Vile Darkness worlds are a vast tapestry made up of many different cultures, each with its own technology level. For this reason, adventurers have access to a variety of armor types, ranging from leather armor to chain mail to costly plate armor, with several other kinds of armor in between. 

Armor, along with the use of a shield is worn for it’s protective value. Thus, in game terms, in order for an attacker to strike an opponent, the attacker must roll to hit it’s armor class (or AC)—even if the opponent is not wearing any armor. This underscores how important armor is to the defense of a character. During character creation, for the classes that can wear armor, it is normally the first piece of equipment purchased.

Thus, each type of armor contributes to a characters armor class, but other factors also apply—Dexterity score, magical protections, and even circumstantial effects like taking cover.

Armor type will also grant an Armor Defense Rating vs. Weapon. This adjustment to Armor Class when using a manufactured weapon accounts for the armor’s ability to protect against certain weapons and the ability for certain weapons to bypass the protections afforded by certain armor types. Canny warriors will note the armor worn by their foe and select a weapon most useful against the armor if possible.

Armor Class 10. Regardless of armor worn, an armor class rating of 10 is the minimum AC possible in the game (although attack rolls can still be modified based on circumstance).

A suit of armor includes a small helmet with face guard, armored leg protection, hard leather boots, and metal gauntlets. Plated armor includes metal boots.

ARMOR AND SHIELDS

* Included with armor; (C) = This armor is made of cloth; (L) = This armor is made from treated leather; (M) = This armor is metal; (M) = This armor is plated; Weight in parens is for items not worn. Cost in parens is for items purchased separately.

ARMOR CHARACTERISTICS

Banded mail. This armor is made of horizontal strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cl0th padding. Flexible chain mail protects the joints.

Chain mail. Made of interlocking metal rings, chain mail includes a layer of quilted fabric worn underneath the mail to prevent chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. 

Leather armor. The breastplate and shoulder protectors of this armor are made of leather that has been stiffened by being boiled in oil. The rest of the armor is made of softer and more flexible materials.

Padded armor. Padded armor consists of quilted layers of cloth and batting.

Plate armor (“field plate”). This armor is made of individually formed pieces of interlocking plate, tailored specifically to the wearer. Underneath are layers of padding. This armor offers superior mobility and protection. 

Plate mail. This armor consists of light chain mail fitted with pieces of plate—cuirass, shoulder pieces, elbow and knee guards, and greaves. Weight is well distributed.

Ring armor. This armor is made of leather with heavy metal rings (typically bronze but sometimes steel) sewn into it. The rings help reinforce the armor against blows from swords and axes. Ring armor is inferior to chain mail, and it’s usually worn only by those who can’t afford better armor.

Scale mail. This armor consists of a coat and leggings (and perhaps a separate skirt) of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like the scales of a fish. Lamellar armor consists of small metal platelets known as “lamellae” or “lames”, which are punched and laced together, typically in horizontal rows. Scale and lamellar can be made of material other than metal if constructed by a master armorer. Elven scale mail is an example, made from specially treated leather and hide.

Splint mail. This armor is made of narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding. Flexible chain mail protects the joints.

Studded armor. This armor is made of thick leather that has been covered in close-set metal studs or metal spikes and rivets. Brigandine armor is similar but thin metal plates are riveted into the leather all the way down to a skirt or coat.

Base AC. This is a base Armor Class (AC) for a character before modifiers for shield use, Dexterity, magic, etc. 

Cost. This is the cost of the armor in standard settings (without mark up) for small to man-sized human-type armor.

Armor Bulk. This is the armor's effect on the wearer's encumbrance. See Armor Bulk.

Speed Adj. This is the effect on a creature’s base speed due to armor bulk. When both armor and shield adjust speed, take the higher adjustment (most negative; ie. do not add these together).

WT. This is the weight of the armor based on encumbrance pounds. See Encumbrance.

