Whatever fantasy roleplaying game you’re playing, you probably have weapons, armour, and other gear.
But how much do you think about this gear when you choose it at character creation?
I’m not necessarily talking about magic items at this stage. They tend to be ‘special’ by default.
No: I’m thinking about the ordinary, low-level equipment that most players are already familiar with. Swords. Backpacks. Waterskins. Cloaks. How much thought do you put into this?
Maybe this seems a bit niche or unimportant. After all, your character is what they do, not a loadout. Who cares about their inventory?
Well, a couple of observations here.
First, as any costume department will tell you, your character’s gear and clothing tell a story. In film and TV, it’s a series of visual clues about who they are, where they come from, what they’re all about. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is particularly good at this, as is HBO’s Game of Thrones. In games like D&D, we have minis, character art, or good old-fashioned description to do the work for us. But it all contributes to a bigger picture and helps build a world.
Second: there are a lot of misconceptions out there about character gear! I think we assume that people know what these items are and how they were used, but I’ve been DMing for over 20 years and have seen a lot of questionable ‘hot takes’ in that time, including from, it would seem, game designers themselves. For example: ‘guns aren’t medieval’ (sure they are); ‘I can carry as much gold as I want’ (can you?); ‘bandits use scimitars’ (er, why?); ‘I can draw a greatsword from my back’ (no, you probably can’t—sorry Geralt). Sometimes, this even has an impact on game mechanics, as with the heat metal spell (are shields wooden or metal?) or the clumsiness of heavy armour (it was far more flexible than you probably think).
This mini-project, then, is essentially a closer study of equipment in D&D and other games: what it might have been like in the Middle Ages, what it tells us about your character, and how you might flavour it to fit in with a particular vision for your character. At the end I will offer some of my favourite ‘loadouts’, and in some cases, I might even offer alternative mechanics to try to better simulate the realities of medieval adventuring.
Super quick disclaimer: I am not a historian and have no experience with combat or martial arts of any kind. If you are, or have, let me know what I got wrong—or right!—in the comments. I appreciate that D&D is ‘Hollywood medieval Europe’ at best, but I would also contend that it at least aspires towards realism. Otherwise, why would it have a whole section in the Player’s Handbook on ‘trade goods,’ and prices for everything from abacuses to whetstones?
This series will be in multiple parts. Today’s post is focused on armour. The next, weapons. The third will look at other gear, and the fourth (and probably final) piece will offer some alternative starting packages and stat blocks for NPCs.
Armour and shields
Let’s get this out the way: the standard 5e armour table is . . . fine. I use it. I can live with it. But in terms of historical realism, it has a few quirks. Why does padded armour give disadvantage on Stealth checks? Is ‘hide armour’ really a thing? ‘Ring mail’ definitely isn’t. And what the heck is ‘studded leather’?
I’d keep the categorization of light, medium, and heavy armour, but beyond that, I think there’s scope to make armour much more interesting (and, if you care for it, much more historically accurate). My main inspirations for this are Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition and The Armorer’s Handbook by ‘heavyarms’ on the DMs Guild.
Padded armour → gambeson
If we’re going to talk about actual armour, this is probably the starting point. This is essentially a kind of padded jacket, almost quilted, usually of linen or wool but probably stuffed with horsehair or other cloth. You might call this an arming doublet if it’s worn under armour or a padded jack if it’s designed to be worn independently. In terms of protection, it’s actually better than it sounds, but it depends on the weapon. Slashes and cuts: not bad. Bludgeons: OK. Swords thrusts, crossbow bolts: poor. I’d give it AC 12.
In Game of Thrones, I think we see the men of the Night’s Watch wearing gambesons (either that or brigandine—more on that in a minute), and you might see them in other media as ‘under armour.’ In D&D it feels fitting for militia levies, archers, low-level guards and foot soldiers, or mercs and adventurers who can’t afford anything better. It feels gritty, practical, perhaps signifying that a character is in the early stages of their adventuring career. Undyed, it’s probably going to be grey, beige, off-white, or pale brown, perhaps darkened by dirt, but there’s no reasons why you character couldn’t wear other colours.
