What is the BEST ARMOR for fantasy ADVENTURERS?

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[@ExtrainADogsLife]

Plot Armor.

[@RyanG0899]

Armour

[@gamermilk6399]

Good one!

[@johnstuartkeller5244]

Thusly.

[@derniercaesar5319]

Based

[@xSkye629x]

Came here to say exactly this

[@robertjensen1438]

The best armor for sneaking is leather armor. Because it's made of hide

[@Likexner]

lol

[@sephy980]

Ayye

[@trikepilot101]

I "liked" but I have to add a "groan" here.

[@robertjensen1438]

@@trikepilot101 Then my job here is done.

[@marcogenovesi8570]

congratulations on the kids btw

[@TheS4ndm4n]

Can I just say, it makes me really happy to see how much more healthy Shad looks now compared to a few months ago. Seems this whole "not doing everything alone anymore" has really helped.

[@luisbarboza2042]

Heck I would volunteer if I lived there

[@m.vondrake5534]

Agreed

[@skyereave9454]

He does look a lot better. Hope his health improves.

[@matlonr6473]

Skinner is not healthier

[@TheS4ndm4n]

@@matlonr6473 I wasn't talking about weight.

[@RogerS1978]

I've seen a guy swim in plate, the thing with your 'wool' filled gambesons would be that the original probably still had the lanolin oils present which modern washed wool wouldn't. That gives it a lot of water resistance over the modern ones

[@RogerS1978]

Oddly with a well padded gambeson it's actually not that uncomfortable sleeping in a breastplate (other than the edges when you move badly) as it protects from stoney ground (like most clearings). While chain actually drives you mad.

[@GreyhawkTheAngry]

That's a very good point.

[@Nurk0m0rath]

@@RogerS1978 It strikes me that if your mail is stretched so far that all you get are sharp little points, it's not sized right. I made one myself that makes a more-or-less flat surface front and back. And then it acts like elastic, giving you more stretch and flex when you need it. Hell, in that position I can use it as a shoe sole.

[@Quandry1]

@@RogerS1978 it's the ability to fold and bunch and reposition itself with things like chain as you move around and rub it against the ground and such in your sleep (kind of like blankets and even clothing do but usually less annoying because of their thinner layers. Which it always makes it interesting that it's the light and medium armors that have either a lot less metal or a lot less large rigid pieces to it that have always gotten the advantage in sleeping rules, Instead of the things that effectively make something akin to a hard bed surface that protects you from the uneven-ness and rockiness of the sleeping surface.

[@chrismorgan9651]

There used to be distinction between raw hide, standard, boiled and re-enforced leather armor in dnd.

[@kelvinsantiago7061]

Also leather scale and lamellar armor

[@Draxynnic]

And even when those distinctions faded, the descriptions up to 3rd edition at least specified that regular leather armour was hardened, at least for the torso and shoulders.

[@unwithering5313]

Which version?

[@jean-sebastienmatte2358]

DnD 5e mentions that the breastplate and shoulders of the leather armor is boiled leather

[@LarixusSnydes]

Probably related to the ChainMail rules that were used for combat simulation in the original D&D.

[@Vahlsten]

Crazy Idea... You three go to 3 day camping trip walk like 25km each day, have the guard duties and all those kinda things, in what ever loadouts you feel like an adventurer you are would use and carry. Obviously including provisions and camp supplies and cooking utensils and possible tools! Beast of burden is optional! So basically, go to an adventure!

[@ASpaceOstrich]

Australian weather might take exception to that, though if they do it in winter/late autumn it'd probably work.

[@Vahlsten]

@@ASpaceOstrich Well as we here in 4 seasons land of Finland say "There is no bad weather, there is only correct clothing for the weather"

[@ASpaceOstrich]

@@Vahlsten Sadly doesn't hold true in Australia. Because you can only take so many layers off. I wish we could wear something that cools us down instead of heats us up. All the good looking clothing is impossible to wear here. I have no idea how the group can stand to wear long sleeves in Australian summer. Maybe its not as bad over where they live, but here in Perth I'd be a sweaty corpse if I wore a gambeson all day.

[@Vahlsten]

@ASpaceOstrich That does simulate the video game trope of desert biome, while carrying the winter gear "just in case" you go there in the winter when the temperature drops close to 0c in the night. I'd say Umbrella is really handy against rain and direct sunlight. So donning armor and clothes on and off might be more common thing for adventurer to do than one might think.

[@nobleinsurance26]

@@ASpaceOstrich Are you implying that armor was never worn, traveled, and fought in by people in the middle east? Or are you implying that Australia is hotter than there?

[@nextcaesargaming5469]

"Brigandine might be bulletproof!" Me, hoping for a collab between Shadiversity and Kentucky Ballistics or Demolition Ranch: **Happiness Noises**

[@Lonovavir]

What's the AC bonus of a camouflage plate carrier with level 4 ceramic plates? Does it give a good stealth bonus?

[@nextcaesargaming5469]

@@Lonovavir It'll probably stop a heavy arrow from a warbow, but I've got my doubts on how useful it'll be against a Bec de Corbin

[@jonh8790]

Likely far too expensive to take Shad and co to the US. Unfortunately Aus wouldn't let Demo Ranch come to Aus with any fun toys.

[@blackbird1543]

YES PLEASE I PRAY THIS HAPPENS

[@johnmannich4978]

Sounds like a Skallagrim video to me :-) .

[@halfcirclehranch6877]

One thing about sleeping in armor... on more rigid styles, I've found them quite easy to sleep in. They'll often support you while sitting up, and make it easy to sleep.

[@nicolivoldkif9096]

Yep, every soldier learns how to use their body armor to comfortably sleep.

[@ulfurgaming4268]

neat

[@sleepycritical6950]

@@nicolivoldkif9096damn. Brings nostalgic memories of when I was too lazy, uncomfortable, or cold to take it off. Also just in case a surprise attack happens in the middle of the bloody night.

[@travis1061]

I've worn a breastplate with gambeson all day before and it was comfortable and I agree about it can support and hold you up. I haven't tried sleeping in it yet but I have to fix it first 😅

[@mentalrebllion1270]

My dm let get away with wearing armor during long rest because I play an elf…so I don’t sleep, I trance. Lol. And yeah it’s pretty much the same thought process of it being supportive to a degree.

[@mitchhaelann9215]

If Tyranth can make leather products and knows how to work metal as he does with swords), I'd like to see Shadiversity start experimenting with inventing new armors using modern materials and techniques to deal with fantasy scenarios.

[@VidelxSpopovich]

Omg Tyranth really is just a blacksmith now lol

[@josephahner3031]

Was it them who tested tire armor or someone else?

[@OverpoweredSlime]

@@josephahner3031 it was shadiversity

[@TheArklyte]

It's all fun and games with "modern materials" until you look up titanium and tungsten prices and what equipment is needed to work with them😅

[@chaimafaghet7343]

@@TheArklyte Titanium? Do you mean mithril?

