Arms And Armor
Arms and Armor
Armor
Start off by girding yourself for battle with this extensive selection of armors and shields, from familiar favorites like leather armor and plate mail to exotic kikko armor and the horned madu shield. Also presented for your convenience are rules for getting into and out of armor, masterwork armor, armor for unusual creatures, and more.
Weapons
Next, choose your weapon with a plethora of weapon tables and descriptions. Swords and bows, polearms and firearms-they're all here, as well as rules for expanded fighter weapon groups, weapon qualities, and damage for weapons of unusual sizes.
Special Materials
Lastly, special materials ensure that your weapons and armor have mechanics as unique as their appearances. Will your armor be made from dragonhide or adamantine? Angelskin or blood crystal? Perhaps your primitive character carries only stone weapons, or bronze? The choice is yours.
Armor
For most, armor is the simplest way to protect themselves in a world of rampant threats and dangers. Many characters can wear only the simplest of armors, and only some can use shields.
The armor entries in the Armor and Shields table contain the following information.
Cost
The cost in gold pieces of the armor for Small or Medium humanoid creatures. See the Armor for Unusual Creatures table for armor prices for other creatures.
Armor/Shield Bonus
Each type of armor grants an armor bonus to armor class (AC), while shields grant a shield bonus to AC. The armor bonus from a suit of armor doesn't stack with other effects or items that grant an armor bonus. Similarly, the shield bonus from a shield doesn't stack with other effects that grant a shield bonus. In each armor category (light, medium, or heavy), the armors are listed in order from worst AC bonus to highest AC bonus.
Maximum Dex Bonus
This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to AC that this type of armor allows. Dexterity bonuses in excess of this number are reduced to this number for the purposes of determining the wearer's AC. Heavier armors limit mobility, reducing the wearer's ability to dodge blows. This restriction doesn't affect any other Dexterity-related abilities. A dash indicates the armor does not affect a character's maximum Dexterity bonus.
Even if a character's Dexterity bonus to AC drops to 0 because of armor, this situation does not count as losing his Dexterity bonus to AC.
A character's encumbrance (the amount of gear carried, including armor) may also restrict the maximum Dexterity bonus that can be applied to his Armor Class.
Shields
Shields do not affect a character's maximum dexterity bonus, except for tower shields.
Armor Check Penalty
Any armor heavier than leather, as well as any shield, applies an armor check penalty to all Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks. A character's encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty.
Shields
If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, both armor check penalties apply.
Nonproficient with Armor Worn
A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he is not proficient takes the armor's (and/or shield's) armor check penalty on attack rolls as well as on all dexterity- and strength-based ability and skill checks. the penalty for nonproficiency with armor stacks with the penalty for shields.
Sleeping in Armor
A character who sleeps in medium or heavy armor is automatically fatigued the next day. He takes a –2 penalty on strength and dexterity and can't charge or run. sleeping in light armor does not cause fatigue.
Arcane Spell Failure Chance
Armor interferes with the gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast an arcane spell that has a somatic component. Arcane spellcasters face the possibility of arcane spell failure if they're wearing armor. Bards, magi, and summoners have class features which allow them to wear certain armors or even shields without incurring any arcane spell failure chance for casting spells from their class spell list.
Casting an Arcane Spell in Armor
A character who casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usually make an arcane spell failure check. The number in the arcane spell failure chance column in the Armor and Shields table is the percentage chance that the spell fails and is ruined. if the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane spell failure.
Shields
If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, add the two arcane spell failure chances together to get a single arcane spell failure chance.
Speed
Medium or heavy armor slows the wearer down. The number in the Armor and Shields table is the character's speed while wearing the armor. Humans, elves, half-elves, and half-orcs have an unencumbered speed of 30 feet. They use the first column. Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings have an unencumbered speed of 20 feet. They use the second column. Remember, however, that a dwarf's land speed remains 20 feet even in medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load.
Shields
Shields do not affect a character's speed.
Weight
This column gives the weight of the armor sized for a Medium wearer. Armor fitted for Small characters weighs half as much, and armor for Large characters weighs twice as much.