(Incidentally, I don’t think you’re going to be able to put this on or take it off in under a minute without help. There tend to be laces, buckles, or other fastenings to ensure a snug fit, and after wearing it for a few hours, it’s going to absorb quite a bit of sweat and get quite clingy.)
Leather armour → leather jerkin
I don’t think ‘armour made of leather’—leather chest piece, leather shoulder pads, leather cuisses (thighs) etc—is really a thing. Like the Armorer’s Handbook, I propose a jerkin. More like clothing than armour, this is a sleeveless jacket of boiled, hardened leather. It probably wasn’t thick enough to stop an arrow or a good sword thrust, but it’s better than nothing. I’d give it AC 11—yes, a little worse as protection than a traditional gambeson.
I imagine a jerkin like this would probably be made from tanned cowhide, deerskin, or sheepskin—with cowhide maybe the toughest?—and it would probably be a shade of brown unless your character is particularly fashion-conscious. Generally speaking, it’s practical, not showy, and probably scuffed and weathered if worn by an adventurer. It suggests a character who wants to stay mobile or blend in. Think what Aragorn wears in The Fellowship of the Ring or Edgin in Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (see above).
Studded leather → brigandine
The studded leather of 5e is pure fantasy. How is it even meant to work? Are the metal studs meant to block incoming blows? There seems to be a consensus that Gygax and Arneson, the creators of D&D, were almost certainly thinking of brigandine: small steel plates riveted inside a coat of cloth or leather. (There is another type of armour, ‘jack of plates,’ which is very similar, the only difference being the way the plates are fastened to the coat.)
Brigandine seems to be what Geralt wears in The Witcher. From a story perspective, it suggests a hardened, experienced fighter: anyone from a merc, to a soldier, to a noble of rising status, to an outlaw. As colours go, brigandines can be quite varied: cloth could be dyed blue, black, red, or green, or you could keep it in leather brown for a more grounded look.
The Armorer’s Handbook and Level Up 5e both treat brigandine as medium armour, which feels about right. The Handbook gives it AC 15, which feels about right to me—better than mail alone, I think. And I don’t think it should give disadvantage on Stealth checks.
Hide armour?
Animal hides were absolutely worn in battle, and throughout history—the word berserker comes from Old Norse berserkr meaning ‘bear-shirt’—but I find it hard to believe that they would offer more protection than a gambeson. Maybe in a fantasy roleplaying game this would be different as there are monsters roaming the world with thicker skins than cows and horses and so on (the usual basis for leather). But if you’re envisaging hide armour as basic pelts and furs—thick, maybe hardened and treated—I would say they were more for warmth or decoration than serious protection, and probably quite bulky and cumbersome to boot. AC 11, medium armour. Still, useful for hunters and survivalists without access to much better, and if your character is wearing hides, that is probably the vibe you are going for.
Chain shirt
Probably the most historically accurate armour so far! There were lots of names for this in the Middle Ages including a hauberk, byrnie, or coat of mail. Evidence seems to suggest it was invented by the Celts and developed over time from a sleeveless shirt into something almost knee-length with three-quarter-length sleeves and even a hood. It’s what Beowulf wears when he enters the dragon’s lair, and it’s worn by the Arthur’s knights in Le Morte d’Arthur. Bilbo, Frodo, and the Ringwraiths all wear hauberks in The Lord of the Rings. As such, if your character wears chainmail (be it a byrnie, hauberk, whatever), it probably suggests they have seen real fighting and are ready for combat. You might notice in The Two Towers that Aragorn and Gimli both switch to chainmail at the Battle of Helm’s Deep.
Scale mail → lamellar?
