Type: Armor comes in four types: archaic, impromptu, concealable, and tactical.
Impromptu
armor includes items that provide protection even though they weren't designed for that purpose, such as leather biker's jackets and football pads.
Concealable
armor is modern body
armor designed to fit underneath regular
clothing. It can be worn for extended periods of time without fatiguing the wearer.
Tactical
armor is modern body
armor that fits over
clothing and can't be easily concealed. Its
weight and bulk make it impractical to wear all the time, and it's generally only donned when a specific dangerous confrontation is likely. Because it's worn over
clothing in tactical situations, tactical
armor often has pockets, clips, and velcro attachment points for carrying
weapons, grenades,
ammunition, flashlights, first aid kits, and other items.
Equipment Bonus: The protective value of the
armor. This bonus adds to the wearer's
Defense.
Nonproficient Bonus: The maximum amount of the
armor's
equipment bonus that can be applied to the wearer's
Defense if the wearer is using
armor with which he or she isn't proficient (doesn't have the appropriate feat).
Maximum Dex Bonus: This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to
Defense that this
type of
armor allows. Heavier
armor limits mobility, reducing a character's ability to avoid attacks.
Even if A character's Dexterity bonus drops to +0 because of
armor, the character are not considered to have lost his or her Dexterity bonus.
Armor Penalty: The heavier or bulkier the
armor, the more it affects certain skills. This penalty applies to checks involving the following skills: Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, and Tumble.
Speed (30 ft.): Medium and
heavy armor slows a character down. The number in this column is the character's
speed while in armor, assuming his or her base
speed is 30 feet (the normal
speed for most human beings).
Purchase DC: This is the
purchase DC for a
Wealth check to acquire the
armor. This number reflects the base price and doesn't include any modifier for purchasing the
armor on the black market.