[@TheDwight12]

You need to make medieval olympics video where you compete against each other in various events (throwing knives,spears, archery, maybe some cutting time challenges...). Its very fun seeing you compete and tease each other

[@noahstevens6662]

Yes! accept they'd have to buy some actual throwing knives not those... things Shad calls throwing knives

[@danielcox7629]

Naw, throw useful daggers if you are going to throw. Something you'd want to actually use for other things. Spear throw Jousting rings Wrestling in kit Caber toss Eating a whole roast chicken the fastest.

[@michaelpettersson4919]

Plenty of events have such competitions, not only medieval but viking style events as well. I saw a log lifting competition that was really fun. You lift one end of a log and the winner is the one that can lift furtherst from the end to be lifted up. It gets very heavy fast!

[@samuraijaco1]

This is absolutely perfect timing for me! I’m writing a fantasy book, where my adventurers have been wearing gambeson throughout the vast majority of their travels. But now that they’re traveling in an area well-known for dangers (through mountain tunnels), they’re wearing mail hauberk! Any additional information is great!!! Thank you so much, guys!!!

[@aj.j5833]

Have you considered looking into what Spanish Conquistadors wore. To me they would be closest real world examples of what Fantasy Adventures would be.

[@hraefn1821]

@@aj.j5833 This is an incredible point actually. They walked A LOT and went exploring a dangerous new land no European had set foot on. Their kit was definitely a compromise between functional protection and functional mobility and long term wear. Also...Greedfall. ~_^

[@howardhavardramberg7160]

A nice detail to add might be how smelly and sweaty their gambesons are lol

[@hraefn1821]

@@howardhavardramberg7160 Adventurer's smell for many reasons lol. Dear God...imagine what a B.O. , Sweat AND blood soaked gambeson would smell like after several weeks travel? XD "These elves got the jump on me. Clearly humans are no match for their incredibly heightened senses..." Elves: "We literally smelled you before we saw you..."

[@kelvinsantiago7061]

Bruh you should leave a link or update us on the book when it is finished so we can buy it!

[@rusty_ru]

The Lorica Segmentata (roman legionary) style armour needs more love. Might not be medieval, but the armour could be something that's passed on through families or found in dungeons. Also any damaged segments are relatively easy to fix or replace.

[@Draxynnic]

Brig is essentially the medieval equivalent. It probably is worth noting, though, that Roman-style armours were generally designed to be worn on campaign, so they probably do represent a decent cross-section of what would be suitable for adventuring.

[@marcusc9931]

Plate armor is great in realistic settings. But while it doesn't actually limit your agility, it does drain your stamina esspecially in hot weather - which has a similar effect. In fantasy, plate armor's advantage drops significantly - if a 1000 pounds troll hits you with a club, it might as well be tinfoil.

[@leonardomarquesbellini]

That armor fell out of use precisely because it WASN'T easy to repair or replace individual segments.

[@flamandbenoit7247]

Worth noticing the irish ones so ! See, the lorica we imagine is a pretty "frozen in time" one : lately in the roman history, in this region, the empire build armors way differents : with legs, lorica armatas and a square helm, it prefigures the early plate armors. But the world changed, and horse-riders becames the rulers of the continent, and the use for such a heavy thing was no more logical : they had chain mail by then.

[@mindstalk]

Mail is a lot older than "horse-riders", and AIUI it was the default armor of Romans, at least after the Gallic sack of Rome in 390 BC and the adoption of a lot of Gallic kit.

[@johannesbowers7467]

A couple of concepts that apply: (Barring the presence/availability of Horse or wagon) 1. The easiest way to carry it is to wear it. 2. You dress to the anticipated level of threat. The packframe or haversack you choose will be you lifeline for determining your ability to adjust between Overland Travel, Approach March, Movement to Contact, and Patrolling/Actions on the Objective.

[@Wastelandman7000]

True. Plus you could wear the gambeson all the time, then throw on the rest when you enter a known danger area. Thing is, most of D&D is a dangerous area LOL You never know when there is going to be a hobgoblin/orc/dragon/etc etc etc. raid. Or some idiot will let something from the 9 hells loose. Or some necromancer litch is going to decide where you're at has something they want and you have a bonehoard crawling over your tavern while you're just trying to have a few pints. LOL

[@sevenproxies4255]

On the topic of rust: that's what the samurai armour does well. Laquering the metal plate offered very good rust protection.

[@kurtisdeakin]

Until it's hit and the lacquer cracks etc.

[@aj.j5833]

@@kurtisdeakin You can patch enamel in the field as needed, quite easily.

[@frameessence425]

Can't get hit if they don't see you. A ring of invisibility is both light and highly protective 👌

[@reeceemms1643]

Unless that ring contains the soul of a a dark lord who can see you when you use it and send his elite squad of wraiths after you who can sense that ring.

[@michaelcamu625]

I’m surprised they didn’t mention magic items or spells when they were talking about the wizard armor. I mean, why would they need anything more than a gambeson if they can cast a shield bubble spell.

[@Cassandra112]

@@michaelcamu625 spells are limited by casts per day, or mana, or some other factor usually.

[@Likexner]

Only if it doesnt have the most common and most annoying drawback it usually has in games - whenever you attack, you stop being invisible. You could also still be hit with an AOE attack or if you were fighting in a narrow corridor and the enemy knew you were right there in front of them just half a second ago. They would still try to strike you.

[@EpicRandomness555]

@@reeceemms1643But it only works like that for Hobbits

[@Monyato]

Also heavily depends on terrain, as a moroccan one piece of armor is impossible in morocco. My grandparents live in the mountains, in summer it’s a blazing hot desert and in winter it’s snowing and colder than -10 degrees celsius. And kinds like america we have deserts, mountains, forrests and plains. So i think in a lot of countries one armor set year round is simply impossible.

[@Zephyr503]

A soaked gambeson would drag your limbs in the water, but it wouldn't sink the way metal does, it remains as bouyant as cloth. When you get out it would feel heavier because the water drains from metal armour.

[@bolbyballinger]

Yep, won't sink you, but you'll waste so much energy trying to move forward that you'll just tire out and be unable to tread water. So you drown from exhaustion, not weight.

[@simonmoorcroft1417]

Cloth is not buoyant. Air trapped between the fibres is, but as it get soaked the air pockets will collaspe and the cloth takes on the weight of the water in it. Only things with air pockets trapped in them float. sodden natural fibre will sink to the bottom. I should know. I got fishing and occasional drag up old clothes that have sunk to the bottom. Clothes will float until they are sodden and then sink. I also remember from childhood swimming and survival lessons that you can use clothes as a floatation aid but you have to tie off and arm or leg of the garment and deliberately create an air pocket.

[@sebasaavedra2443]

When I wash my gambeson(3,4kg), completely wet 25kg aprox trust me you will sink as a rock

[@TheWampam]

@@bolbyballinger Also, while it won't trag you down as long as it is IN water, as soon as you try to get it above the surface, i. e. to climb out or for many swimming techniques, it will trag you down.

[@cubancavalier3051]

I’m a simple man. I see shadiversity I click

[@Hot_Dice]

Finally, the question we all need answered.

