All armor in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is constructed of pieces and parts that are carefully (or hastily) donned each time the armor is used. While a full suit of armor is always more protective than wearing pieces of armor, sometimes a character does not have time to don an entire suit of armor before jumping into the fray. Other times characters may not have access to an entire suit of armor; in dire situations, they may need to find pieces or parts of armor among lower-level treasure hoards, or they have to scavenge from the bodies of fallen foes in order to protect themselves.
The following rules allow you to introduce piecemeal armor into your campaign. All of the armors presented are separated into three different and distinct sections or pieces: arms, legs, and torso.
The piecemeal armor system splits up armor into three general types of armor pieces. An armor piece is a small group of armor parts, rather than simply being any discrete part of the armor. A single armor piece comprises the armor parts one needs to protect its corresponding area—either the arms, the legs, or the torso (including the head); a single arm or leg armor piece provides armor for both arms or both legs, respectively. A plate arm armor piece typically consists of pairs of pauldrons, gardbraces, rerebraces, vambraces, and gauntlets along with bits of chainmail and padded armor, while a chain lamellar arm armor piece consists of two chain sleeves, gauntlets, and perhaps pairs of pauldrons and couters. Both protect the arms, though they have a different number of specific parts and types of overall components.
If a character has only one armor piece, that piece is considered the totality of her armor, and she uses the statistics of that piece as her armor. If a character is wearing more than one armor piece, she add the armor costs, armor bonuses, and weights of the armor pieces, and takes the worst maximum Dexterity bonus, arcane spell failure chance, and speed limitations from among the various armor pieces to determine the full statistics and qualities of the armor she is wearing. As long as she is wearing a single armor piece, she is considered to be wearing armor for any effects that rely on wearing armor (such as the fighter class's armor training and armor mastery).
If a character is wearing all three categories of armor pieces, she is wearing a suit of armor. Suits of armor can have all armor pieces of the same type (all three plate pieces make a suit of full plate), or a mixture of armor pieces (a plate arm armor piece and torso armor piece combined with a chainmail leg armor piece creates a suit of half-plate). Wearing an entire suit, whether its pieces are mixed or the same type, grants a +1 armor bonus on top of the protection the combination of pieces already grants the wearer. Wearing a mixed suit of armor increases the arcane spell failure chance by 5% because of the awkwardness of the design. Wearing less than a full suit of mixed armor does not increase the wearer's arcane spell failure chance.
For example, if you wear a breastplate with a plate arm armor piece and a chain leg armor piece, you should consult the Half-Plate Suit Pieces Table for your armor's statistics. The top line lists the cost, bonuses, penalties, and so on for the half-plate suit as a whole, and the lines below list the statistics for the component pieces, as well as the benefits that result from the pieces constituting a suit.
If you are proficient with an armor category, you are also proficient with the armor pieces of that category. For example, if you are proficient with light armor, you are proficient with all light armor pieces. Some torso armor pieces (such as chain, plate, and agile plate torso armor pieces) are a category lighter if worn alone (treat as a chain shirt, breastplate, and agile breastplate, respectively).
When a character is wearing at least one armor piece of a type with which he is not proficient, he takes the armor check penalty of that piece on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving. If he is wearing more than one armor piece of a type with which he is not proficient, he takes the worst armor check penalty from among the pieces he is not proficient with on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving.
| Armor Type | Cost | Armor Bonus | Maximum Dex Bonus | Armor Check Penalty | Arcane Spell Failure Chance | Speed 30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half-plate | 600 gp | +8 | +0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 50 lbs. |
| (plate arm armor piece) | 375 gp | +1 | +0 | –7 | 35% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| (chain leg armor piece) | 25 gp | +0 | +2 | –2 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| (plate torso armor piece) | 200 gp | +6 | +3 | –4 | 35% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 30 lbs. |
| (suit) | — | +1 | — | — | +5% | — | — | — |
Any individual armor piece can be of masterwork construction or constructed of special materials, or, if it is of masterwork construction, it can be magically enchanted at the standard cost. In this manner, each armor piece is treated as its own type of armor, but most armorers and magic item crafters know that this is an inefficient way of making and enchanting armor.
