Armor and Shields

For most, armor is the simplest way to protect oneself in a world of rampant threats and dangers. Many characters can wear only the simplest of armors, and only some can use shields. To wear heavier armor effectively, a character can select the Armor Proficiency feats, but most classes are automatically proficient with the armors that work best for them.

Armor Properties

The following are properties of all armor and shields, as shown in the tables below:

Cost

The cost in gold pieces of the armor for Small or Medium humanoid creatures. See Table: Armor for Unusual Creatures for armor prices for other creatures.

Armor/Shield Bonus

Each type of armor grants an Armor Bonus to Armor Class, while shields grant a Shield Bonus to Armor Class. The Armor Bonus from a suit of armor doesn’t stack with other effects or items that grant an Armor Bonus. Similarly, the Shield Bonus from a shield doesn’t stack with other effects that grant a Shield Bonus.

Maximum Dex Bonus

This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to Armor Class that this type of armor allows. Dexterity bonuses in excess of this number are reduced to this number for the purposes of determining the wearer’s Armor Class. Heavier armors limit mobility, reducing the wearer’s ability to dodge blows. This restriction doesn’t affect any other Dexterity-related abilities.
Even if a character’s Dex bonus to Armor Class drops to 0 because of armor, this situation does not count as losing their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class.
A character’s encumbrance (the amount of gear carried, including armor) may also restrict the maximum Dex bonus that can be applied to their Armor Class (see Carrying Capacity and Encumbrance).
Shields: Most shields do not affect a character’s maximum Dex bonus, but a few are exceptions to this rule (such as a tower shield).

Armor Check Penalty

Any armor heavier than leather, as well as any shield, hurts a character’s ability to use Dexterity and Strength based skills. An armor check penalty applies to all Dexterity and Strength based skill checks. A character’s encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty (see Carrying Capacity and Encumbrance).
Shields: If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, both armor check penalties apply.
Nonproficient with Armor Worn: A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which they are not proficient takes the armor’s (and/or shield’s) armor check penalty on attack rolls as well as on all Dexterity and Strength based ability and skill checks. The penalty for non-proficiency with armor stacks with the penalty for shields.
Sleeping in Armor: A character who sleeps in medium or heavy armor is automatically Fatigued the next day. They take a –2 penalty to their Dexterity and Strength and can’t charge or run. Sleeping in light armor does not cause this penalty.

Arcane Spell Failure Chance

Armor interferes with the gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast an arcane spell that has a somatic component. Arcane spellcasters face the possibility of arcane spell failure if they’re wearing armor. Some classes have exceptions to this, such as the Bard, who can wear light armor and use shields without incurring any arcane spell failure chance for their bard spells.
Casting an Arcane Spell in Armor: A character who casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usually make an arcane spell failure check. The number in the Arcane Spell Failure Chance column on Table: Armor and Shields is the percentage chance that the spell fails and is ruined. If the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane spell failure.
Shields: If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, add the two numbers together to get a single arcane spell failure chance.

Speed

Medium or heavy armor slows the wearer down. The number on Table: Armor and Shields is the character’s speed while wearing the armor. Humans, elves, half-elves, and half-orcs have an unencumbered speed of 30 feet. They use the first column. Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings have an unencumbered speed of 20 feet. They use the second column. Remember, however, that a Dwarf’s land speed remains 20 feet even in medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
Shields: Shields do not affect a character’s speed.

Weight

This column gives the weight of the armor sized for a Medium wearer. Armor fitted for Small characters weighs half as much, and armor for Large characters weighs twice as much.

Armor And Shields

Table: Light Armors

Name	Cost	Armor/shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Reinforced Tunic	1 gp	+1	5	0	5%	30 ft.	20 ft.	5 lbs.
Padded Armor	5 gp	+1	8	0	5%	30 ft.	20 ft.	10 lbs.
Leather Armor	10 gp	+2	6	0	10%	30 ft.	20 ft.	15 lbs.
Armored Kilt	20 gp	+1	6	0	0%	30 ft.	20 ft.	10 lbs.
Hide Shirt	20 gp	+3	4	-1	15%	30 ft.	20 ft.	18 lbs.
Wooden Armor	20 gp	+3	3	-1	15%	30 ft.	20 ft.	25 lbs.
Parade Armor	25 gp	+3	5	-1	15%	30 ft.	20 ft.	20 lbs.
Studded Leather	25 gp	+3	5	-1	15%	30 ft.	20 ft.	20 lbs.
Hell Knight Leather	30 gp	+3	5	-1	15%	30 ft.	20 ft.	25 lbs.
Rosewood Armor	50 gp	+2	6	0	10%	30 ft.	20 ft.	15 lbs.
Chain Shirt	100 gp	+4	4	-2	20%	30 ft.	20 ft.	25 lbs.
Quilted Cloth Armor	100 gp	+1	8	0	10%	30 ft.	20 ft.	15 lbs.
Dancing Scarves	150 gp	See text	—	0	—	30 ft.	20 ft.	8 lbs.
Leaf Armor	500 gp	+3	5	0	15%	30 ft.	20 ft.	20 lbs.
Spider-Silk Bodysuit	850 gp	+3	6	-1	10%	30 ft.	20 ft.	4 lbs.