[@steffenaltmeier6602]

i think brig is just perfect for an adventurer. good protection, good range of movement, easy to put on and easy to fix if damaged (only small parts need replacement, can propably be done by a regular smith if needed in a pinch)

[@mindstalk]

But then there's lamellar, which can be repaired or adjusted with a simple sewing kit, no need for riveting.

[@Mo0kie]

As someone who wears modern armor for work on the daily, this was extra fun to watch. I like to think about the kind of kit one would of worn in the past!

[@dolphinerofachero3159]

You clear dungeons for a living?

[@Mo0kie]

@@dolphinerofachero3159 In a sense.....Yes, you could say so. Lol

[@NikoCigoj]

Ah, a fellow war criminal

[@dolphinerofachero3159]

@@NikoCigoj his name? John Blackwater Security

[@Mo0kie]

@@NikoCigoj You know it ;D

[@macrendilysmir1876]

I was literally wondering about this 2 days ago. And a major caveat to armour would be "magic fantasy armour". Fantasy metals? Magic physical boosts? Fantasy creature leather and stuff like super-plant gambeson or spidersilk????

[@steemlenn8797]

Fortified silk armor of hightened resistance +5 for the win!

[@flamandbenoit7247]

glyphs and runes my friend, the easy way to cast a spell without any knowledge ;) armor of fire storm and jelmot of iron flesh, gloves of pyromancy, shield ofwrath of god... sad i cannot be this OP \[T]/

[@BluegrassKnight]

While I would love to see a test involving swimming in armor, I would like to caution y'all against doing anything in that pond at least without properly scouting it out first! I would recommend just using a pool, that way it's clean, has better conditions for filming and just a safer, more controlled environment all round! Great video Shad and Co., can't wait to see the next adventure, stay safe y'all and keep up the great work!

[@bolbyballinger]

Especially since it's Australia.

[@littlekong7685]

Yeah, cattle runoff water can be pretty dangerous stuff to splash around in.

[@BluegrassKnight]

Yeah, your right it can, especially when you're going into any body of water that you have no idea of what is in it, while wearing armor that weighs you down! You could go under and be snagged by something unseen under the water or even slip and trapped in mud on the bottom! People I've known have drowned, some being in very small amounts of water, so things like that happen and I just wanted people to be safe is all, as well I didn't say not to do it, but said check it out first, nothing wrong with that!@@littlekong7685

[@seanmadson8524]

​@@bolbyballinger That was my concern. Alligators are in almost every body of water along the southeast coast of the U.S., so I assume Australia is just completely infested with crocodiles in the wet areas. Judging by Shad's attitude, perhaps they're filming in an area that is somehow protected from crocodiles, and the others just don't want to go in the gross mucky water. I can relate to that

[@ASpaceOstrich]

@@seanmadson8524 They're in specific places rather than everywhere. If he's not in an area they live, theres no risk of a random croc in a pond. Despite its reputation, Australia actually has less dangerous wildlife than other continents. We have no megafauna at all in the vast majority of the country. Theres no moose or bears or big cats. And the crocodiles are only in specific places and are pretty small in numbers from what I understand. Kangaroos are theoretically dangerous but they don't really enter populated areas much and prefer to run away most of the time. The most dangerous stuff in Australia is in the ocean. Because we have some really stupidly venomous water-life.

[@zanderthegreen2385]

When I play druids, I make their armor out of wood. Like thick plates of wood held together by rope or vines. Sometimes I add tree resin to stick sharp stones to it

[@Olter_]

But is your junk covered by a single leaf?

[@Marcus_Postma]

I was thinking along the same lines. One of the book series I like to read is about a battle druid, and one of the things he learned to do is to grow a bark skin that covers him completely and even creates a helmet that completely seals his head so that he doesn't breathe in toxic air. He connects his senses to the plants and animals around him in order to see. Mind you he is a master druid trained in combat.

[@fistsofsnake5475]

out of curiosity , doesn't druids care for both animals and plants? Ao useing wood wouldn't be so much difrent than useing leather for them? or i just overthinking?

[@zanderthegreen2385]

@fistsofsnake5475 druids are responsible for the balance of nature and care of the health of it. This means that sometimes they need to cull numbers or burn down large/ dead trees to make room for younger trees and plants to grow. That's why a lot of their Spells are fire and lightning based. Ntm getting spells like blight that are designed for plants

[@rainsilent]

@@zanderthegreen2385 I know I am late to the discussion but historically there was armor made of hemp, wood fibers and other plant fibers that were comparable roughly to gambesons in terms of style and protection. The closest to wood plates is historical Chinese "paper" armor that took wood fibers and made them into plates that looked like paper. It was roughly equivalent to steel plate armor but manufacturing took a long time and it was very vulnerable to water.

[@nathancole6678]

I have worn a mail shirt for most of a day (but not days) and found it pretty comfortable. Given how long they were in use I think they would probably be more versatile than you are giving it credit for. Though brigandine was not as universal, it also saw a lot of popularity through the mid to late middle ages. Since lamellar type armor was seen from the ancient world up to the 19th century across various cultures, I think they are also under appreciated in medieval and fantasy media.

[@StephenDeagle]

Concerning leather armor, examples of soft leather armor abound in Early Modern warfare, when the buff coat predominated.

[@ObsydianShade]

The buff coat is underappreciated. I have a character that for his light, traveling armor, wears a buff coat or sometimes a buff coat, gorget, and kettle helm when not expecting serious trouble. If is going through a bit more of a sketchy area, will add a breastplate and gauntlets. He's a monster hunter going from town to town in a wagon, so doesn't have to worry about carrying everything on his person. He'll also have a couple of horse pistols, and blunderbuss handy for problems encountered on the road. Of course, for actual hunting, he'll be wearing half plate with mail underneath it, unless terrain or other factors dictate otherwise, but that's by far the least amount of his time.

[@joshuarogue9345]

I do think the neck protections being on looks better, I did get the turtle turtle reference, and I also 100% agree with Shad about typical fantasy druids. It would make sense for them to have more plant based clothing options than leather. Specifically if for no other reason than to avoid hunting their friends on accident (as in other druids, or wildlife they have bonded with). I also agree with Tyranth, on the gambeson for wizards. Its just protective cloth, makes no sense for them not to wear it.

[@littlekong7685]

The one reason i have seen is that magic has a gunsmoke like effect. Every spell scatters octarine particles about (That detect magic and spellcraft can detect). These have funny effects on things they touch. So Wizards as a rule avoid tight, form fitting clothing because one unlucky particle spray and suddenly you can't get your pants off and you are singing soprano. The reason Wizards robes and hats are so big is because magic made them big and wizards just trim as they need, if they shrink... they still fit, so no worries. But yes, things like rope armour would probably still be fine as that is only covering vitals, is extremely flexible, and easy to make looser or tighter. I also second something like a Roman Scutum shield or a Pavis, something they can drop on the ground and hide behind while they prep some magic.

[@shawn6860]

A wizard wearing gambeson would be fine with me too. Its cloth and flexible enough. As for druids Gambeson and I would allow metal, wood and other plant based materials as well. Bamboo and other materials are good options.

