Clothing and Armor
Cold Weather Clothing
Multiple articles of warm clothing are worn in layers to battle the icy cold of Icewind Dale.
Typical attire consists of the following:
• Thick woolen socks and fur-lined leather boots
• Thick fur mittens over several layers of wool or leather gloves
• A furry hat worn over a lightweight linen cap
• Woolen scarf or face mask to protect the neck and face
• One or more pairs of trousers or skirts made of wool, leather, hides, or furs
• One or more shirts or tunics made of wool, leather, hides, or furs
• A water-resistant outer coat made of leather, hides, or furs
• A heavy wool or fur cloak, often with a hood Various layers may be substituted by certain armors, and a player is always welcome to find a unique way to dress their character outside the norm. When a full complement of layers is properly worn, a character is protected from all but the harshest cold and biting wind. If their clothing is kept dry, they will generally have no risk of hypothermia at temperatures down to -60˚F. Additionally, they will have Advantage on Constitution saving throws to endure temperatures below that point and the first two saving throws made each day will automatically succeed.
For more information on hypothermia and other cold weather-related problems your character might face, see the article titled Environment and Its Effects.
Multiple articles of warm clothing are worn in layers to battle the icy cold of Icewind Dale.
Typical attire consists of the following:
• Thick woolen socks and fur-lined leather boots
• Thick fur mittens over several layers of wool or leather gloves
• A furry hat worn over a lightweight linen cap
• Woolen scarf or face mask to protect the neck and face
• One or more pairs of trousers or skirts made of wool, leather, hides, or furs
• One or more shirts or tunics made of wool, leather, hides, or furs
• A water-resistant outer coat made of leather, hides, or furs
• A heavy wool or fur cloak, often with a hood Various layers may be substituted by certain armors, and a player is always welcome to find a unique way to dress their character outside the norm. When a full complement of layers is properly worn, a character is protected from all but the harshest cold and biting wind. If their clothing is kept dry, they will generally have no risk of hypothermia at temperatures down to -60˚F. Additionally, they will have Advantage on Constitution saving throws to endure temperatures below that point and the first two saving throws made each day will automatically succeed.
For more information on hypothermia and other cold weather-related problems your character might face, see the article titled Environment and Its Effects.
Armor in Cold Weather
Wearing metal armor can be quite problematic in cold weather. Not only are metals excellent conductors that constantly wick heat away from your body, but they can also become brittle at extreme cold temperatures (-40˚F/C). The necessity of wearing thick layers of insulated clothing, the constant traversing of difficult terrain, and the need to carry increased supplies can encumber you even before wearing armor is considered. Armors made of ferrous metals can quickly rust and degrade due to the immense amount of moisture they encounter, via the constant sweating of the wearer and through snow and ice melt. For these reasons, metal armor is seldom seen or worn in Icewind Dale.1
The following types of armor listed in the Player’s Handbook (PHB) are common in Icewind Dale:
• Light armors – padded and leather
• Medium armors – hide, chain shirt, scale mail
• Heavy armors - ring mail only
• Shields (wooden) - all types and sizes
All other standard armors are considered uncommon or rare and not generally worn by the populace, at least during winter months. Icewind Dale's unique weather has instead given rise to a few special types of armor:
Cold Weather Clothing The myriad layers of heavy clothing worn to protect from the environment also serve to add enough padding to help soften blows and other attacks. A full set of cold weather clothing is easily equivalent to wearing padded armor and provides an armor class of 11. When other armors are worn over this thick clothing, it adds a +1 to that armor’s AC.
Layering: Base layers used for staying warm and prevent freezing to death
Armor Class: 11 + Dex modifier or +1
Cost: 10 gp
Fur-lined Gambeson
Like cold weather clothing, a gambeson is a padded coat made of thick layers of material. Generally designed to be worn under studded leather, scale and ring mail, or a chain shirt and lined with thick furs, Icewind Dale’s version is warm enough to help even the frailest adventurer brave the deathly cold without compromising protection. Can be worn alone (as a substitute for padded armor), over cold weather clothing in lieu of the outer coat, or as an undercoat for the above-mentioned armors.
Note that regular-sized armor will fit tightly over this gambeson, making it bulky and cumbersome (-1 DEX modifier for AC). Larger, properly fitted armor does not incur this penalty.
Layering: Worn under armor (or as armor), sometimes in place of or as an outer coat
Armor Class: 11 + Dex modifier worn alone or +1 under proper fitting armor (11 + Dex modifier -1 under tight armor).
Cost: 15 gp
Fur-lined Leather Armor
This is regular leather armor made a little bigger to accommodate the addition of thick furs glued to its inside. Probably the least cumbersome of the fur-lined armor options, it has no negative effects and all the normal benefits!
Layering: Worn as an outer layer of cold weather clothing, often in lieu of an outer coat
Armor Class: 11 + DEX modifier, as per PHB.
Cost: 20 gp
Fur-lined Breastplate A standard breastplate with thick furry hides glued to its inside. Does not cause the wearer to suffer from the effects of wearing metal armor in extreme cold.
Layering: Worn under or on the outside an outer coat
Armor Class: 14 + DEX modifier (max 2), as per PHB.
Cost: 500 gp (50 gp to modify existing breastplate)
Fur-lined Bracers
Made from thick leather with additional of layers of warm fur glued to their undersides, these bracers help keep the forearms toasty warm and add a +1 to any AC (unless bracers are already included in another worn armor's rating).
