Armor

Armor (Body/Personal armor) is a protective covering that is used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or creature.

**Armor Proficiency.** Anyone can put on a suit of armor or strap a shield to an arm. Only those proficient in the armor's use know how to wear it effectively, however. If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity. In most cases:

* Light armor won't slow you down.
* Medium armor -5 movement speed.
* Heavy armor -10 movement speed.

**Durability.** This is how much damage the armor can withstand.

* If you are hit with a critical hit, the armor durability is reduced by half of the damage (round down) you received.
* If half of any damage (round down) the armor blocked will count toward durability.
* If durability is zero, the armor is beyond repair and completely destroyed.

## Armor Types/Categories

Armors are grouped into several interlocking sets of categories. These categories pertain to its usefulness, relative encumbrance and size. You only wear one full armor, and benefit from only one shield at a time.

Without armor, a character’s AC equals 10 + his or her DEX modifier.

**LIGHT armor:** Made from supple and thin materials, light armor favors agile adventurers since it offers some protection without sacrificing mobility. If you wear light armor, you add your Dexterity modifier to the base number from your armor type to determine your Armor Class.

**MEDIUM armor:** Medium armor offers more protection than light armor, but it also impairs movement more. If you wear medium armor, you add your Dexterity modifier, to a maximum of +2, to the base number from your armor type to determine your Armor Class. You have disadvantage on swimming and flying. If you have swimming/flying speed, it's halved.

**HEAVY armor:** Of all the armor categories, heavy armor offers the best protection. These suits of armor cover the entire body and are designed to stop a wide range of attacks. Heavy armor doesn't let you add your Dexterity modifier to your Armor Class, but it also doesn't penalize you if your Dexterity modifier is negative. You can't swim or fly in heavy armor. If you have swimming/flying speed, it's reduced to 0.

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**SHIELD:** Shields are used to intercept specific attacks by means of active blocks, deflects, instead of providing passive protection.

## Armor Sizes

In most campaigns, you can use or wear any equipment that you find on your adventures, within the bounds of common sense. A burly half-orc won’t fit in a halfling’s leather armor, and a gnome would be swallowed up in a cloud giant’s elegant robe. A suit of plate armor made for one human might not fit another one without significant alterations.

When adventurers find armor, clothing, and similar items that are made to be worn, they might need to visit an armorsmith, tailor, leatherworker, or similar expert to make the item wearable. The cost for such work varies from 10 to 40 percent of the market price of the item. The DM can either roll 1d4 × 10 or determine the increase in cost based on the extent of the alterations required.

## Armor Properties

#### **Block**

It reduces incoming damage by using its durability. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property--the damage is reduced from a single attack.

If you use the shield-wielding hand as part of an action or bonus action, you forfeit the AC bonus until the start of your next turn.

#### **Heavy**

Any creatures with STR equal or lower than the number in parentheses appears with the property, have speed reduced by 10 ft. while wearing these heavy armors.

#### **Special**

An armor with the special property has unusual rules governing its use, explained in the armor's description.

#### **Unstealthy**

This armor interferes with the wearer's ability to move quickly, stealthily, and freely. The wearer has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.