Armor Special Features
Some armors, particularly those made out of primitive materials, are inferior compared to standard equipment. These armors have the fragile special feature.
Fragile
Armor with the fragile quality falls apart when hit with heavy blows. if an attacker hits a creature wearing fragile armor with an attack roll of a natural 20 and confirms the critical hit (even if the creature is immune to critical hits), the armor gains the broken condition. if already broken, the armor is destroyed instead. Fragile armor is broken or destroyed by only critical threats that are generated by natural 20s.
Masterwork and magical fragile armor lacks these flaws unless otherwise noted in the item description or the special material description.
If armor gains the broken condition in this way, that armor is considered to have taken damage equal to half its hit points +1. This damage is repaired either by something that addresses the effect that granted the armor the broken condition (like the Field Repair feat) or the repair methods described in the broken condition. When an effect that grants the broken condition is removed, the armor regains the hit points it lost when the broken condition was applied. Damage done by an attack against armor (such as from a sunder combat maneuver) cannot be repaired by an effect that removes the broken condition.
Masterwork Armor
Just as with weapons, you can purchase or craft masterwork versions of armor or shields. Such a well-made item functions like the normal version, except that its armor check penalty is lessened by 1.
The masterwork transformation spell transforms a non-masterwork weapon into a masterwork weapon. Without using magic, you can't add the masterwork quality to armor or a shield after it is created; it must be crafted as a masterwork item (see the Craft skill).
A masterwork suit of armor or shield costs an extra 150 gp over and above the normal price for that type of armor or shield.
The masterwork quality of a suit of armor or shield never provides a bonus on attack or damage rolls, even if the armor or shield is used as a weapon.
All magic armors and shields are automatically considered to be of masterwork quality.
Even though some types of armor and shields can be used as weapons, you can't create a masterwork version of such an item that confers an enhancement bonus on attack rolls. However, you can create masterwork armor spikes and shield spikes, which do confer their enhancement bonus on attack rolls to attacks made with the spikes.
Variant Rule: Armor as DR
The armor and Armor Class system is an abstraction where an attack roll that "misses" represents actual misses as well as attacks that fail to hit the target hard or accurately enough to cause harm. Some players and GMs may prefer a different system where a failed attack roll is an actual miss, and armor absorbs points of damage from successful attacks.
A variant set of rules for this game mechanic is presented in Ultimate Combat. In this system, a creature has a defense score instead of an armor class (representing how easy or difficult it is to hit a creature), and the armor's armor class value indicates how many points of dr it grants against incoming attacks. This increases the bookkeeping burden for creatures with armor, but may give more satisfying results.
Variant Rule: Piecemeal Armor
All armor in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game assumes you're dealing with a full suit of armor that you're either wearing in its entirety or not wearing at all. However, sometimes you don't have time to put on an entire suit of armor or don't have access to a complete suit, and must make do with wearing only part of a complete set. A variant set of rules for this option is presented in Ultimate Combat.
Armor for Unusual Creatures
Armor and shields for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures, and non-humanoid creatures (such as horses) have different prices and weights from those given in the Armor and Shields table. Refer to the appropriate line on the table below and apply the multipliers to price and weight for the armor type in question.
Armor for Unusual Creatures
| Size | HumanoidPrice Weight | Non-HumanoidPrice Weight | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny or smaller* | ×1/2 | ×1/10 | ×1 | ×1/10 |
| Small | ×1 | ×1/2 | ×2 | ×1/2 |
| Medium | ×1 | ×1 | ×2 | ×1 |
| Large | ×2 | ×2 | ×4 | ×2 |
| Huge | ×4 | ×5 | ×8 | ×5 |
| Gargantuan | ×8 | ×8 | ×16 | ×8 |
| Colossal | ×16 | ×12 | ×32 | ×12 |
| *Divide armor bonus by 2. | ||||
Getting Into and Out of Armor
Putting on or taking off armor is a sometimes complicated procedure. The time required to don armor depends on its type; see the table below.
Don
This column tells how long it takes a character to put the armor on. (One minute is 10 rounds.) Readying (strapping on) a shield is only a move action.