Helms. A suit of armor includes a small helmet, and this is assumed to be worn when donning the armor granting the head an AC equal to the armor’s standard base AC. Wearing any kind of helm disallows hear noise checks used against a surface (eg. a door).

Great Helm. A great helm grants the head and neck a base AC 1 but restricts sight to an arc of 60 degrees. A great helm gives the wearer a base of Medium Ambient Noise in areas of Low Ambient Noise. See Hear Noise. The wearer of a great helm cannot be knocked out or stunned by blows to the head (unless the force of the blow is overwhelming per the GM).

Not Wearing a Helm in Melee. If a man-sized humanoid is not wearing a helm, there is a 5% chance per attack that opponents with an Intelligence rating of Low or better will target the helm-less creature's head (chance and circumstance plays a role so it is not simply a choice). If this occurs, the helm-less creature's base armor class is 10.

Shields. A shield is a piece of personal armor held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of active blocks, as well as to provide passive protection by closing one or more lines of engagement during combat. Shields vary greatly in size and shape: large shields are broad, heavy panels (tapered or not) strapped to an arm that cover and protect the whole body and cannot be used while mounted, medium shields are smaller, but that also strap to an arm (ex. heater shield), and small shields are often round and hand-held (ex. targe). Bucklers are smaller still but can be strapped to the arm, leaving the hand (mostly) free.

• Shields and non-Man-sized Creatures. Large creatures must use large shields but these act as a small shield in terms of defensive attributes. Humanoids under 4-ft. tall can use small shields but not medium or large shields. A humanoid that stands 4-ft. tall to 4-ft. 8-in. can use a small or medium shield.

Dropping, Readying, or Stowing a Shield. [delaying] Readying any type of shield is a delaying activity. Dropping a small shield is a simple activity (dropping other types is a delaying activity). Stowing a shield is a major action and delaying activity (stowing a small shield is a minor action).

ARMOR ATTRIBUTES

Cloth armor. This armor is made from cloth with no metal fittings.

Fast. Due to superior construction and fit, the speed adjustment for this armor is one category less than normal (but does not otherwise change the armor bulk rating or other penalties associated with this, such as being delayed).

Hands free. Bucklers are used strapped to the arm. This allows the hand to be free. If fighting with two-weapons or using a two-handed weapon (including a bow or light/heavy crossbow), the buckler’s bonus to AC is not used in any round the wielder uses that arm to attack. Attacks made with the buckler arm are at a -1 penalty to the attack roll. Spells requiring the use of two hands cannot be cast while wearing a buckler.

Leather armor. Armor made from leather typically includes metal fasteners and other metal pieces (studs, rings, etc.). Armor categorized as "leather" is not considered "leather armor" in terms of allowable armor based on class. ie. If a class allows only "leather armor", the only armor that can be worn is leather and not studded, ring, or the like.

Metal armor. The armor is made primarily from (ferrous-based) metal. This makes the armor noisy and certain effects react differently to the armor. See Detection Due to Hearing. Elven chain mail, while considered “metal”, does not make additional noise when worn. 

Missile Defense. These shields grant the wielder a +1 bonus to AC vs. missile weapons.

Plated. Plated armor is noisy, causing the wearer to subtract 20% from their chance to surprise and the armor can be heard up to 90 feet away. See Detection Due to Hearing.

Quick drop. Small shields are held in the hand without a strap and may be dropped to the ground as a simple activity like a hand held weapon. Larger shields or bucklers require more time to disengage and drop.

Neck Protection. An aventail added to a helm or coif worn under a helm will add a +1 to armor class against attacks that can somehow target the wearer's neck. The wearer is also immune to garrote attacks.

Restricts sight. A great helm will restrict the sight of the wearer. This allows them to be surrounded in combat more easily (subtract 1 from the number of attackers vs. defenders for determination of attack direction). It also makes the wearer 10% easier to surprise. However, the helm also grants a +2 save bonus vs. Gaze attacks (for attacks allowing a save and that allow a victim to avert their eyes) and the higher head-based armor class rating.