Table: Medium Armors

Name	Cost	Armor/shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Hide Armor	15 gp	+4	4	-3	20%	20 ft.	15 ft.	25 lbs.
Armored Coat	50 gp	+4	3	-2	20%	20 ft.	15 ft.	20 lbs.
Scale Mail	50 gp	+5	3	-4	25%	20 ft.	15 ft.	30 lbs.
Chain Coat	75 gp	+4	5	-2	30%	20 ft.	15 ft.	40 lbs.
Ice Coat	80 gp	+4	3	-2	20%	20 ft.	15 ft.	24 lbs.
Chainmail	150 gp	+6	2	-5	30%	20 ft.	15 ft.	40 lbs.
Breastplate	200 gp	+6	3	-4	25%	20 ft.	15 ft.	30 lbs.
Breastplate (Agile)	400 gp	+6	3	-4	25%	20 ft.	15 ft.	25 lbs.

Table: Heavy Armors

Name	Cost	Armor/shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Splint Mail	200 gp	+7	0	-7	40%	20 ft.	15 ft.	45 lbs.
Banded Mail	250 gp	+7	1	-6	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	35 lbs.
Half-Plate	600 gp	+8	0	-7	40%	20 ft.	15 ft.	50 lbs.
Half-Plate (Agile)	850 gp	+8	0	-7	40%	20 ft.	15 ft.	55 lbs.
Hell Knight Half-Plate	850 gp	+8	0	-7	40%	20 ft.	15 ft.	50 lbs.
Field Plate	1,200 gp	+7	1	-5	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	50 lbs.
Full Plate	1,500 gp	+9	1	-6	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	50 lbs.
Gray Maiden Plate	1,500 gp	+9	1	-6	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	50 lbs.
Stoneplate	1,800 gp	+9	1	-6	35%	15 ft.	10 ft.	75 lbs.
Hell Knight Plate	2,000 gp	+9	1	-5	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	50 lbs.
Fortress Plate	2,100 gp	+8	0	-7	40%	20 ft.	15 ft.	75 lbs.

Table: Shields

Name	Cost	Armor/shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Buckler	5 gp	+1	—	-1	5%	—	—	5 lbs.
Light Shield	3-9 gp	+1	—	-1	5%	—	—	5-6 lbs.
Heavy Shield	7-20 gp	+2	—	-2	15%	—	—	10-15 lbs.
Tower Shield	30 gp	+43	2	-10	50%	—	—	45 lbs.
Dwarven War-Shield	50 gp	+1	—	-1	20%	—	—	8 lbs.
Light Shield (Quickdraw)	53-59 gp	+1	—	-2	5%	—	—	6-7 lbs.

Table: Extras

Name	Cost	Armor/shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Locked Gauntlet	8 gp	—	—	special	—	—	—	+5 lbs.
Shield Spikes	+10 gp	—	—	—	—	—	—	+5 lbs.
Armor Spikes	+50 gp	—	—	—	—	—	—	+10 lbs.
Snarlshield	+30 gp	—	—	Special	—	—	—	+5 lbs.
Throwing Shield	+50 gp	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Shield Boss	Varies	—	—	—	—	—	—	10 lbs.

Masterwork Armor

Just as with weapons, you can purchase or Craft masterwork versions of armor or shields. Such a well-made item functions like the normal version, except that its armor check penalty is lessened by 1.
The Masterwork Transformation spell transforms a non-masterwork item into a masterwork one. Without using magic, you can’t add the masterwork quality to armor or a shield after it is created; it must be crafted as a masterwork item (see the Craft skill).
A masterwork suit of armor or shield costs an extra 150 gp over and above the normal cost for that type of armor or shield.
The masterwork quality of a suit of armor or shield never provides a bonus on attack or damage rolls, even if the armor or shield is used as a weapon.
All magic armors and shields are automatically considered to be of masterwork quality.
Even though some types of armor and shields can be used as weapons, you can’t create a masterwork version of such an item that confers an enhancement bonus on attack rolls. However, you can create masterwork Armor Spikes and Shield Spikes, which do confer their enhancement bonus on attack rolls to attacks made with the spikes.

Armor for Unusual Creatures

Armor and shields for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures, and non-humanoid creatures (such as horses) have different costs and weights from those given on Table: Armor and Shields. Refer to the appropriate line on Table: Armor for Unusual Creatures and apply the multipliers to cost and weight for the armor type in question.