[@joshuarogue9345]

100% agree. I cringe when I see or hear that druids cant wear metal, especially in settings that elementals monsters and planes lol. @@shawn6860

[@Quandry1]

for Fantasy Druids. Use Every part of the animal, They aren't some kind of vegan. they accept that animals are eaten and it's natural. But they try to honor the animal, a number of cultures used leather for various things as part of honoring the animal. Turning it into leather armor over something plant based makes perfect sense when you consider them that way. Hunting for survival is natural, how you treat the animal after death is the important part. The wolf and the rabbit might be friendly when full, but the wolf will hunt the rabbit when sufficiently hungry even then, Many druids are also accompanied by carnivores in many settings as their animal friend/companion. You have to also remember that to most Fantasy Druids, animals are not the only living part of nature. Plants are very much living and may even have very animal like qualities as well. So if you start denying them leather because they bond with an animal so they should only eat plants and they should use plant basis for all their gear, they run into the same problem because they bond with all of nature so they bond with the plants too. They have to accept that there are natural parts of cycles and there is no neat little line drawn between plants and animals for them (unlike the line some of them draw between humanoid and animal/plant when it comes to nature which is often very neat.)

[@wulfthemountaindragon5432]

Looking at how the military does long march with their full kit and such would likely be a good baseline to kinda guess at what an adventurer would have, maybe?

[@Fuzzycat16]

Conquistadors would be the closest example.

[@littlekong7685]

Or Romans. Conquistadors had a lot of issues with discipline, and many men not being able to afford good kit. Many died when a sling stone landed in their ribs, or were struck upon their clothed head with a wooden club. Romans on the march had, at the bare minimum a shield and sword and likely a helm at hand making ambushing them very hard without solid numbers or a way to disrupt clusters.

[@axelhopfinger533]

Military infantry drills and adventuring are two very different scenarios. Because if you're adventuring, you're gonna encounter a lot more diverse terrain challenges and climates while travelling. And you need your kit to be able to adapt to that. You may have to cross a river without a bridge, climb a mountain or hike through rain, snow or a desert. And you can't be completely knackered and sore every day after walking 8 - 12 hours. Also you likely won't have a supply train carrying food and camp equipment for you, so you need to carry all of that on yourself too, unless you happen to have a beast of burden or minion bearing that load for you. A wandering knight in full heavy armor won't be going very far without his squire and horse or whatever additional retinue he can muster. Any survival expert or special forces soldier like rangers or scouts will always emphasize that weight is key and all kit and gear should be as lightweight as possible, in order to preserve maximum mobility and endurance. And adventurers would likely be most similar to a ranger, focused on mobility and traversing difficult terrain without any logistical support, living off the land. And for that purpose, comfort and flexibility is king when it comes to gear.

[@connoisseurofcookies2047]

The major difference between modern light infantry and Medieval and older period travellers/soldiers is medical support (along with a soldiers average height & bodyweight, diet, footwear, etc.). Heat exhaustion, strains and sprains are far less debilitating when you have a medical transport on standby or other MEDEVAC assets (and conditions like dehydration and heat are deadly no matter the era). If you were to march a large body of men 20km+ with weight and equipment (40kg+) in a single go you can expect to suffer as much as 15-30% attrition rate, something a commander will only accept in an emergency. I don't think using a modern infantryman as a baseline for 'adventurers' is a good metric. But what they can be used for is to factcheck historians or historical records making bizzare claims about lifestyles and habits of ancient soldiers (like the oft-repeated claim that Roman legions marched 32km daily, not as an emergency manouvre but as their daily planning range).

[@travis1061]

I think a really good baseline for what a day as an adventurer could be like would be to go on a 3+ day backpacking trip through the mountains and other terrain with your "ideal" adventuring kit. Wear your Armor and carry your weapons and a bag full of everything else you'd want/need and see what it's like. My "survival" bag (more of a live of the land bag) weighs a fair bit but I have deliberated and hand picked the items inside it based off camping and other outdoor activities. If I was to live off the land and possibly even build a cabin or such, I'd just take my survival bag because it's got lots of highly versatile tools inside it. And I can wear it with my Breastplate and Gambeson fairly comfortably.

[@OathForged]

Really appreciate effort put into the videos, consistently good content. Thanks guys

[@chrisbingley]

On the carrying vs wearing argument for armour. In my experience, armour feels a lot heavier when you're carrying it in a rucksack than when you're wearing it. So adventurers may prefer to wear their armour. EDIT: Studded leather was normal leather armour, held together by rivets rather than thonging. Usually dure to the thickness of the leather.

[@demoulius1529]

This was never done historically. Thats their point. But pictures of brigandine were confused for leather armor with rivets in it.

[@chrisbingley]

@@demoulius1529 It was done historically. The seams would be held together with rivets rather than thonging. Take a jacket. Look at where the stitching is and that's where the rivets would be. Fantasy authors got confused and thought the whole thing was riveted.

[@emiliomartinez7573]

Plot armor is the best armor of all time. Also the tears of the kingdom link armor is good, it has a gamerson and chain mail over it and then the tunic and leather shoulder pads and chest pad.

[@masterbasher9542]

The Tunic and Leather may not offer defensive protection. But it can sure protect the metal from the elements.

[@aj.j5833]

I like to look at what Spanish Conquistador wore. In my view they closest examples of what we have in real world of what fantasy adventures do.

[@steelmongoose4956]

I’m my homebrew RPG, I actually use a stat called Plot Armor. It reflects the relative importance of characters and makes them harder (and more likely) to hit. It’s the armor that prevents James Bond from getting K5’ed by unnamed mooks who shouldn’t be missing him.

[@aj.j5833]

@@steelmongoose4956 My favorite is when a super reliable gun, suddenly jams or run out of ammo in their infinite ammo magazine/belt, right before they able shoot the hero.

[@rachdarastrix5251]

I don't know. I am able to wear nothing at all, not even underwear, and as far as armor I am wearing I can still not get penetrated by a 20mm bullet. You'll never guess why, because you are already imagining what I look like, and that silly little creature you are imagining is incorrect. So that is better armor than plot armor right? Still hurts like Hell causing internal bleeding under my scales though.

[@Crimsonfangg]

The problem is that as an adventurer, there's always that threat of being ambushed and you need to be prepared. I think the best option would be to just invest all your points into a light armor build.

[@Sibula]

Depends on the setting and such. If you're traveling through terrain where monsters or bandits lurk, sure, but if you're just traveling between cities in a peaceful kingdom, nah.

[@matthiuskoenig3378]

Invest in mounts and pack animals.

[@Chasing80sToys]

Great timing. Watching now on the big screen. Love the videos you make. Excellent editing and the topics are so interesting and fun. 👍

[@yannickbiemans8946]

I actually made my own ttrpg and I counted gambeson as 'clothing', as often times people going into battle wore gambeson underneath their chainmail/brigandine/etc. The gambeson provides a flat reduction in damage received. You could also wear it as armor, but it would be a different type of gambeson (thicker) with better bonuses.