Special. These items are not normally available unless in a large city, commissioned, or ordered (at additional expense and 1d3 months of delay). Lamellar armor can only be made by those understanding the technique (per the GM). Elven chain mail is rare and jealously guarded by the elves. It is never made in sizes usable by non-elves unless commissioned by elf royalty. A very slim human or half-elf, from 60-64 inches in height might be able to wear a suit, but encounters with elves will become hostile unless they can prove it was gifted by elf leaders.

Tailored. Each suit of field plate must be custom made for the wearer, formed around their exact body measurements. While others conforming to the basic size of the person the suit was made for can wear it, the armor will perform as standard plate mail for them. Expense is based on the skill of the armor smith, demand, and material cost. Timing is typically 6 months to create. Most suits of this type are made with rare materials.

Weapon Resistance (WR). Certain types of armor will grant a +1 bonus to armor class against certain weapon types. Thus, WR/blunt means the armor will grant a non-magical armor class bonus of +1 when the wearer is attacked by a creature wielding a blunt/bludgeoning weapon.

ARMOR DEFENSE VS. WEAPON

Each type of armor or armor plus shield combination will grant a Armor Defense vs. Weapon. This adjustment to Armor Class when using a manufactured weapon accounts for the armor’s ability to protect against certain weapons and the ability for certain weapons to bypass the protections afforded by certain armor types.

Do not confuse Armor Class (or AC)—used to determine the required Attack Roll—with Armor Defense (or AD)—used to adjust the armor class based on the ability of the armor to defend against a certain type of weapon.

A character’s armor defense rating is equal to the base armor class of the armor type adjusted better by 1 if a shield (of any type) is employed. The exception is field plate armor as the best armor defense rating is limited to AD 2.

Some creatures will have hide or other defenses that give them an equivalent armor defense rating.

The adjustment for Armor Defense vs. Weapon is found in the weapon tables.

OTHER ARMOR QUALITIES

Magic Armor. See Magic Items, Magic Armor.

Donning or Putting On Armor. Subtract armor’s AC from 9 (ignoring adjustments for magic), the result is the amount of time (in rounds) it takes to don armor (i.e. leather armor = 10 segments; plate mail = 6 rounds; etc.).

Taking Off Armor. This is typically half the time required to don the armor. In an emergency (i.e. when you don’t care if the armor is usable afterwards), a character can shed armor in half the normal time (by partially destroying it if a cutting instrument is used).

SLEEPING IN ARMOR

Armor restricts movement and hinders the body’s ability to perspire normally. Anyone wearing armor will not sleep well and, depending on armor type, will have the following penalties the next day.

Clothing or elven chain mail. The wearer can sleep in this with no penalties the next day.

Padded armor. The wearer can sleep in this armor with no penalties after the first two days but afterward will begin to be fatigued if continuing to sleep in armor.

Leather armor. The wearer can sleep in this armor with no penalties after the first day but will become fatigued after the 2nd night’s sleep.

Studded or ring armor. The wearer can sleep in this armor but after the first night, will have a -1 to attack rolls and saving throws. Subsequent nights will cause fatigue.

Scale or chain mail armor. The wearer can sleep in this armor but after the first night, will be fatigued. Subsequent nights will cause exhaustion.

Plated armor (any type). The wearer can sleep in this armor for four hours but will be fatigued. Subsequent sleep attempted while wearing this armor will cause exhaustion.

Magic Armor. Non-plate type armor can be slept in as if it were leather armor. Otherwise, it is treated as mundane armor with regard to sleeping.

Any fatigue or exhaustion condition (gained because of sleep issues due to armor worn) will require 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep to cure.

BARDING

Barding can only be worn by mounts or animals specifically trained to use it. See Mounts and Vehicles.