The most efficient way to create masterwork armor or to enchant magical armor is to create or enchant the same suit. In order to do this, the suit's pieces need not all be of the same type, but they must be constructed and then enchanted together. The drawback is that none of the individual pieces are considered masterwork or magical on their own (though if magic, they do detect as magic, and can be identified as part of an armor suit). When used as piecemeal armor, they function like normal pieces of nonmagical and non-masterwork pieces of armor of their type.
If a character is wearing pieces of separately created or enchanted armor, the armor only takes the benefits provided by the masterwork quality and the magic of the most protective piece—typically the torso armor piece. If a character does not wear a torso armor piece, the most protective piece is the leg armor piece (the second most protective category of armor pieces), followed by the arm armor piece (the third most protective category).
For instance, if a character does not wear a torso or leg armor piece, but wears a +1 chain arm armor piece, she gains the benefit of wearing magic armor (the piece acts as masterwork and has a +1 enhancement bonus due to the enchantment). If that character then puts on a normal chain torso armor piece, she loses the +1 bonus due to magic and the reduction of armor check penalties for being masterwork, as the most protective armor piece no longer has either of these qualities.
In order for the armor to gain the benefits of a special material, all armor pieces worn must be made of the same special material. Because of this, armor pieces constructed of special materials can be constructed at a decreased cost based on which pieces are made of the special material. Constructing a whole suit of armor with the same special materials uses the standard costs.
In the case of chain shirts, breastplates, agile breastplates, and any other armor pieces that are treated as a category lighter when worn alone, to determine the cost of creating that piece of armor from a special material, use the base armor category (medium in the case of a chain torso armor piece, and heavy in the case of a plate torso armor piece) when pricing the item, but in the case of adamantine and similar armors, the item gains the material benefit of the lighter category (damage reduction 1/— in the case of the chain torso armor piece worn as a chain shirt, or damage reduction 2/— in the case of plate torso armor piece worn as a breastplate).
Armor pieces made of adamantine grant their wearers damage reduction of 1/— if they are light armor, 2/— if they are medium armor, and 3/— if they are heavy armor. Adamantine armor pieces are always masterwork in quality. Armor pieces normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have one-third more hit points than normal.
| Type of Adamantine Item | Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Medium arm armor piece | 2,500 gp |
| Medium leg armor piece | 2,500 gp |
| Medium torso armor piece | 5,000 gp |
| Heavy arm armor piece | 2,500 gp |
| Heavy leg armor piece | 2,500 gp |
| Heavy torso armor piece | 10,000 gp |
If the dragonhide used to construct this armor comes from a dragon that had immunity to an energy type, the armor pieces also have immunity to that energy type, but only confer the immunity on the wearer if he is wearing a suit of armor made entirely of dragonhide from the same type of dragon. A piece of dragonhide armor costs double the armor piece cost + 100 gp. Alternatively, a plate torso armor piece can be constructed from dragonhide for 700 gp, and an agile plate torso armor piece can be constructed from dragonhide for 1,100 gp; if either is worn alone, it bestows any energy damage immunity possessed by the dragon to the wearer.
Armor pieces made of mithral are lighter than steel, but are just as hard. Mithral armor pieces are less cumbersome to move in. Medium armor pieces that feature a reduced movement do not have a reduced movement when they are made from mithral. Heavy armor pieces that reduce the wearer's run speed to triple her speed instead of quadruple her speed do not do so when they are made from mithral or are part of a mithral armor suit.
As long as all the armor pieces a character wears are made of mithral, the spell failure chance decreases by 10%, the maximum Dexterity bonus increases by 2, and the armor check penalty decreases by 3 (to a minimum of 0).
An item made of mithral weighs half as much as the same item made from other metals. Armor pieces made of mithral are also considered masterwork.
| Type of Mithral Item | Item Cost Modifier |
|---|---|
| Medium arm armor piece | 1,500 gp |
| Medium leg armor piece | 1,500 gp |
| Medium torso armor piece | 1,000 gp |
| Heavy arm armor piece | 2,500 gp |
| Heavy leg armor piece | 2,500 gp |
| Heavy torso armor piece | 4,000 gp |
The time required to don an armor piece is based on its type and the area it protects.
Don: This column tells how long it takes a character to put on the armor piece. (One minute is 10 rounds.)
Don Hastily: This column tells how long it takes a character to put on the armor piece in a hurry. The armor check penalty and armor bonus for hastily donned armor are each 1 point worse than normal (minimum 0 in the case of armor bonus).