Don Hastily
This column tells how long it takes to put the armor on in a hurry. The armor check penalty and armor bonus for hastily donned armor are each 1 point worse than normal.
Remove
This column tells how long it takes to get the armor off. Removing a shield from your arm and dropping it is only a move action.
Donning Armor
| Armor type | Don | Don Hastily | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shield (any) | 1 move action | N/A | 1 move action |
| Padded, leather, hide, studded leather, or chain shirt | 1 minute | 5 rounds | 1 minute1 |
| Breastplate, scale mail, chainmail, banded mail, or splint mail | 4 minutes1 | 1 minute | 1 minute1 |
| Half-plate or full plate | 4 minutes2 | 4 minutes1 | 1d4+1 minutes1 |
| 1 If the character has some help, cut this time in half. A single character doing nothing else can help one or two adjacent characters.Two characters can't help each other don armor at the same time.2 The wearer must have help to don this armor. Without help, it can only be donned hastily. | |||
Armor and Shields
Armor and Shields
| Light Armor | Price | Armor/ShieldBonus | MaxDex Bonus | ArmorCheck Penalty | Arcane SpellFailure Chance | Speed30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haramaki | 3 gp | +1 | — | 0 | 0% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 1 lb. |
| Padded | 5 gp | +1 | +8 | 0 | 5% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Quilted cloth | 100 gp | +1 | +8 | 0 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 15 lbs. |
| Silken ceremonial | 30 gp | +1 | — | 0 | 0% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 4 lbs. |
| Lamellar cuirass | 15 gp | +2 | +4 | 0 | 5% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 8 lbs. |
| Leather | 10 gp | +2 | +6 | 0 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 15 lbs. |
| Parade | 25 gp | +3 | +5 | –1 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 20 lbs. |
| Studded leather | 25 gp | +3 | +5 | –1 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 20 lbs |
| Wooden | 20 gp | +3 | +3 | –1 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Chain shirt | 100 gp | +4 | +4 | –2 | 20% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Lamellar (leather) | 60 gp | +4 | +3 | –2 | 20% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Medium Armor | Price | Armor/ShieldBonus | MaxDex Bonus | ArmorCheck Penalty | Arcane SpellFailure Chance | Speed30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
| Armored coat | 50 gp | +4 | +3 | –2 | 20% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 20 lbs. |
| Hide | 15 gp | +4 | +4 | –3 | 20% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Do-maru | 200 gp | +5 | +4 | –4 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 30 lbs. |
| Kikko | 30 gp | +5 | +4 | –3 | 20% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Lamellar (horn) | 100 gp | +5 | +3 | –4 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 30 lbs. |
| Scale mail | 50 gp | +5 | +3 | –4 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 30 lbs. |
| Agile breastplate | 400 gp | +6 | +3 | –4 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Breastplate | 200 gp | +6 | +3 | –4 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 30 lbs. |
| Chainmail | 150 gp | +6 | +2 | –5 | 30% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 40 lbs. |
| Four-mirror | 45 gp | +6 | +2 | –5 | 30% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 45 lbs. |
| Lamellar (steel) | 150 gp | +6 | +3 | –5 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 35 lbs. |
| Mountain pattern | 250 gp | +6 | +3 | –4 | 30% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 40 lbs. |
| Heavy Armor | Price | Armor/ShieldBonus | MaxDex Bonus | ArmorCheck Penalty | Arcane SpellFailure Chance | Speed30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
| Banded mail | 250 gp | +7 | +1 | –6 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 35 lbs. |
| Kusari gusoku | 350 gp | +7 | +1 | –7 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 45 lbs. |
| Lamellar (iron) | 200 gp | +7 | +0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 50 lbs. |
| Splint mail | 200 gp | +7 | +0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 45 lbs. |
| Tatami-do | 1,000 gp | +7 | +3 | –6 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 45 lbs. |
