Armor in Fantasy Craft

[Morgenstern]

Both are probably worth adding to the written descriptions for those categories.

It's precisely what I wanted to hear. 

I might even mention leather scales .

However some of the asian armor names I'll be going into in more detail in a campaign product supporting play in settings inspired by eastern cultures.

Like Jigap, Chinese Mountain Pattern Scale and Sind Plated Mail?

Since I had 2 out of 3 of those already in mind, I'll answer 'yes, like that.'

[Morgenstern]

Didn't get a chance to post this earlier, but this is one of the big reasons to strap on the torso and legs rather than just the torso armor even though it costs a lot more and only slightly improves the DR.

Called Shot
Attack Trick: The character attempts to find a chink in a target’s armor. He suffers a –3 attack check penalty if the target is wearing partial armor, a –6 penalty if the target is wearing moderate armor, or a –9 penalty if the target is wearing full armor. With a hit, the attack ignores any Damage Reduction provided by the target’s armor.

[meadicus]

I'm quite interested to lean what these Const and Comp values are. I assume the comp is complexity, but then what's that letter after each number... something relating to the skill perhaps.

Well, the letters you can see now are D, W, and M. If I say there is one more and it's Y, their function should become somewhat easier to theorize about .

Ah so it's a project investment equivalent/component

[nil]

Well, it seems like it's Day, Week, Month and Year.

[Aragathor]

A torso only chainmail (AKA chain shirt) reduces speed by 5 ft.
Every time I duel with my sabre I'm required to wear a steel chain shirt, I'm used to it and it does not slow me down. It's not that heavy.
The same could apply to hardened leather, but I have too little exp. with it.

Both are partial armor. My question -> how will "Armor Basics" be changed to reflect guys like me wearing chain shirts? Because right now it does not reduce partial armor speed penalties.

Second question -> How easy it will be to create a set of armor consisting of:
-Lamellar breatsplate
-Chain protection for shoulders and legs
-Leather protection for feet and hands

Third question -> what type of armor would this helmet be?
 

[MugMug]

As you can see a few are good against fire or cold which will be handy against some spells, but in general mundane armor is not great protection against magical assault.

I presume many campaigns will involve a significant degree of magic native to the campaign setting. That being the case, will provision be made for armors that do provide protection targeted against magical assault (magical assault being a danger native to that development history)?

I'm assuming the pivot word here is "mundane," in that the non-mundane armors would cover non-mundane (e.g. magical) dangers.

Walter

[Gentry]

Second question -> How easy it will be to create a set of armor consisting of:
-Lamellar breatsplate
-Chain protection for shoulders and legs
-Leather protection for feet and hands

Third question -> what type of armor would this helmet be?
 

The armor sounds like torso-only Platemail (or Scalemail if you want to say it's heavily articulated, I reckon) with full fittings.  Calculate your DR appropriately and roll for initiative.  The helmet is by definition a fitting.  Pick your style.  Fitting is fitting is fitting. 

[Morgenstern]

A torso only chainmail (AKA chain shirt) reduces speed by 5 ft.
Every time I duel with my sabre I'm required to wear a steel chain shirt, I'm used to it and it does not slow me down. It's not that heavy.
The same could apply to hardened leather, but I have too little exp. with it.

The chainmail being modeled in fantasycraft is probably a bit heavier and presumes you've been wearing it a while, not just 10-15 minutes before the fun starts.  Overall I think the speed penalty is reasonable in a system that is somewhat granular. I'd rather round in a direction thet get's some attention and helps make unarmored fighters have some small someting to call their own.
 

Both are partial armor. My question -> how will "Armor Basics" be changed to reflect guys like me wearing chain shirts? Because right now it does not reduce partial armor speed penalties.

My current take on the Armor feats reads:

Armor Basics
You’re quite comfortable in armor.
Benefits: While wearing armor, its Defense Penalty is reduced by 1, its ACP is reduced by 1, and its speed penalty is reduced by 5 ft. No penalty can be reduced to less than 0.

Armor Mastery
You instinctively protect your vulnerable spots.
Prerequisites: Armor Basics.
Benefits: While wearing armor the armor’s DR increases by 1 and you may not be targeted with Coup de Grace actions.

Armor Supremacy
You wear armor like a turtle wears his shell.
Prerequisites: Armor Mastery.
Benefits: While wearing armor its DR increases by 1 and you’re immune to sneak attack damage.