Remove: This column tells how long it takes a character to remove the armor piece.
| Armor Piece Type and Protective Area | Don | Don Hastily | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light arm armor piece | 2 rounds | 1 round | 2 rounds1 |
| Light leg armor piece | 3 rounds | 2 rounds | 2 rounds1 |
| Light torso armor piece | 5 rounds | 2 rounds | 5 rounds1 |
| Medium arm armor piece | 1 minute1 | 2 rounds | 2 rounds1 |
| Medium leg armor piece | 1 minute1 | 3 rounds | 2 rounds1 |
| Medium torso armor piece | 1 minute1 | 5 rounds | 3 rounds1 |
| Heavy arm armor piece | 1 minute2 | 1 minute1 | 1 minute1 |
| Heavy leg armor piece | 1 minute2 | 1 minute1 | 1 minute1 |
| Heavy torso armor piece | 2 minutes2 | 1 minute1 | 2 minute1 |
| 1 If the character has some help, this time is halved. A single character doing nothing else can help one or two adjacent creatures. Two characters can't help each other don or remove armor pieces at the same time. 2 The wearer must have help to don this armor piece. Without help, it can only be donned hastily. | |||
Armor pieces for unusually big creatures, unusually little creatures, and non-humanoid creatures (such as horses) have different costs and weights from those given in the Arm Armor, Leg Armor and Torso Armor tables. Refer to the appropriate line in the Armor for Unusal Creatures table and apply the multipliers to cost and weight. For animals with four or more legs, the armor for half of the legs counts as the leg armor piece, and the armor for the other half counts as the arm armor piece.
To determine the hit points and hardness of your armor, use the hardness for the weakest material, and to determine hit points, add the total armor bonus (including the +1 for wearing a complete suit of armor) and multiply that value by 5. If you need to determine the hardness and hit points for a single armor piece, it has the hardness of its main material and hit points equal to its armor bonus (treat as +1 for armor pieces with a +0 armor bonus) × 5. Hardness for substances can be found in the Substance Hardness and Hit Points table.
The following pieces of armor make up the piecemeal armor system, and are split into three armor groups.
| Armor Type | Cost | Armor Bonus | Maximum Dex Bonus | Armor Check Penalty | Arcane Spell Failure Chance | Speed 30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Armor | ||||||||
| Lamellar, leather | 15 gp | +0 | +3 | –1 | 20% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Leather | 2 gp | +0 | +6 | 0 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 2 lbs. |
| Padded | 1 gp | +0 | +8 | 0 | 5% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 2 lbs. |
| Quilted cloth | 25 gp | +0 | +8 | 0 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 2 lbs. |
| Studded leather | 5 gp | +0 | +5 | 0 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 2 lbs. |
| Wooden | 5 gp | +0 | +3 | –1 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 3 lbs. |
| Medium Armor | ||||||||
| Hide | 2 gp | +0 | +4 | –2 | 20% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 3 lbs. |
| Kikko | 5 gp | +0 | +5 | –1 | 20% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Chain | 25 gp | +1 | +2 | –3 | 30% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Lamellar, horn | 25 gp | +1 | +5 | –2 | 25% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Lamellar, steel | 25 gp | +1 | +3 | –2 | 25% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Mountain pattern | 50 gp | +1 | +3 | –2 | 30% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Scale | 10 gp | +1 | +3 | –2 | 25% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Heavy Armor | ||||||||
| Agile plate | 425 gp | +1 | +0 | –7 | 40% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Banded | 50 gp | +1 | +1 | –3 | 35% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Kusari gusoku | 50 gp | +1 | +1 | –3 | 35% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Lamellar, iron | 50 gp | +1 | +0 | –4 | 40% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| O-yoroi | 250 gp | +1 | +2 | –5 | 35% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Plate | 375 gp | +1 | +1 | –7 | 35% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Splint | 50 gp | +1 | +0 | –4 | 40% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Tatami-do | 100 gp | +1 | +3 | –5 | 35% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| 1 Weight figures are for armor pieces sized to fit Medium characters. Armor pieces fitted for Small characters weigh half as much, and armor pieces fitted for Large characters weigh twice as much. | ||||||||
With the smallest area to protect, arm armor pieces tend to have the lowest armor value of all the piecemeal armor types, with light armor pieces offering little to no protection unless they are part of a complete suit. Because arm armor pieces tend to interfere with hand movements needed for somatic components, they offer the highest spell failure chance.