Layering: Worn on the forearms over cold weather clothing
Armor Class: +1 AC
Cost: 20 gp
Fur-lined Helm
Normally a metal helmet would continuously draw precious heat from the head, but this over-sized helm has multiple layers of thick furry hides glued within, plus it is large enough to fit over a thick furry hat. Normally an open-faced helm of the bascinet, spangen, or nasal variety.
All Wisdom (Perception) checks related to sight or hearing are made with disadvantage while wearing this type of helm. It is also possible that the eye slits may become completely blocked from ice and snow, especially during blizzards, and can reduce your character’s sight range to zero (Blinded condition).
Layering: Worn over cold weather clothing; under a hood/cowl
Armor Class: +1 AC
Cost: 150 gp
Effects of Metal Armor in Extreme Cold
Wearing any of the armors not common to Icewind Dale will affect a character’s ability to stay warm. While wearing any armor not listed as common, players make all Constitution saving throws for their characters to withstand hypothermia with Disadvantage. Further information on when such saving throws must be made is located in Environment and Its Effects. For details regarding specific armors, consult the table below.
Wearing metal armor can be quite problematic in cold weather. Not only are metals excellent conductors that constantly wick heat away from your body, but they can also become brittle at extreme cold temperatures (-40˚F/C). The necessity of wearing thick layers of insulated clothing, the constant traversing of difficult terrain, and the need to carry increased supplies can encumber you even before wearing armor is considered. Armors made of ferrous metals can quickly rust and degrade due to the immense amount of moisture they encounter, via the constant sweating of the wearer and through snow and ice melt. For these reasons, metal armor is seldom seen or worn in Icewind Dale.1
The following types of armor listed in the Player’s Handbook (PHB) are common in Icewind Dale:
• Light armors – padded and leather
• Medium armors – hide, chain shirt, scale mail
• Heavy armors - ring mail only
• Shields (wooden) - all types and sizes
All other standard armors are considered uncommon or rare and not generally worn by the populace, at least during winter months. Icewind Dale's unique weather has instead given rise to a few special types of armor:
Cold Weather Clothing The myriad layers of heavy clothing worn to protect from the environment also serve to add enough padding to help soften blows and other attacks. A full set of cold weather clothing is easily equivalent to wearing padded armor and provides an armor class of 11. When other armors are worn over this thick clothing, it adds a +1 to that armor’s AC.
Layering: Base layers used for staying warm and prevent freezing to death
Armor Class: 11 + Dex modifier or +1
Cost: 10 gp
Fur-lined Gambeson
Like cold weather clothing, a gambeson is a padded coat made of thick layers of material. Generally designed to be worn under studded leather, scale and ring mail, or a chain shirt and lined with thick furs, Icewind Dale’s version is warm enough to help even the frailest adventurer brave the deathly cold without compromising protection. Can be worn alone (as a substitute for padded armor), over cold weather clothing in lieu of the outer coat, or as an undercoat for the above-mentioned armors.
Note that regular-sized armor will fit tightly over this gambeson, making it bulky and cumbersome (-1 DEX modifier for AC). Larger, properly fitted armor does not incur this penalty.
Layering: Worn under armor (or as armor), sometimes in place of or as an outer coat
Armor Class: 11 + Dex modifier worn alone or +1 under proper fitting armor (11 + Dex modifier -1 under tight armor).
Cost: 15 gp
Fur-lined Leather Armor
This is regular leather armor made a little bigger to accommodate the addition of thick furs glued to its inside. Probably the least cumbersome of the fur-lined armor options, it has no negative effects and all the normal benefits!
Layering: Worn as an outer layer of cold weather clothing, often in lieu of an outer coat
Armor Class: 11 + DEX modifier, as per PHB.
Cost: 20 gp
Fur-lined Breastplate A standard breastplate with thick furry hides glued to its inside. Does not cause the wearer to suffer from the effects of wearing metal armor in extreme cold.
Layering: Worn under or on the outside an outer coat
Armor Class: 14 + DEX modifier (max 2), as per PHB.
Cost: 500 gp (50 gp to modify existing breastplate)
Fur-lined Bracers
Made from thick leather with additional of layers of warm fur glued to their undersides, these bracers help keep the forearms toasty warm and add a +1 to any AC (unless bracers are already included in another worn armor's rating).
Layering: Worn on the forearms over cold weather clothing
Armor Class: +1 AC
Cost: 20 gp
Fur-lined Helm
Normally a metal helmet would continuously draw precious heat from the head, but this over-sized helm has multiple layers of thick furry hides glued within, plus it is large enough to fit over a thick furry hat. Normally an open-faced helm of the bascinet, spangen, or nasal variety.
All Wisdom (Perception) checks related to sight or hearing are made with disadvantage while wearing this type of helm. It is also possible that the eye slits may become completely blocked from ice and snow, especially during blizzards, and can reduce your character’s sight range to zero (Blinded condition).
Layering: Worn over cold weather clothing; under a hood/cowl
Armor Class: +1 AC
Cost: 150 gp
Effects of Metal Armor in Extreme Cold
Wearing any of the armors not common to Icewind Dale will affect a character’s ability to stay warm. While wearing any armor not listed as common, players make all Constitution saving throws for their characters to withstand hypothermia with Disadvantage. Further information on when such saving throws must be made is located in Environment and Its Effects. For details regarding specific armors, consult the table below.
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