| Agile half-plate | 850 gp | +8 | +0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft.3 | 15 ft.3 | 55 lbs. |
| Half-plate | 600 gp | +8 | +0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 50 lbs. |
| Lamellar (stone) | 500 gp | +8 | +0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 45 lbs. |
| O-yoroi | 1,700 gp | +8 | +2 | –6 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 45 lbs. |
| Full plate | 1,500 gp | +9 | +1 | –6 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 50 lbs. |
| Shields | Price | Armor/ShieldBonus | MaxDex Bonus | ArmorCheck Penalty | Arcane SpellFailure Chance | Speed30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
| Buckler | 5 gp | +1 | — | –1 | 5% | — | — | 5 lbs. |
| Klar | 12 gp | +1 | — | –1 | 5% | — | — | 6 lbs. |
| Light steel quickdraw | 59 gp | +1 | — | –2 | 5% | — | — | 7 lbs. |
| Light steel | 9 gp | +1 | — | –1 | 5% | — | — | 6 lbs. |
| Light wooden quickdraw | 53 gp | +1 | — | –2 | 5% | — | — | 6 lbs. |
| Light wooden | 3 gp | +1 | — | –1 | 5% | — | — | 5 lbs. |
| Madu (leather) | 40 gp | +1 | — | –2 | 5% | — | — | 5 lbs. |
| Madu (steel) | 50 gp | +1 | — | –2 | 5% | — | — | 6 lbs. |
| Heavy steel | 20 gp | +2 | — | –2 | 15% | — | — | 15 lbs. |
| Heavy wooden | 7 gp | +2 | — | –2 | 15% | — | — | 10 lbs. |
| Tower | 30 gp | +44 | +2 | –10 | 50% | — | — | 45 lbs. |
| Extras | Price | Armor/ShieldBonus | MaxDex Bonus | ArmorCheck Penalty | Arcane SpellFailure Chance | Speed30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
| Armor spikes | +50 gp | — | — | — | — | — | — | +10 lbs. |
| Locked gauntlet | +8 gp | — | — | Special | N/A5 | — | — | +5 lbs. |
| Shield spikes | +10 gp | — | — | — | — | — | — | +5 lbs. |
| 1 Weight figures are for armor sized to fit Medium characters. Armor fitted for Small characters weighs half as much, and armor fitted for Large characters weighs twice as much.2 When running in heavy armor, you move only triple your speed, not quadruple.3 When running in agile half-plate, you can still move quadruple your speed, instead of the normal triple speed for heavy armor. 4 A tower shield can instead grant you cover. See the description.5 Hand not free to cast spells. | ||||||||
CLl:
Price: 400 gp
Weight: 25 lbs.
This breastplate is specially crafted in a manner that allows extra maneuverability for some physical activities. The armor check penalty for Climb checks and jump checks is only –1 (masterwork and mithral versions of this armor reduce this penalty as well as the normal penalty).
Aura:CLl:
Price: 850 gp
Weight: 55 lbs.
This style of half-plate is specially crafted in a manner that allows extra maneuverability for some physical activities. The armor check penalty for Climb checks and jump checks is only –4 (masterwork and mithral versions of this armor reduce this penalty as well as the normal penalty). In addition, unlike with most heavy armors, the wearer can still run at quadruple speed instead of triple speed.
Aura:CLl:
Price: +50 gp
Weight: +10 lbs.
You can have spikes added to your armor, which allow you to deal extra piercing damage on a successful grapple attack (see "spiked armor" in the Martial Weapons Table). The spikes count as a martial weapon. If you are not proficient with them, you take a –4 penalty on grapple checks when you try to use them. You can also make a regular melee attack (or off-hand attack) with the spikes, and they count as a light weapon in this case. (You can't also make an attack with armor spikes if you have already made an attack with another off-hand weapon, and vice versa.) An enhancement bonus to a suit of armor does not improve the spikes' effectiveness, but the spikes can be made into magic weapons in their own right.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 50 gp
Weight: 20 lbs.
This sturdy leather coat is reinforced with metal plates sewn into the lining. An armored coat is more cumbersome than light armor but less effective than most medium armors. The advantage of it is that a person can don it or remove it as a move action (there is no "don hastily" option for an armored coat). If worn over other armor, use the better AC bonus and worse value in all other categories; an armored coat has no effect if worn with heavy armor. The only magic effects that apply are those of armor, clothing, or items worn on top.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 250 gp
Weight: 35 lbs.