Agile Plate Arm Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of pauldrons, gardbraces, rerebraces, vambraces, and gauntlets all cunningly designed to increase the maneuverability of the wearer. When worn alone, with an agile plate torso armor piece, or with an agile plate torso armor piece and a chain leg armor piece (or lighter armor), the armor check penalty for Climb skill and jump checks is only –4 (masterwork and mithral versions of this armor and the above armor piece combination reduce this penalty as well as the normal penalty).
Banded Arm Armor Piece: These overlapping strips of metal on leather usually take the form of long sleeves connected to pauldrons of the same material at the top of the sleeves and a pair of metal gauntlets at the hands of the armor piece.
Chain Arm Armor Piece: This arm armor piece typically takes the form of sleeves of loose-fitting chain fitted to the shoulder, or separate lengths of chain attached to pauldrons and couters, and ending in a pair of gauntlets at the hands.
Hide Arm Armor Piece: This arm armor piece consists of sleeves crafted from the tanned and preserved skin of a thick-skinned beast.
Horn Lamellar Arm Armor Piece: This arm armor piece is constructed of a number of horn plates laced together in parallel rows and reinforced with leather.
Iron Lamellar Arm Armor Piece: This arm armor piece is constructed of a number of iron plates laced together in parallel rows and reinforced with pieces of chainmail.
Kikko Arm Armor Piece: This arm armor piece consists of sleeves of leather reinforced by hexagonal plates made from iron.
Kusari Gusoku Arm Armor Piece: This arm armor piece is constructed of light lamellar shoulder guards and lacquered sleeves.
Leather Arm Armor Piece: This arm armor piece consists of sleeves of hard-boiled leather that are carefully sewn together.
Leather Lamellar Arm Armor Piece: Similar to a leather arm armor piece, a leather lamellar arm armor piece is constructed of a number of discrete hard-boiled leather plates laced together in parallel rows.
Mountain Pattern Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are made from many interlocking pieces of steel shaped to resemble a symbol for the word “mountain” and riveted onto cloth.
O-Yoroi Arm Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of steel lamellar shoulder guards, and sleeves made of metal reinforced with leather. O-yoroi arms end in gauntlets.
Padded Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are made of heavy or quilted cloth.
Plate Arm Armor Piece: A plate lamellar is composed of pauldrons, gardbraces, rerebraces, vambraces, and gauntlets, along with bits of chainmail and padded armor.
Quilted Cloth Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are made of heavy quilted cloth specially designed to trap arrows and other ranged piercing weapons. When worn alone, or with only other quilted cloth pieces, you gain DR 3/— against ranged piercing weapons.
Scale Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are made up of dozens of small overlapping metal plates. A scale arm armor piece includes a pair of gauntlets.
Splint Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are constructed of metal strips reinforced with chain mail. A splint arm armor piece includes a pair of gauntlets.
Steel Lamellar Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are constructed of a number of steel plates laced together in parallel rows. A steel lamellar arm armor piece includes a pair of gauntlets.
Studded Leather Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are constructed of hard-boiled leather carefully sewn together and reinforced with metal studs.
Tatami-Do Arm Armor Piece: A lighter version of o-yoroi armor, a tatami-do arm armor piece is composed of a lighter lamellar shoulder guard and a lacquered sleeve. A set of tatami-do arm armor pieces includes a pair of gauntlets.
Wooden Arm Armor Piece: These sleeves are constructed of fire-treated wood sewn over leather.