Second question -> How easy it will be to create a set of armor consisting of:
-Lamellar breatsplate
-Chain protection for shoulders and legs
-Leather protection for feet and hands

Sounds like a platemail torso with partial fittings. When I started looking at armor I had a system combining garb (undergarment, both partial and moderate vesions), plating (also partial and moderate), and then fittings. It could give a more precise answer to a set-up like you are describing (which I would agree is a fairly common one historically). However, most of the readers found the original system dificult to understand and apply. The table you see here does sacrifice that higher level of precision for simplicity of use. There is deliberately some room for eyeballing but in the case you present I'd say torso plate is probably a better choice than full plate to represent that outfit. The addition of a little more protection for the thighs and the call might swing the other way.

Third question -> what type of armor would this helmet be?

Fitting for the head area, made from hard materials. Having matching construction for your fittings becomes a factor when you are upgrading armor with exotic materials. When you are wearing a mithril breastplate, a leather cap doesn't contribute as much as a mithril helm can.

[Morgenstern]

Well, it seems like it's Day, Week, Month and Year.

Indeed it does. *taps finger on tip of nose*

[Medwyn]

How would these translate into caliber picks?

I can sorta eyeball it but if there is anything slightly offical like it would help.....

[nil]

Well, it seems like it's Day, Week, Month and Year.

Indeed it does. *taps finger on tip of nose*

And if I may speculate further, the number before that probably is not a DC but the (base) number of days/weeks/etc. that crafting the armour requires. The DC is then most likely determined by the materials used as well as any additional effects the crafter would like for his creation.

In general, I think it looks quite nice. I like that concealing wearing armour is (apparently) no longer a static DC but dependent on character skill. I'm... not so sure when it comes to the fact that someone wearing chainmail has an easier time blending in than someone wearing normal clothing. That's... off. Unless the description/use of Blend has changed, of course.

[Morgenstern]

Indeed it does. *taps finger on tip of nose*

And if I may speculate further, the number before that probably is not a DC but the (base) number of days/weeks/etc. that crafting the armour requires. The DC is then most likely determined by the materials used as well as any additional effects the crafter would like for his creation.

It's pretty much a DC and uses the same scale as complexity values seen in 2.0. It's used a little differently than most (what you roll for when you are fashioning gear is more of a how much or how many rather than a pass/fail check)

In general, I think it looks quite nice. I like that concealing wearing armour is (apparently) no longer a static DC but dependent on character skill. I'm... not so sure when it comes to the fact that someone wearing chainmail has an easier time blending in than someone wearing normal clothing. That's... off. Unless the description/use of Blend has changed, of course.

Skills are getting a big trial at the convention this weeknd. After we collate the results of that, I'll have what's more of a final answer on those modifiers, but yes, it made sense to have it adjust your skill rather than set a fixed value.

[nil]

Skills are getting a big trial at the convention this weeknd. After we collate the results of that, I'll have what's more of a final answer on those modifiers, but yes, it made sense to have it adjust your skill rather than set a fixed value.

I mainly was pointing out that the Chainmail armour has a positive modifier (+4) in the Blend/Sleight of Hand column. If Blend is still used the way it is now in SC 2.0, that doesn't make much sense to me. Nobody is going to be more inconspicuous because he/she's wearing Chainmail, certainly not more inconspicuous than when wearing normal clothing. The Sleight of Hand/Hide Armour part of it I don't have any problem with.

[Morgenstern]

I presume many campaigns will involve a significant degree of magic native to the campaign setting. That being the case, will provision be made for armors that do provide protection targeted against magical assault (magical assault being a danger native to that development history)?

I'm assuming the pivot word here is "mundane," in that the non-mundane armors would cover non-mundane (e.g. magical) dangers.

That's were bulding with fantastic materials comes in. Wearing a suit of armor crafted with deep iron would give you a noticable bonus to Will Saves - pretty good protection against the mind-altering magic of most fey. Adding matching fitting created with deep iron improves this bonus. Similarly, armor crafted with kings branch gives a modest amount of spell damage resistance - good against any sort of direct damage magic. In both cases you just need a skilled craftsman rather than your own spell-flinger to put together your new line of defense against magical assault. There's a fair range of choices, but you can only have 1 material type working for you at a time, so it' a matter of picking your targets.

However, procuring a sufficient quantity of these materials to make armor from them could be quite an undertaking . An adventure, you might say...

[Morgenstern]

I mainly was pointing out that the Chainmail armour has a positive modifier (+4) in the Blend/Sleight of Hand column. If Blend is still used the way it is now in SC 2.0, that doesn't make much sense to me. Nobody is going to be more inconspicuous because he/she's wearing Chainmail, certainly not more inconspicuous than when wearing normal clothing. The Sleight of Hand/Hide Armour part of it I don't have any problem with.

I followed. I was thinking that Blend might have a table entry along the lines of "Doing something suspicious (like wearing armor in a peaceful area): -8"

Once we have a finalized check for the skills, I'll go through and tweak the values. I suspect your right about the final outcome - the finished table won't have any positive modifiers.