Banded mail is made up of overlapping strips of metal, fastened to a sturdy backing of leather and chain. The size of the metal plates, interconnected metal bands, and layers of underlying armor make it a more significant defense than similar armors, like scale mail or splint mail.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 200 gp
Weight: 30 lbs.
A breastplate protects a wearer's torso with a single piece of sculpted metal, similar to the core piece of a suit of full plate. Despite its sturdiness, its inflexibility and open back make it inferior to complete suits of metal armor, but still an improvement over most non-metal armors.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 5 gp
Weight: 5 lbs.
This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an off-hand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler's AC bonus until your next turn. You can't make a shield bash with a buckler.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 100 gp
Weight: 25 lbs.
Covering the torso, this shirt is made up of thousands of interlocking metal rings.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 150 gp
Weight: 40 lbs.
Unlike a chain shirt, which covers only the chest, chainmail protects the wearer with a complete mesh of chain links that cover the torso and arms, and extends below the waist. Multiple interconnected pieces offer additional protection over vital areas. The suit includes gauntlets.
Do-Maru
Aura:CLl:
Price: 200 gp
Weight: 30 lbs.
The lightest of armors typically favored by samurai, do-maru wraps around the wearer's body like a short armored coat. It consists primarily of lamellar and lacks a solid breastplate or sleeves, leaving the shoulders and upper body somewhat exposed, but permitting the wearer greater flexibility than do the majority of heavier armors.
Four-Mirror
Aura:CLl:
Price: 45 gp
Weight: 45 lbs.
This armor consists of four plates harnessed together with leather shoulder straps. Two round plates protect your front and back, while two smaller rectangular plates cover the sides of the torso. Four-mirror armor is worn over chainmail to provide added protection, and comes with a spiked helmet with a chainmail hood.
Full Plate
Aura:CLl:
Price: 1,500 gp
Weight: 50 lbs.
This metal suit comprises multiple pieces of interconnected and overlaying metal plates, incorporating the benefits of numerous types of lesser armor. A complete suit of full plate (or platemail, as it is often called) includes gauntlets, heavy leather boots, a visored helmet, and a thick layer of padding that is worn underneath the armor. Each suit of full plate must be individually fitted to its owner by a master armorsmith, although a captured suit can be resized to fit a new owner at a cost of 200 to 800 (2d4 × 100) gold pieces.
Half-Plate
Aura:CLl:
Price: 600 gp
Weight: 50 lbs.
Half-plate armor combines elements of full plate and chainmail, incorporating several sizable plates of sculpted metal with an underlying mesh of chain links. While this suit protects vital areas with several layers of armor, it is not sculpted to a single individual's frame, reducing its wearer's mobility even more than a suit of full plate. Half-plate armor includes gauntlets and a helm.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 3 gp
Weight: 1 lb.
Also called a belly-warmer, a haramaki is a simple silken sash lined with chainmail or articulated metal plates and tied about the stomach to protect it.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 20 gp
Weight: 15 lbs.
You strap a heavy steel shield to your forearm and grip it with your hand. A heavy steel shield is so heavy that you can't use your shield hand for anything else. Whether wooden or steel, a heavy shield offers the same basic protection and attack benefits, though the two versions respond differently to some spells and effects (such as rusting grasp). A druid can use a heavy wooden shield, but not a heavy steel shield.
Shield Bash Attacks
You can bash an opponent with a heavy shield. See "heavy shield" on the Martial Weapons table for the damage dealt by a shield bash with a heavy shield. Used this way, a heavy shield is a martial bludgeoning weapon. For the purpose of penalties on attack rolls, treat a heavy shield as a one-handed weapon. If you use your shield as a weapon, you lose its AC bonus until your next turn. An enhancement bonus on a shield does not improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made with it, but the shield can be made into a magic weapon in its own right.
Aura:CLl:
Price: 7 gp
Weight: 10 lbs.
A heavy wooden shield is essentially the same as a heavy steel shield, except that it responds differently to some spells and effects (such as rusting grasp). A druid can use a heavy wooden shield, but not a heavy steel shield.
Weapons