| Armor Type | Cost | Armor Bonus | Maximum Dex Bonus | Armor Check Penalty | Arcane Spell Failure Chance | Speed 30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Armor | ||||||||
| Leather | 3 gp | +0 | +6 | 0 | 0% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 3 lbs. |
| Padded | 1 gp | +0 | +8 | 0 | 0% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 3 lbs. |
| Quilted cloth | 25 gp | +0 | +8 | 0 | 5% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 3 lbs. |
| Lamellar, leather | 15 gp | +1 | +2 | –1 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Studded leather | 5 gp | +1 | +5 | 0 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 3 lbs. |
| Wooden | 5 gp | +1 | +3 | –1 | 5% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 7 lbs. |
| Medium Armor | ||||||||
| Chain | 25 gp | +0 | +2 | –2 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Hide | 3 gp | +1 | +4 | –2 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 7 lbs. |
| Kikko | 10 gp | +1 | +3 | –1 | 10% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Lamellar, horn | 25 gp | +1 | +3 | –2 | 10% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Lamellar, steel | 25 gp | +1 | +3 | –2 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Mountain pattern | 50 gp | +1 | +3 | –2 | 15% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Scale | 10 gp | +1 | +3 | –2 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Heavy Armor | ||||||||
| Banded | 50 gp | +1 | +1 | –3 | 15% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 10 lbs. |
| Kusari gusoku | 100 gp | +1 | +1 | –3 | 20% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 10 lbs. |
| Lamellar, iron | 50 gp | +1 | +1 | –4 | 20% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 10 lbs. |
| Plate | 925 gp | +1 | +1 | –3 | 20% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 10 lbs. |
| Splint | 50 gp | +1 | +0 | –4 | 20% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 15 lbs. |
| Tatami-do | 150 gp | +1 | +3 | –3 | 15% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 5 lbs. |
| O-yoroi | 300 gp | +2 | +2 | –3 | 20% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 5 lbs. |
| 1 Weight figures are for armor pieces sized to fit Medium characters. Armor pieces fitted for Small characters weigh half as much, and armor pieces fitted for Large characters weigh twice as much. 2 When running while wearing this armor piece, you move at only triple your speed, not quadruple. | ||||||||
Heavier leg armor pieces slow down their wearers and provide higher armor check penalties, but are less restrictive to spellcasters than heavier arm armor pieces.
Banded Leg Armor Piece: These overlapping strips of metal on leather usually take the form of leggings or a skirt.
Chain Leg Armor Piece: A chain leg piece takes the form of a long skirt made of chainmail that is further protected by steel greaves, or individual leggings of tighter-fitting chain reinforced by padding, steel kneeplates, and leather straps.
Hide Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of leggings or a skirt made of the tanned and preserved skin of a thick-skinned beast.
Horn Lamellar Leg Armor Piece: These leggings are constructed of a number of horn plates laced together in parallel rows and reinforced with leather. Sometimes they take the form of a skirt made of such material. When in skirt form, the legs are further protected by leather greaves reinforced by horn.
Iron Lamellar Leg Armor Piece: These leggings are constructed of a number of iron plates laced together in parallel rows and reinforced with chainmail. Sometimes they take the form of a skirt. The legs are further protected by leather greaves reinforced with iron.
Kikko Leg Armor Piece: This leg armor piece is usually constructed of a leather skirt reinforced by hexagonal plates made from iron, and the legs are further protected by leather greaves reinforced with steel. Some versions of this leg armor piece consist of individual leather leggings reinforced by hexagonal plates.
Kusari Gusoku Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece is constructed of light lamellar thigh guards and quilted cloth or leather leggings.
Leather Lamellar Leg Armor Piece: This leg armor piece is constructed of a number of discrete hard-boiled leather plates laced together in parallel rows. They can take the form of a skirt or leggings.
Leather Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of leggings or a skirt constructed of hard-boiled leather carefully sewn together.
Mountain Pattern Leg Armor Piece: The protection of this leg armor piece usually takes the form of a long skirt constructed of many interlocking pieces of steel riveted onto cloth, along with heavy cloth or leather greaves reinforced with steel plates. Some versions are made into individual leggings.
O-Yoroi Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of steel lamellar thigh guards and leggings made of metal reinforced with leather and cloth.
Padded Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of leggings or a skirt made of heavy or quilted cloth.
Plate Leg Armor Piece: A plate leg armor piece is composed of faulds, tassets, cuisses, poleyns, and greaves along with bits of chainmail and padded armor for extra support and protection.
Quilted Cloth Leg Armor Piece: These are leggings made of heavy quilted cloth. When worn alone, or with only other quilted cloth pieces, you gain DR 3/— against ranged piercing weapons.
Scale Leg Armor Piece: Typically a scale leg piece is a skirt of overlapping metal plates and leather greaves reinforced with steel plates. Some suits feature long leggings of overlapping metal plates instead.