[@yannickbiemans8946]

@@gronthgronth2628 I understand what you mean, but I also want to allow players to wear different types of clothes under their armor. One of them allows easier access to potions. Another can have first aid tools easily available. I know you can also do that with regular gambeson (with belts and accesories), but I want it to be a choice for the player.

[@LunaireTD]

This gave me great inspiration for armor layering in my fantasy rpg I'm working on! Being able to put a gambison and possibly a chainmail as well underneath a primary armor adds a lot of customizing. These would have stacking benefits and downsides of course.

[@aj.j5833]

Spanish Conquistador level of armor would be what I'd go for as a Fantasy Adventurer.

[@charlesolinger9735]

Traveling adventurer in the summer time walking on foot lets say 12 to 15km per day with all your gear on your back. Most likely close to 80 pounds of gear for everything. I would not want to be wearing gambeson the entire time.

[@charlesolinger9735]

If your constantly moving in chain mail the rust does not stay on the rings. Walking and traveling in mail I think would rust much less than walking and traveling in plate in all weather conditions. Brigandine would turn into a rust bucket pretty fast once the outside layer cloth gets wet a few times. And the rust color would start to stain everything. Pretty armor would look pretty bad pretty fast.

[@billberg1264]

@@charlesolinger9735 I guess that's why the guys went with rust-red cloth for their brigandine.

[@1forge2rulethemall88]

Glad someone finally pointed out how easy mail is to repair on the road, like you surely dont want to have to repair your armour but its nice if you need to to know that you can.

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

Lammelar and jack of plates are both easier to repair than brig. For brig you have to have a bag of nails and way to river them. With lamellar you just need plates with holes in it and lacing, same with Jack if plates

[@barelyasurvivor1257]

When Shad was talking about swimming in Gambeson. I got flash backs to the Hobbit trip in the barrels that they did. But I really hope that thhey put enough ropes on him to pull him to shore when he sinks. But if you don't wear your armor while travelling, random encounters or ambushes are going to end up with the adventurers getting hurt a lot, if not killed.

[@belqinorleaf2655]

@shadiversity Consider using a scuba facility to test the water things. It's less expensive than you think, and we are also filled with technical nerds. Look into full kit marine/navy load-outs and how they get when waterlogged and the interaction with boots! Soldiers actually spend the time to unlace the boots when tossed overboard, even when they keep their rifles and other heavy metal things to lug around. Now, to finish the video, I hope the questions aren't answered later...

[@dolphinerofachero3159]

Nah they should swim against a river and see which doesn’t drown

[@Generalphoenix8438]

For my fantasy novels its always a mixture of certain elements. Leathers, padding and studs are my prime three i use. Leather- both hides and pelts are mostly used by raiders and for the heros they add hide layers onto armour sections for heat during colder climates Padding- litraly the prime one used my the main army as primary armour with brigadine added in vital sections to add in protecting to vital weakspots with leather used for gloves, boots and betls. This channel actually helped me imagine these concepts further and think of recources for certain regions and different techniques they use. Id love to show off my concepts visualy if i was able to. Updated- I forgot to put brigandine in my first send off but I've edited this now. Brigandine is mentioned in this channel which is layered plating of small pieces of metal sewn into an gambeson like armour. This way the maintenance is easier then using an entire armour made of one metal, imagine scales as an idea but this channel has it down as studs for a title.

[@Likexner]

Studs wont add any significant amount of protection unless the whole area of the armor piece is covered with them, at which point youre better off using maille or a brigandine anyway.

[@panpiper]

Studs weren't used in any way for protection. You'd do much better sewing rings onto a gambeson.

[@danielcox7629]

Usually a stud is usually fastening a plate of leather or metal to an area. Just studs in armour would be as useful as embroidery.

[@Generalphoenix8438]

@@Likexner I forgot to put down brigandine in my example for the studs. But you are correct.

[@Generalphoenix8438]

@@panpiper I've just put down my updated on a comment but thankyou for the reply

[@reeceemms1643]

What my main group in my fantasy wear for armour. Nothing because they have to be quite agile and do parkour so they wear just a basic clothe top and brown leather trousers and boots. Though the main character does get chainmail and leather bracers. There is also one of the other members of the main team who is an Elven Hunter and she wears her hunting gear though with Elven light armour (basically again leather) Also day something of asking for a video on medieval weddings and how to incorporate them into our fantasies. That isn't just copying Game of Thrones, (perhaps you could do that for a valentines day video next year?)

[@broadswordcdb5879]

I just received my leather bound novel. Great quality! Worth the wait! Great work Shad and team

[@MajorSebbaa]

Great overview. There is balance to be struck between protection / weight and ease of use. Plate is really good on protection / weight, but it's hard to put on and off. Brigantine just adds so much more convenience for only a little loss in protection. One thing to add about chainmail: It's breathable. The heat does not get trapped under the chainmail, like it is under other armor. Also, one should not forget about a helmet! That's the most important part of your armor.

[@tterminatormc4705]

Realy a adventure would probably prefer Ancient Greek, or Roman armor as it incorporates their weapon and shields into the protectiveness of armor. Definitely improve the materials but to be honest greek and Roman army’s traveled through desert , mountains ,swamps, and frigid winter with common success. So I think a more classical Mediterranean armor would be pretty wonderful.

[@phenjaws569]

I'm with Shad on druids and leather armor

[@littlekong7685]

Wood, Rope, natural fibre Gambeson armours make a lot more sense really. Furs (Taken from hostile or invasive creatures, or scavenged from naturally dead creatures) I could see equally as likely due to them not wanting to waste a kill (Corrupted creature or not). But boiling leather is a toxic, time and resource consuming process requiring good hardy leather from large animals, and requires good sealants made from small industrial processes and a decent bit of ongoing care (Though being able to ask bees nicely for wax would make it much easier). I think ideally a Druid would wear rope armour with wooden plates woven in (Like a scale), with thick furs over it, and a big old wooden shield he can hide behind in battle while he closes to maul his foes.

[@walkir2662]

If you can talk to animals and develop a rapport, one may offer its skin to you as armor. Just a random animal might be an issue, though.

[@intheshadows1623]

regarding if you can swim in full Gambeson, I did jump in our lake with my Gambeson plus padded legs, and did swim in it, no problem. It has some sort of upstream, that helps you keep afloat. But when it really sucks, is when you get out of it.

[@the_hat_man879]

I love the aesthetic of like knight armor (lawbringer from for honor for example) or shogun armor but its interesting to see this video keep up the good work shad and team! I always enjoy these vids!

[@Sanguifier]

IMO the Brig in standard form is definitely worse in terms of rust, as it will trap moisture and the rust cannot be easily polished away once its developed. However, if you took the time to wax the outer material regularly right off the production line, I think it could be more rust resistant than plate. This would also just give the advantage of having a waterproof covering for your gambeson, though I suppose that could be waxed as well.

[@littlekong7685]

The big advantage is replacement, a small anvil, handful of rivets, and a mallet and you can replace plates without a tremendous amount of difficulty. But this then assumes a baggage animal to haul spare parts. Mail seems the best for this, you need a sack and some oil and you are good. A bit of wire and pliers and you can butt damaged areas until you an get somewhere to properly rivet them again.

