ARMOR AND PROTECTIVE GEAR

Three feats cover proficiency in the use of armor: Armor Proficiency (light), Armor Proficiency (medium), and Armor Proficiency (heavy).

A creature that is proficient in medium or heavy armor is also proficient in the use of shields.

Banded Mail

This armor is made of overlapping strips of metal sewn to a backing of leather and chainmail. The strips cover vulnerable areas, while the chain and leather protect the joints and provide freedom of movement. Straps and buckles distribute the weight evenly. A suit of this armor includes gauntlets.

Breastplate

A breastplate covers your front and your back. It comes with a helmet and greaves (plates to cover your lower legs). A light suit or skirt of studded leather beneath the breastplate protects your limbs without overly restricting movement.

Buckler

This small metal shield is strapped to your forearm. You can use a pistol, longarm, or melee weapon without penalty. You can also use an off-hand weapon, but you but suffer a -1 penalty on attack rolls because of the extra weight on your arm. This penalty stacks with those for fighting with your offhand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off-hand, you don't get the buckler's shield bonus for the rest of the round.

Fire Resistant Suit

This bulky, silver-coated suit provides fire resistance 10, but does not protect against any other type of damage. It is used primarily by fire fighters.

Half-Plate

This armor is a combination of chainmail with metal plates (breastplate, epaulettes, elbow guards, gauntlets, tasses, and greaves) covering vital areas. Buckles and straps hold the whole suit together and distribute the weight, but the armor still hangs more loosely than full plate. It includes gauntlets.

Hide

This armor is prepared from multiple layers of leather and animal hides. It is stiff and hard to move in. Shadow creatures and other primitive individuals that are unconcerned about appearance or hygiene commonly wear hide armor.

Lamellar

Similar to splint armor, lamellar consists of small, overlapping plates of metal sewn together or stitched to a backing of leather or cloth.

NBC Suit

Although technically not armor, this oversized suit does protect the wearer from nuclear (radiation), biological, and chemical hazards. When worn and completely sealed, it grants a +10 equipment bonus on Fortitude saves against radiation, disease, chemicals, or poisons (airborne or contact only). An NBC suit comes with an internal air supply that lasts for one hour. The suit takes 5 minutes to don with someone's aid or 10 minutes without. If an NBC suit takes 4 points of damage from ballistic, slashing, or piercing weapons, the benefits it provides are negated. If the suit has been exposed to some hazard, it must be cleaned and neutralized, taking 1 hour and requiring special chemicals (purchase DC 15) and high-pressure water hoses.

O-Yoroi

O-yoroi, also called great armor, is a full suit of armor formed from small metal plates tied together with colored leather lacings and lacquered to seal them from moisture. The full suit consists of a corselet (do-maru, covering the stomach, chest, shoulders, and back), large rectangular shoulder pieces (sode), an apron of large plates to cover the thighs and knees (haidate), a great helmet with a face mask (kabuto), and shin guards made of metal splints (sune-ate). Wearing great armor is a badge of honor for bushi of the samurai caste of Japan, and they frown on anyone else wearing such a suit.

Padded

Padded armor features layers of cloth and batting. Armor used for training attack dogs and extremely heavy winter clothing fall under this classification of armor.

Scale Mail

This is a coat and leggings (and perhaps a separate skirt) of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like the scales of a fish. It includes gauntlets.

Shield

You strap a shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand.

Small Shield: A small shield's light weight lets you carry other items in that hand (although you cannot use weapons).

Large Shield: A large shield is too heavy for you to use your shield hand for anything else.

Wooden or Steel: Wooden and steel shields offer the same protection, although they respond differently to special attacks.

Impromptu: This includes "picked up" shields like garbage can lids or stop signs. They are bulky, unwieldy, and tend to fall apart after a few hits (hardness 5, 3 hp).

Riot: A riot shield is a large shield made of tough, transparent plastic, providing cover without hindering sight.

Splint Mail

This armor is made of narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding. Flexible chainmail protects the joints. It includes gauntlets.

Studded Leather

This armor is made from tough but flexible leather (not hardened leather as with normal leather armor) reinforced with close-set metal rivets. Some heavily studded motorcycle gear can be considered studded leather.