Splint Leg Armor Piece: These thigh guards and leggings are constructed of metal strips and chainmail.
Steel Lamellar Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of thigh guards and leggings or a skirt constructed of steel plates laced together in parallel rows.
Studded Leather Leg Armor Piece: These leggings are constructed of hard-boiled leather carefully sewn together and reinforced with metal studs.
Tatami-Do Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece is constructed of light lamellar thigh guards and leggings.
Wooden Leg Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of a pair of leggings or a skirt constructed of fire-treated wood sewn over leather.
| Armor Type | Cost | Armor Bonus | Maximum Dex Bonus | Armor Check Penalty | Arcane Spell Failure Chance | Speed 30 ft. 20 ft. | Weight1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Armor | ||||||||
| Padded | 3 gp | +0 | +8 | 0 | 5% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 5 lbs. |
| Quilted cloth | 50 gp | +0 | +8 | 0 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Haramaki | 3 gp | +1 | +10 | 0 | 0% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 1 lb. |
| Leather | 5 gp | +1 | +6 | 0 | 10% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Silken ceremonial armor | 30 gp | +1 | +10 | 0 | 0% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 4 lbs. |
| Studded leather | 15 gp | +1 | +5 | 0 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 15 lbs. |
| Wooden | 10 gp | +1 | +3 | –1 | 15% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 15 lbs. |
| Lamellar cuirass | 15 gp | +2 | +4 | 0 | 5% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 8 lbs. |
| Lamellar, leather | 30 gp | +2 | +3 | –2 | 20% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 10 lbs. |
| Medium Armor | ||||||||
| Lamellar, steel | 100 gp | +1 | +3 | –5 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Hide | 10 gp | +2 | +4 | –2 | 20% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 15 lbs. |
| Kikko | 15 gp | +2 | +4 | –3 | 20% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 15 lbs. |
| Lamellar, horn | 50 gp | +2 | +3 | –4 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 20 lbs. |
| Scale | 30 gp | +2 | +3 | –2 | 25% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 15 lbs. |
| Mountain pattern | 150 gp | +3 | +3 | –4 | 30% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 20 lbs. |
| Armored coat | 50 gp | +4 | +3 | –2 | 20% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 20 lbs. |
| Chain3 | 100 gp | +4 | +4 | –2 | 30% | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Do-maru | 200 gp | +5 | +4 | –4 | 25% | 15 ft. | 20 ft. | 30 lbs. |
| Four-mirror armor | 20 gp | +5 | +4 | –5 | 30% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 40 lbs. |
| Heavy Armor | ||||||||
| Banded | 150 gp | +4 | +1 | –2 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 20 lbs. |
| Kusari gusoku | 200 gp | +4 | +1 | –7 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 20 lbs |
| Lamellar, iron | 100 gp | +4 | 0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 15 lbs. |
| Splint | 100 gp | +4 | +0 | –3 | 40% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 25 lbs. |
| Tatami-do | 500 gp | +4 | +4 | –6 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 30 lbs. |
| O-yoroi | 750 gp | +5 | +2 | –6 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 30 lbs. |
| Agile plate3 | 400 gp | +6 | +3 | –4 | 25% | 20 ft. | 15 ft. | 25 lbs. |
| Plate3 | 200 gp | +6 | +3 | –4 | 35% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 30 lbs. |
| Stone coat | 500 gp | +8 | 0 | –7 | 40% | 20 ft.2 | 15 ft.2 | 45 lbs. |
| 1 Weight figures are for armor pieces sized to fit Medium characters. Armor pieces fitted for Small characters weigh half as much, and armor pieces fitted for Large characters weigh twice as much. 2 When running while wearing this armor piece, you move only triple your speed, not quadruple. 3 These armor pieces are considered to be one weight category lower when worn with no other armor pieces. A chain torso armor piece worn alone is a chain shirt (light armor), and a plate or agile plate torso armor piece is a breastplate (medium armor). | ||||||||
The torso armor piece provides the most protection, but also usually provides the most hindrances to the wearer.
Agile Plate Torso Armor Piece: This breastplate is designed to allow its wearer extra flexibility. When worn alone, the wearer's armor check penalty for the Climb and jump checks is only –1 (masterwork and mithral versions of this armor reduce this penalty as well as the normal penalty).