[@stav1369]

Leather armour is accessible as laminar and scale configuration where it can be more articulated. It might not be as common in western cultures but it is more common in eastern and African cultures. Leather is easier to work then metal, lighter, but it’s accessibility is dependent on abundance of the right animals of suitable quantities with thick hides. Hence prob why it was not popular in most euro cultures.

[@80krauser]

Being on the Steppe with hundreds of cattle would be a boon for lamellar.

[@littlekong7685]

And for a ranger, out hunting big game then coming back to civilization every few months, Leather would be plentiful and therefore easy to repair and patch for them. A mix of hard and soft would make more sense for them as iron or steel might be far too rusty too quickly depending on the climate and how much river fording they do.

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

That makes sense to me. Plus most European and Mediterranean cultures had some interaction with the Romans...who were huuuuuge fans of metal armor. So I can imagine that helped 'ingrain' the want for metal armor across those areas.

[@jungoder1085]

Proper leather armour with the lamellar being made of thick boiled scales/ plates isn’t actually that much lighter and it’s as flexible as a metal equivalent But depending on region could be cheaper like in the steppes for example where everyone is herding animals Maintaining it can be an issue though to be fair it rots and every hit with something sharp will cut into it even if it doesn’t go through all the way Something like a brigandine with tinned plates(makes the steel rust resistant) would weigh pretty similar, be easier to put on and have an easier material to replace(linen) while you would barely need to change the plates which would be cheap from their size That or a hauberk lol

[@VinceTenia]

Actually Shad makes a great setting specific point about mages and sorceresses. If they can't wear armor because it interferes with their channeling of the magic through their body, then it gives great artistic license for why they may often be wearing scantly clad robes, bearing much skin, Perhaps the channeling of magic is actively hot and cases certain cheap fabrics to ignite so all mages wear specialized clothing for spell casting that's flame retardant but also highly breathable so the mage can quickly "cool off" after channeling a spell. This also creates interesting restrictions environmentally for certain types for spell casters as channeling in an already hot environment exhausts your mages faster but also in very cold environments they may channel more efficiently but are restricted by the need for thick and heavy fabrics to stave off hypothermia. Druids and clerics channel magic through their deities and so may not be effected by environment for spell casting but likely have other restrictions in place by their deity/religion on their casting.

[@DJRockford83]

Mages wearing cpu like heat sinks 😂

[@trevorhook5677]

Tyranth: *Makes interesting point* Tyranth and Nate: *Discuss calmly* Shad: "NO- NO! NOOOOO! IT'S!" Tyranth and Nate: ... Shad: "Actually, yes." Looking forward to the armor swimming vid.

[@kodys2087]

Easy, non-drowning risk way to analyze swimming in Gambeson vs Mail…soak the Gambeson in water, take it out, and put on scale with a zeroed out container. If it weighs more than the Mail then you likely have your answer.

[@CapnLan]

Water-soaked cloth, in the water, does NOT drag one down. Out of water. It becomes heavy as hell. Steel worn in the water subtracts from your buoyancy and drags you down. A diver in full scuba gear waddles like an arthritic walrus on the boat. In the water, most of that weight disappears.

[@TheTakato122]

Shoutout to the "Shadiversity Brigandine Armor Set": 15:16

[@EliteGoosePlusOne]

i think any SERIOUS adventurer would 1) have a crew and thus 2) have a wagon, ship, or at least some pack mules. that allows you to carry extra gear for different situations, and room for loot, too. thus it's conceivable you would have your gambeson for marching, but if you pull up outside a dungeon you can suit up into something more appropriate.

[@jmcc4566]

Wagons are underrated, seriously

[@VidelxSpopovich]

Traveling is something I ALWAYS take into account when playing D&D. More specifically in 5e I’ve been trying to stay very aware of how my character would realistically carry gear. That said each of my characters tend to invest in horses and a carriage pretty early on to carry the brunt of my weapons, armor, climbing equipment, hunting traps, etc.

[@Gibson7Clans]

I love these kinds of videos from shad. I wish he made more.

[@luiscossio296]

I think something you are overlooking is the way the adventurer is traveling. Sure, they might be more comfortable in something like a brigandine for travel and wear full armor only if going into battle, but if they are traveling alone and on foot, they'd have to lug the armor around in a backpack, at which point, just wearing it around might be easier.

[@jonathanbrooks4880]

Something you guys mentioned about the flexibility of the cuirass against the brig was that you had more maneuverability. I will say that a lot of Tyranths movements during that segment seemed to be more centered around hip mobility rather than abdominal mobility. Something I would be interested in seeing is if you guys could get your hands on a breastplate with a matched plackart. Allegedly, the plackart would have acted as belly protection for a shorter breastplate and allow for that sagittal bending, though many of them were used as decorative pieces rather than battlefield.

[@kara9543]

oftopic: Shad, thanks for notification about that book is on way. I m looking forward to it...

[@xxXXRAPXXxx]

Armor? We fighting nude for that + 15 (dependent on opponent) to charisma so we can seduce the dragon. At least that way we have a chance.

[@RoulicisThe]

And then you encounter Slimes, which are completely immune to charisma-based abilities... That would be pretty funny actually : "the dragonslayer got killed tripping on a Slime after failing his Charisma roll".

[@SolinOutlander]

Well hello there, dragon. My, what a lovely rump you have. Would you like to see my magic sword? *rolls a charisma check to seduce*

[@xxXXRAPXXxx]

@@RoulicisThe You must watch some weird Hen... anime where Slimes of all creatures are immune to seduction.

[@RoulicisThe]

@@xxXXRAPXXxx Slime don't have gender, they reproduce by splitting themselves. They have no reproductive drive, you can't seduce something that has literally 0 level of libido ^^

[@Atlas_Forge]

I am very quickly starting to love Nates apparel choices. The fit is🔥

[@luisbarboza2042]

YES!! WE BACK TO THIS!! tho I followed kind of the original idea when choosing pieces of a kit of my dream fantasy adventurer armor, tho I blame goblin slayer for some influence in style and still going for "I play tanks" towards weapons and the amount of protection On how it would work, I get this Idea from a goblin slayer fanfic where they actually took him seriously and they start making usefull things like small, easy to pull, war wagons that serve for them to carry extra gear and resources to the goblin quests

[@AndyDaze]

Shad mentioned about the fact that gambason does not get covered in video games, as a review purpose I would suggest checking out a game called Vintage Story. The main armour is gambason and main weapon is a falx blade. Defo should check it out. Great video guys as always

[@czescwaszejpamiecizonierze7427]

What about a hussar style lobster cuirass, a good mobility comparable with that of the brig while offering a structured strength in the upper torso. Advantages of both, aldo it would be harder to upkeep..... But come on at least +2 for drip even without the wings xD ❤

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

Hell yeah. Hussar Armor looks soooo good

[@jungoder1085]

Could just wear an earlier style cuirass with a strapped plackart to be fair less complicated and less to go wrong also more flexible

[@TheCaniblcat]

~34:15 in the newer D&D explanations, the reasons Sorcerers/Wizards get penalties for wearing armor is simply that they never learned how to properly don/doff/move in armor. There are feats that can rectify that, such as Arcane Armor Training "You have learned how to cast spells while wearing armor".

