Stem Skeleton

Botanic Body Armour

Written by Endrise

The flowers are there just for aesthetic, if you go into battle you want to look good and indestructible at the same time.

— Plane of Earth Warrior

Stem Skeletons form the basis of more advanced armour across the plane of earth, implementing living plant matter beneath plating to create a living protective layer.
Not only does it provide a self-repairing suit of armour, it also allows its user to fight even with serious injuries.

Living Armour

A Stem Skeleton consists of a botanical layer found beneath most stone armours around the plane of earth, grown to act as a second skin for the wearer. To connect it to the outer plating, roots and vines grow into special slots for it to hook into and stay sturdy, if not also having undergarments it can latch onto as well.
Its main strength compared to other forms of armour is its self-repairing nature, with even simple plant growth spells allowing it to reattach and reassemble broken chunks. Certain breeds even can re-assemble themselves without outside magic, allowing for it to recover during combat.
More notorious examples allow the armour to act as an exoskeleton, keeping one's body functioning even with broken limbs or detached parts. Most do not recommend this sort of usage due to long-term issues related to injuries, but it can often save someone in the short-term regardless.

Dangers

The biggest problem is its constant need of maintenance, requiring regular cutting to avoid overgrowing. Some do use it to its advantage for aesthetical purposes, but most try trimming down excess growths to prevent joints locking or tripping over overgrown roots.
Despite assumptions, flammability is barely an issue due to moisture inside the plants. Living plants prove to be quite durable against fire, but unkept dry foliage does make it prone to easier burns.
A less common problem are allergies, with a few users of Stem skeletons gaining rashes from close exposure to them. Reports often suggest to test beforehand for any allergic reactions, should you not wish to get an itchy feeling around your entire body.