement counts towards Armor Bonus for the purpose of this effect.



E M P O W E R E D _ by GURPS by Steve Jackson Games