[@GreyhawkTheAngry]

Seriously?

[@TheCaniblcat]

@@GreyhawkTheAngry that's how it was in 3.5e/Pathfinder. You CAN cast spells in armor, you just have a chance of that spell failing if it has a Somatic component. Arcane Armor Training reduces that chance of failure by 10% and Arcane Armor Mastery reduces it by 20%

[@AnotherDuck]

@@TheCaniblcat In D&D 5e, you just need to be proficient in the armour you're wearing, so it's basically the same thing. So if a Wizard somehow gets heavy armour proficiency (like a character with that proficiency multiclasses into Wizard), they can cast spells wearing heavy armour.

[@ASpaceOstrich]

The warhammer fantasy explanation is so much better. In warhammer, metal draws in the wind of metal, so if you're not a metal wizard, it throws off your casting. Metal wizards can and in fact benefit from wearing metal armour, while everyone else needs to avoid it. This is also why fire wizards wear candles or braziers. It gives an in universe reason for the wizards to be wearing stuff that fits their wind of magic.

[@aroko921]

Something preventing if not entirely was tining the metal of the armor or coating it in a different metal like brass ( though I'm not all too sure about that but the technology for that was there) or even in wax. Tining was most often done with the plates of brigandines showing that they had the means to do so

[@DamianBloodstone]

You never fail to entertain and teach me something new. I wear a very long (near ankle length) heavy 12 oz canvas heavily waxed (tinned) drover coat (weight 7 pounds with hood and cape). I have had pruning sickles and once a hatchet hit me on the arm with no damage to the canvas at all. I've even fallen into a thorn bush with only a few sticks through it. The hits hurt like hell, but if I had been wearing a true coat under it I doubt I would have felt it, except for the thorn bush. So I'm wondering if a gamberson could be waxed to not absorb the rain or a quick fall into a lake. It might make it extremely hot, because waxed dusters (3oz canvas) are in the summer months. Anyway, I love it when you all discuss these things. They turn out to be the most fun I have while watching. Thanks for all the great content. Take Care and Stay Safe.

[@elmaxidelsur]

Hire someone dumb and loyal to fight for you... If he dies, he dies. Otherwise carey all your gear on a wagon so you can have as much armor as terrain/enemies allow.

[@richardchisenhall387]

Just an aside that I've thought of, i know you guys test strange weapons for their effectiveness. I was thinking about a strange fighting style from soul caliber, the character hilde fights with a short sword in the right hand and a full spear in the left and i wonder if that has any validity to it

[@michaelcamu625]

A short spear and arming sword could work, but I think a pavise (spiked shield), would work better because it provides protection as well.

[@Likexner]

No.

[@jakemarsh8967]

I grew up on a ranch, have hunted my entire life, and have gone through some military training, and my immediate idea for solving a lot of logistical problems here would be some sort of poncho. In the army these things are life savers, keeps your gear dry and acts as a little windbreaker, but obviously medieval style adventurers wouldnt have any sort of modern synthetic canvas, but they do have leather, and I grew up moving cows in the rain and I can tell you through personal experience that slickers are the greatest thing for saving all the leather you have on you. Slickers are waxed leather trench coat style coverings, they're loose and can button in the front and have a sort of shoulder cover to make sure the rain runs down your arms and not into your neck. Having a slicker would be amazing for taking care of any type of armor when travelling for days on end, let alone just keeping yourself insulating from the elements

[@Jordan.A.07]

Master of Disguise! I LOVE that movie! Also, i think your kit looks better with the neck piece visible, Shad. And lastly, I didn't miss that joke your were aiming at Nate. So what if he enjoys being inside a good mail? He's no less the adventurer! 😉

[@KiithnarasAshaa]

I will offer this: Leather plates can and possibly would augment the protection of Gambeson and may be desirable where even mild steel is simply not available or economical.

[@Tyarrk]

Honest question: Would you put them on top of the Gambeson, underneath it or integrate it into the fabric?

[@KiithnarasAshaa]

@@Tyarrk Over for sure. Layered defenses, put your hard stuff outside and padding on the inside to better disperse impacts.

[@lucithomas9833]

Something I've never seen taken into account is the German mercenaries, the Landsknecht. They're incredibly flashy, beautiful, and I think they're a good base for a DND adventurer

[@aj.j5833]

I'd look at Spanish Conquistador for ideas what an fantasy adventure would wear. Adding Landsknecht flair to it, could be really interesting.

[@lucithomas9833]

Thank you for the ideas ☺️ I'll look them up. I hope you have a lovely rest of your day, and I hope tomorrow for you is even better. Take care of yourself, and thank you for the tip!

[@ArmourArtist]

My answer. As much plate as I can get away with. Sorry I forgot to tell you about maintenance. Boot polish should keep it protected with a layer of wax and darken it if you use black. Because that breastplate fitted to me it felt like a second skin and I even forgot I was wearing it once and I can put it on myself. I think I am going to have to do a full video on this subject.

[@FierceDeity35]

Uh, full plate. All the time. Any situation. Granted, you need to be strong enough.

[@alexsawicki]

Full plate, particularly without an assistant, is highly inconvenient. Hard to put on. Maybe harder to take off. Hard to repair. Entirely possible to lose/gain weight and have the armor not fit anymore. Don't get me wrong: The protection provided by full plate is second to none. But it has other disadvantages.

[@markobucevic8991]

@@alexsawicki this is why magic exists, you simply cast it and it´s on your body. Playing as an arcane knight you skip that stuff, tho again, you gonna wear plate the moment you wake up for the rest of the day.

[@thegodofsoapkekcario1970]

You could have a character wear full plate, it’s just that you’ll need a lot more adventurers and servants carrying all his stuff for him.

[@michaelcamu625]

Tyranth did not like the samurai armor. Shad may be knocking some sense into him, changing his katana weeb ways. 😂

[@morrigankasa570]

My (D&D) Mountain Dwarf Runecarver background Wizard planning School of Necromancy can wear Armor. Anyway, I personally would favor Scale Mail as an adventurer.

[@user-kl5zd2oe3e]

I would say a shield or a buckler. Armor gets heavy and all armor is hot. Heat costs water which means more weight and you'd better have a water supply. I do the middle earth ranger thing and i tried wearing a gambeson during a trek. Its really hot. Even modern armor isn't very fun to wear in the heat and in the hills.

[@RenCarl1sle]

I also love brigandine. It's the go-to armour for a significant number of people in my story. The main exception is my MC, who wears either no armour or a very light organic scale shirt because the increased risk (or, more accurately, the increased anticipation of risk) dramatically increases her ability to react to danger. The fear also enhances her senses, and courage does the same for her strength. This is important as she utilises a very fast, explosive combat style.

