Expanded Armor and Shields

The new varieties of armor described below supplement those described on the Blacksmith, armor & weapon shop page. Many use unusual raw materials, because armorsmiths tend to work with whatever they have at hand. Elves and druids locked deep in primeval forests, for example, find refined metal a rare commodity. Surrounded by plants and magic, however, some elven smiths craft wonders out of their everyday environment.

Armor	Cost	Armor Class (AC)	Strength	Stealth	Weight
Light Armor
Bark	15 gp	12 + Dex modifier	⁠—	⁠—	15 lb
Bone	20 gp	13 + Dex modifier	⁠—	⁠Disadvantage	20 lb
Gambeson	25 gp	12 + Dex modifier	⁠—	⁠—	8 lb
Moon-ivy	16,000 gp	14 + Dex modifier	⁠—	⁠—	5 lb
Wood	15 gp	13 + Dex modifier	⁠—	⁠Disadvantage	15 lb
Medium Armor
Shell	25 gp	13 + Dex modifier (max 2)	—	⁠—	⁠20 lb
Heavy Armor
Coral	225 gp	16	Str 13	⁠Disadvantage	⁠40 lb
Dendritic	2,000 gp	19	Str 17	⁠Disadvantage	⁠60 lb
Stone, dwarven	1,750 gp	19	Str 17	⁠Disadvantage	⁠80 lb
Shields
Spiked Shield	20 gp	+2	⁠—	⁠—	11 lb
Tower Shield	30 gp	+3	Str 13	—	45 lb
Extras
Quick-escape	+300 gp	—	—	—	+2 lb
Spiked Armor	+50 gp	—	—	—	+10 lb
Gauntlet, locked	+8 gp	—	—	—	+5 lb