Table: Armor for Unusual Creatures

Size	Humanoid Cost	Humanoid Weight	Nonhumanoid Cost	Nonhumanoid Weight
Tiny or smaller*	×1/2	×1/10	×1	×1/10
Small	×1	×1/2	×2	×1/2
Medium	×1	×1	×2	×1
Large	×2	×2	×4	×2
Huge	×4	×5	×8	×5
Gargantuan	×8	×8	×16	×8
Colossal	×16	×12	×32	×12

*Halve any Armor Bonus for items this small

Barding

Barding is a type of armor that covers the head, neck, chest, body, and possibly legs of a Horse or other mount. Barding made of medium or heavy armor provides better protection than light barding, but at the expense of speed. Barding can be made of any of the armor types found on Table: Armor and Shields.
Armor for a Horse (a Large non-humanoid creature) costs four times as much as human armor (a Medium humanoid creature) and also weighs twice as much (see Table: Armor for Unusual Creatures). If the barding is for a Pony or other Medium mount, the cost is only double, and the weight is the same as for Medium armor worn by a humanoid. Medium or heavy barding slows a mount that wears it, as shown on the table below.
Flying mounts can’t fly in medium or heavy barding.
Removing and fitting barding takes five times as long as the figures given on Table: Donning Armor. A barded animal cannot be used to carry any load other than a rider and normal saddlebags.

Getting Into and Out of Armor

Putting on or taking off armor is a sometimes complicated procedure. The time required to don armor depends on its type; see Table: Donning Armor.
Don: This column tells how long it takes a character to put the armor on. (One minute is 10 rounds.) Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action.
Don Hastily: This column tells how long it takes to put the armor on in a hurry. The armor check penalty and armor bonus for hastily donned armor are each 1 point worse than normal.
Remove: This column tells how long it takes to get the armor off. Removing a shield from the arm and dropping it is only a move action.

Table: Donning Armor

Armor Type	Don	Don Hastily	Remove
Shield (any)	1 move action	n/a	1 move action
Padded Armor, Leather Armor, Hide Armor, Studded Leather, or Chain Shirt	1 minute	5 rounds	1 minute1
Breastplate, Scale Mail, Chainmail, Banded Mail, or Splint Mail	4 minutes1	1 minute	1 minute1
Half-Plate or Full Plate	4 minutes2	4 minutes1	1d4+1 minutes1

¹ If the character has some help, cut this time in half. A single character doing nothing else can help one or two adjacent characters. Two characters can’t help each other don armor at the same time.
² The wearer must have help to don this armor. Without help, it can be donned only hastily.

Eastern Armor

The people of Shan Dao wear armor of a very different sort relative to their mainland brethren. While rare on mainland Astora, these are the typical raiment of those hailing from the island nation.

Table: Light Eastern Armor

Armor	Cost	Armor/Shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Lamellar Cuirass	15 gp	+2	+4	0	5%	30 ft.	20 ft.	8 lbs.
Leather Lamellar	60 gp	+4	+3	-2	20%	30 ft.	20 ft.	25 lbs.
Haramaki	3 gp	+1	-	0	0%	30 ft.	20 ft.	1 lbs.
Silken Ceremonial Armor	30 gp	+1	-	0	0%	30 ft.	20 ft.	4 lbs.

Table: Medium Eastern Armor

Armor	Cost	Armor/Shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Do-Maru	200 gp	+5	+4	-4	25%	20 ft.	15 ft.	30 lbs.
Four-Mirror Armor	125 gp	+6	+2	-5	30%	20 ft.	15 ft.	45 lbs.
Horn Lamellar	100 gp	+5	+3	-4	25%	20 ft.	15 ft.	30 lbs.
Kikko Armor	250 gp	+5	+4	-3	20%	20 ft.	15 ft.	25 lbs.
Mountain Pattern Armor	250 gp	+6	+3	-4	30%	20 ft.	15 ft.	40 lbs.
Steel Lamellar	150 gp	+6	+3	-5	25%	20 ft.	15 ft.	35 lbs.

Table: Heavy Eastern Armor

Armor	Cost	Armor/Shield Bonus	Max Dex Bonus	Armor Check Penalty	Arcane Spell Failure Chance	Speed (30 ft.)	Speed (20 ft.)	Weight
Iron Lamellar	200 gp	+7	+0	-7	40%	20 ft.	15 ft.	50 lbs.
Kusari Gusoku	350 gp	+7	+1	-7	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	45 lbs.
Stone Coat Lamellar	500 gp	+8	+0	-7	40%	20 ft.	15 ft.	45 lbs.
O-Yoroi	1,700 gp	+8	+2	-6	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	45 lbs.
Tatami-Do	1,000 gp	+7	+3	-6	35%	20 ft.	15 ft.	45 lbs.