[@heathmorris6100]

In fantasy games i always assume gambeson is worn underneath most other armors. Thats why i can justify the lower armor rating for just wearing gambeson

[@brianlinden3042]

This right here. You wear gambeson under almost every type of armor in real life; why would D&D armor be any different. Even leather should have gambeson under it.

[@snatchy9837]

Wrong, Gambeson worn as stand alone armor and Gambeson worn under other types of armor are two different things

[@heathmorris6100]

@snatchy9837 yes I'm aware of that. But for a game you want more distinction between the types of armor and not the versions of one type. Ie all plate armor has the same stats regardless of the Era or technology used to make it. If you had a hyper realistic set of rules then I would understand the need for the distinction

[@MyLobotomy14]

Shad, you and your crew should make a dedicated video explaining how you would maintain weapons and armor while on an adventure

[@Destroyer_V0]

agreed.

[@euldrima8227]

Loving the content lately I was wondering about your thoughts on swords in a cyberpunk setting think it could be a cool video idea :)

[@steelmongoose4956]

In an RPG, armor is a set of numbers and effects. The kind of armor is flavor text.

[@lloydfromfar]

yes, yes, thought you might be missing the whole point of Shad's videos here!

[@SirDankleberry]

​@@lloydfromfarHow? What he said is true.

[@lloydfromfar]

The whole point of shad's video is to explore how realistic are the choice that the RPG rule made, effectively, challenge those numbers to be more accurate, if doable The kind of armor is not mere flavor here, it is the whole point of shad's video

[@SirDankleberry]

@@lloydfromfar Okay but at the same time the guy's right. When you play pen and paper the armour is just numbers and how you describe your armour is just flavour text.

[@steelmongoose4956]

@@lloydfromfar I know that’s Shad’s point. My point is that granular reality in RPG design usually ends up being pretty silly. Even worse, it can limit choices and fun. Fortunately, this level of granularity isn’t in Shad’s own RPG. He groups armors much more broadly, and he balances armor protection with offensive penalties for the wearer (again in very abstracted terms). Ultimately, though, the armor in a TTRPG is going to come down to stats and balancing factors, and they won’t have a detailed level of realism if the game is fun or playable.

[@billberg1264]

As someone who started with 3rd edition D&D, I've always been a fan of the good old mithral breastplate.

[@danielcox7629]

Honestly i like a breastplate too, i think if i had a wagon I'd have a breastplate in the back and if i didn't I'd have a suit of brigantine

[@nathanbeverley247]

Excellent reference with the turtle club Shad, the turtleneck looks great!

[@johnstockley6976]

When you guys test the swimmability of gambeson and other armor you should check if the extra water makes the gambeson more durable.

[@FlightofTheHarpysHeart]

Lemme guess, gambesson?

[@AzguardMike]

for the gambison test, if you're going to try swimming, PLEASE use a kids indoor pool. Or the shallow end of a lake if you must do it outside.

[@lew526]

Yes. Drowning is serious business, and you can test swimming in depths of water that you can wade in. I'd certainly not trust a random muddy pond in the Shadlands. That's how you get attacked by swamp monsters and have to make fortitude saves against tetanus. 😮

[@keenanmetzger7547]

Loved the Masters of Disguise reference. And I guess the rest of the video, too.

[@spiritfox6066]

It looks better with the neck covered. Looks more protective, and just more intimidating. And I agree that a druid wouldn't normally wear animal skins unless they have to, or if the animal skins helped with spell casting. Also depends on the druid. Like if we're talking about something more like a shaman, they use skins and bones for a lot of things, including their craft.

[@Danspy501st]

A point on the chain mail and rust. I had seen a video about how it was to be a roman soldier, and the ones that basically only had chain mails had an easier time to maintain their armour. All they would need to do is basically jump on the spot to get the building dirt and rust off

[@Tyarrk]

concerning wizards and armor: in the novel "Ascendance of a Bookworm" the knights are actually a bunch of battle wizards who conjure armor and weapons and can change the respective properties almost on the fly according to a give situation. Personally i think that´s the coolest way of getting around the problem.

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

So, the inspiration of the character Erza Scarlet in Fairy Tale? Her magic ability is being to summon and change weapons on the fly.

[@Tyarrk]

@@PJDAltamirus0425 i couldn´t answer that since i´m not familiar with that character. In AoB it´s not an ability but part of the magic system. They can even build and modify entire buildings with magic, though that is naturally harder to do.

[@christiansorensen7567]

My handicapped brother taught us all how to run up a hill. Lean uphill and hold your arms and items out in front of you, so you can use the falling momentum as an ergonomic pull.

[@lynngreen7978]

We've been playing Torg Eternity. All armor is rated +1 to +4. Below are examples for fantasy and modern settings. +1 Gambeson or leather +2 scale or chain mail / modern sports armor +3 plate mail (and probably Brigandine) / modern stab vest +4 Dragon Armor (effectively Full Plate) / Ballistic or Kevlar vest, tactical armor

[@taleg1]

Years ago, I made my own chainmail and while it is heavy to lift, you hardly fell it on your body. It's weird, but the weight gets distributed and wearing that with gambeson under it, is easy and I could walk around all day long wearing that easily and I have done that on occasion. It's not summer wear though as you will get a bit hot, but that can be easily fixed by removing the gambeson to cool down. Yes it lessens the protection a bit, but not too much and you would still be protected. The downside would be arrow attack as they have a nasty tendency to go right through, it also why a shield is a nice thing to have . I've actually used that trick on several meets and at steel work training with real weapons and it works surprisingly well. Hardened leather is also good if it's done right as it hardens up a lot. But with that said, mobility is king, especially on a battlefield with handweapons like sword, axes and spear. in line fighting a spear is a horror and you have to pay attention a lot more than normal or a spear will slip through, and knowing how to spear hunt properly helps mitigate that danger out of a line, but not in the line. A shield in a line if worth it's weight in gold, being able to move quickly and being flexible is worth a lot too. But all of that are skills that can be learned and trained. I haven't trained with my sword for years and I have forgotten a lot, but back when I was active I was a better than avarage, but not as good as those with real talent with sword, sword shield, axe, knife and so on. I was good enough to train with some of the masters in europe and they kicked my ass based on skill time and time again, it was humbling, because up until then few could match me. But I learned a lot, so it was a wash. Armor though must be fitting you and your adventure life and most would need a balance of mobility and protection.

[@evanholman4876]

properly oiled and cared for leather is very water resistant, not completely sure how that translates to hard leather armor but if taken care of well i doubt water will affect how protective leather armor is

[@Nairneh]

A tip for that gambeson+water. Try soaking it and weighing it on its own. It should give you a good idea of how much more weight you will have to move compared to when its dry.

[@hyrumjohnson9930]

In a new novel I'm writing, I'm forgoing the whole "no metal for magic wielders"... to an extent. The witch character can use lightning magic, but for obvious reasons she will not use that while wearing her mail armor. She is also using a short javelin as the hand held weapon of choice rather than just a staff. So there's a way around using metal for magic users rather than just no armor at all.

[@peterahlstrom4185]

Id be interested to see what you can get up to in terms of testing composite armors made of modern materials like you're doing with the titan sword.