Armor Descriptions

Bark. This armor is carefully crafted from the tough bark of ancient trees and is treated to prevent it from becoming brittle over time. Strips of bark are layered together over a quilted layer of felt or hide. Bark armor is more flexible than wooden armor but does not provide as much protection. Bark armor includes arm, leg, chest, and back protection, but it does not include gauntlets.
Bone. Bone armor is a cloth or leather coat reinforced with strips of bone, often cut from animals used for food. The armor covers the torso but leaves the limbs free for better mobility.
Coral. Commonly worn by warriors of seafaring races, such as merfolk and tritons, coral armor is not so much created as grown with exotic and rare corals that are shaped over time. Coral armor covers only the top half of the wearer—breastplate and bracers. Because of its design, coral armor effectively weighs 10 pounds less in water.
Dendritic. Dwarf armor-smiths grow dendritic armor from seed crystals deep underground; dendritic armor never reaches the smith’s fire. Each suit of dendritic armor is tailored for a specific wearer. This superb armor is socketed rather than riveted together, leaving almost no gaps or chinks. It protects better than full plate armor, but is also heavier and more cumbersome. Dendritic armor constantly grinds crystal flecks off, and regrows itself to its original shape. Anyone tracking a person wearing dendritic armor gains advantage on skill checks from the fine trail of crystals left behind. To remove dendritic armor, you must break your way out by succeeding on a DC 20 Strength check. As long as you leave at least 5 pounds of dendritic armor somewhere on your body, the armor grows back in 8 hours.
Gambeson. A gambeson, also known as an aketon, padded jack, or arming doublet, is a padded defensive jacket, worn as armor on its own or underneath mail or plate armor. Gambesons are produced with a sewing technique called quilting. They are usually constructed of linen or wool; the stuffing varied, and could be for example scrap cloth or horse hair.
Gauntlet, locked. This armored gauntlet has small chains and braces that allow the wearer to attach a weapon to the gauntlet so that it cannot be dropped easily. It provides advantage on any roll to keep from being disarmed in combat. A weapon can be attached or removed from a locked gauntlet with an action. The price and weight given is for a single locked gauntlet. While the gauntlet is locked, you can't use the hand wearing it for casting spells or employing skills, to do so you would need another free hand.
Moon-Ivy. Moon-ivy armor is a close-fitting bodysuit that grows every night and dies at the end of every day. You put on a wreath-like choker before going to sleep. Overnight, a tight but flexible bodysuit of ivy grows over your body. When you awaken, you are wearing a tough, fibrous light armor. Removing the choker causes the moon-ivy armor to wither in 5 rounds. For an additional 500 gp, one of the following types of ivy can be grafted into the armor:
-Poison Ivy. The ivy exudes a poisonous resin. If you succeed on a grapple check, your foe must roll a DC 14 Constitution save. The target becomes poisoned for 1 minute on a failed save or for 1 round on a success. This poison never affects the wearer.
-Explosive Spores. The ivy is laced with noxious, explosive spores. Each day, the ivy grows 1d3 spore pods, to a maximum of ten pods. Whenever you are struck in combat with a bludgeoning attack, one of the spores explodes into the space from which the attack came. Anyone in that 5-foot square must roll a DC 14 Constitution save, taking 1d6 poison damage on a failed save or half as much on a success. Once all of a day’s spores are exhausted, the effect is inert until the next day. These spores never affects the wearer.
-Pheromones. Once per day, the ivy exudes pheromones that make you seem more attractive. The pheromones grant advantage on all Charisma-based checks for 1 minute. The bonus lasts for 10 minutes if you attempt to influence a creature with scent, but moonivy pheromones do not affect constructs or undead.
Quick-Escape. Ingeniously crafted, this armor uses special buckles, straps, and releases so it can be removed in mere moments. It is a favorite of wealthy sailors and adventurers who anticipate going near bodies of water. As a standard action, the wearer pulls and twists on a special lock, located on the shield-side hip, which causes the armor to fall away. Each lock is unique in operation, making it difficult for anyone other than the owner to undo. A DC 25 Sleight of Hand check is required for someone other than the wearer to release the armor. The quick-escape extra must be included during the creation of the armor. It takes twice as long as normal to don quick-escape armor.
Shell. This armor is created out of specially treated tortoise shells and more exotic sea life. The armor-making process softens the shells, making them far more pliable and likely to bend instead of shatter when struck. Shell armor includes a breastplate, shoulder guards, and even gauntlets created from smaller and smaller shells.
Spiked Armor. You can have spikes added to your armor, which allow you to deal piercing damage on a successful grapple attack. The spikes count as a martial weapon. If you are not proficient with them, you have disadvantage on grapple checks when you try to use them. You can also make a regular melee attack or an off-hand attack with the spikes. Magically enhanced armor also enhances the spikes as magical weapons.
Spiked Shield. Ideal for spellcasters who are proficient in shields and like to be on the front line. It provides the standard defense of a regular shield plus the lethality of a melee weapon in one hand while leaving the other hand free for spells with somatic components.
Stone, Dwarven. Found almost exclusively among dwarven kingdoms, this extremely rare armor is created from thin sheets of a specially treated stone resembling marble. Dwarven stone armor is very heavy and more ornamental than practical; consequently it is the dress uniform for many dwarven defenders. It provides impressive protection but reduces the wearers speed by 5 feet. Dwarven stone armor includes greaves and helmet, but not gauntlets.
Tower Shield. This shield can be used with or without proficiency from the Weapon Master Feat, and creatures with the Shield Master Feat or the Protection Fighting Style are automatically proficient. This massive wooden shield is nearly as tall as you are. If you take the dodge action in combat, you and the creature immediately behind you each gain half cover. In non-proficient hands, the wielder can only take the dodge action in combat and can't take bonus actions or reactions until they drop the tower shield.
Wood. Wood armor is a cloth or leather coat reinforced with strips of wood. Bone armor covers the torso and partial parts of the limbs.

New Armor Materials

Just as mithral and adamantine can make fantastic armor and shields, so too can the materials described below do wonders in the hands of a competent armorsmith.
Bronzewood. This exceptionally hard wood is useful for making both armor and weapons. Unlike most woods, bronzewood can be used instead of metal to fashion heavy armor and weapons. Although dense and weighty compared to other woods, it is still lighter than most metal: Items weigh 10% less when made from bronzewood rather than metal. Armor made of bronzewood is also less obtrusive than similar armor made of metal. For an additional 4,000 gp, breastplate or half-plate can be made from bronzewood. For an additional 9,000 gp, splint mail or plate can be made from bronzewood. For an additional 500 gp/lb, most weapons can be made from bronzewood.
Darkwood. This rare magic wood is as hard as normal wood but very light. Any wooden or mostly wooden item (such as a bow, an arrow, or a spear) made from darkwood weighs only half as much as a normal wooden item of that type. The market price modifier for such a weapon is +50 gp.
Leafweave, Elven. Elven artisans weave suits of armor from forest leaves, which are then treated by a special alchemical process that makes them as tough and flexible as leather, with considerably less weight and encumbrance. Such suits are made in both “springtime” and “autumn” styles: Springtime leafweave armor is vivid green, while the autumn style is made up of red, orange, and yellow leaves. For an additional 750 gp, armors that are generally not constructed of metal can be duplicated with elven leafweave.