Alternatively, when worn with an agile lamellar arm armor piece and a chain leg armor piece (or lighter armor), the armor check penalty for Climb and jump checks is only –4 (masterwork and mithral versions of this armor and the above armor piece combination reduce this penalty as well as the normal penalty).
Furthermore, when an agile plate torso armor piece is worn alone, it is considered to be medium armor instead of heavy armor except when creating special material versions of this armor.
Armored Coat: This sturdy leather coat is reinforced with metal plates sewn into the lining. While more cumbersome than other torso armor pieces, and less effective, it can be donned or removed with a move action (there is no “don hastily” option for the armored coat). This torso armor piece can be worn with other armors, but the wearer takes the best armor bonus instead of adding up all the armor bonuses.
Banded Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece is a shirt of overlapping metal plates reinforcing leather.
Chain Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece is a shirt of chain mail. When worn alone, it is counted as light armor and acts as a chain shirt.
Do-Maru: This light-weight armor piece wraps around the body like a short armored coat made of lamellar.
Four-Mirror Armor: This cuirass consists of four plates harnessed together with leather shoulder straps. It includes a helmet.
Haramaki: 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.
Hide Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece is a shirt, wrap, or jacket constructed of the tanned and preserved skin of a thick-skinned beast.
Horn Lamellar Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of a shirt constructed of a number of horn plates that are laced together in parallel rows and reinforced with leather.
Iron Lamellar Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece is a shirt constructed of a number of iron plates that are laced together in parallel rows and reinforced with bits of chainmail.
Kikko Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece is a shirt of hexagonal iron plates sewn into cloth or leather.
Kusari Gusoku Torso Armor Piece: This chain jacket is worn in place of heavier chest armor.
Lamellar Cuirass: This cuirass is made of lacquered leather plates bound together and fitted over a silk shirt. It is sometimes worn alone, especially during ceremonial occasions when wearing other armor is frowned upon.
Leather Lamellar Torso Armor Piece: This shirt or cuirass is constructed of a number of discrete hard-boiled leather plates laced together in parallel rows.
Leather Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece is a shirt or jacket constructed of hard-boiled leather carefully sewn together into one piece.
Mountain Pattern Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece is a shirt of a number of interlocking steel pieces riveted onto cloth or leather.
O-Yoroi Torso Armor Piece: This complicated and multipart cuirass also includes a kabuto helmet and a ho-ate mask for further protection.
Padded Torso Armor Piece: This shirt or jacket is made of heavy or quilted cloth.
Plate Torso Armor Piece: This is a breastplate made of steel. When worn in conjunction with other armors, it also includes a helmet. When worn alone, it counts medium armor, acts as a breastplate, and does not include a helmet.
Quilted Cloth Torso Armor Piece: This shirt or jacket is made of heavy quilted cloth specially designed to trap arrows and other ranged piercing weapons. When worn alone, or with only other quilted cloth pieces, you gain DR 3/— against ranged piercing weapons.
Scale Torso Armor Piece: This shirt or cuirass is made up of dozens of small overlapping metal plates.
Silken Ceremonial Armor: Used primarily for ceremonial displays and sometimes worn over heavy armor, these robes consist of several layers of cloth over an outer layer of embroidered silk further reinforced with leather studs. It can be worn over other torso armor pieces, but does not grant any extra armor bonus, and increases the weight and cost of such armor.
Splint Torso Armor Piece: This shirt or cuirass is constructed of metal strips reinforced with chain mail.
Steel Lamellar Torso Armor Piece: This armor piece consists of a shirt or cuirass of steel plates laced together in parallel rows. A steel lamellar torso armor piece includes a helmet.
Stone Coat: This weighty cuirass consists of lamellar crafted from alchemically treated stone. If worn with other armor pieces, this torso armor piece gains no armor bonus from the other armor pieces, and all of the added hindrances.
Studded Leather Torso Armor Piece: This shirt or jacket is constructed of hard-boiled leather carefully sewn together and reinforced with metal studs.
Tatami-Do Torso Armor Piece: A lighter version of a o-yoroi torso armor piece, this piece is constructed of a lighter lamellar shirt. It includes a collapsible kabuto helmet and an armored hood.
Wooden Torso Armor Piece: This shirt or cuirass is constructed of fire-treated wood sewn over leather.