For many characters in 5e, scale armour is one of the first types of armour they will see. It certainly existed—but in real life, it’s probably something we would associate more with Eastern armour (especially China, Japan, and Byzantium). It’s not dissimilar to the Roman lorica segmentata, either. As such, what it says about your character is quite culturally dependent. To the Romans, it evoked empire, training, order, conquest, but in a more medieval setting it might suggest the rugged practicality of the frontier. It might be common, rare, or non-existent.
Breastplate
As a side-note, it is a breastplate, not just ‘breastplate’! It’s technically not a cuirass, either (‘kwih-RASS’): that’s usually a breastplate and a backplate joined together. But I digress.
I wouldn’t really change anything about the mechanics of this, but it’s interesting because it implies a more piecemeal approach to armour, like you’re building up to a full suit of plate. First a gambeson, then a breastplate, then partial plate armour (see below), and finally a full plate harness. I wonder if anyone has fleshed out the rules for this; it’s probably more granularity than we really need.
What does a breastplate say about your character? Personally, I think it’s a bit of a strange middle ground: on the one hand, it can be quite showy, polished, formal, elegant, maybe even decorative or ceremonial, the armour of an officer; on the other, it looks like a pragmatic compromise for a skirmisher who needs to stay mobile, or just someone who can’t afford more.
By the way . . . at the risk of editorializing (hey, it’s my blog), can we please stop the whole ‘boob plate’ thing? It’s very male gaze-y and doesn’t really make any sense, practically or historically. A regular breastplate is just as suitable for a woman as a man, and the chest can be shaped into slightly more of a dome if needed, without turning it into a parody. A metal bra is not armour. See also: chainmail bikinis.
Half plate
Unsurprisingly, this doesn’t seem to be a real historical term, but the concept is perfectly reasonable. You might call it transitional armour, although this was a bit different, probably more like a mix of chain and splint armour. And let’s face it: the name isn’t very evocative or fun for a fantasy roleplaying game.
If you’re wearing half plate, you’ve clearly survived a few fights. It might not be as impressive or as well-protected as in full plate, but it marks you out as a veteran who has spent their gold wisely (or scavenged very successfully, I suppose). Because it’s not as impervious as full plate, it also suggests to me that the wearer is experienced with mixed tactics: a bit more mobile, adaptable perhaps.
A small gripe: if half plate is just plate armour without gauntlets, boots, and helmet—why is that enough to increase the AC by +3? And why would the wear go from potentially being able to add +2 to AC from Dexterity to not being able to benefit from Dexterity at all? Are boots and gauntlets that cumbersome? It doesn’t make sense to me. Anyway.
Ring mail
This . . . doesn’t seem to exist. And I barely see it in play anyway. Its main advantage mechanically seems to be that it’s cheaper than chain mail and scale mail, but if you can afford 20 more gold pieces and have a Dex of at least +1, you’re better off in the latter. Just … weird. Get rid of it, I say.
Chain mail
We already have the chain shirt, so what is this meant to be exactly? The 2024 Player’s Handbook offers no explanation, helpfully. Chain shirt plus chain chausses (legs)? I wonder if the chain shirt is meant to be a sleeveless or short-sleeved byrnie while this is meant to be a longer and hooded hauberk. As with half plate and full plate, I’m intrigued as to how the mechanical difference between the two is justified: we go from 13 + Dex (max 2) for a chain shirt to 16 (no Dex bonus) and disadvantage on Stealth checks for chainmail. Is the added length really so cumbersome and protective?
Splint
This was a real thing, also called ‘splinted’ armour, but from what I understand, it’s really not that different from brigandine, certainly not distinct enough to make a difference mechanically. Always happy to be proved wrong, though, so let me know in the comments if I’ve made a mistake.
Plate armour
When people refer to a ‘suit of armour’, they are probably thinking of full plate, and every part of the ‘suit’ has its own name: pauldrons (shoulders), greaves (shins), gauntlets (hands), gorget (neck), and so on. This is armour from head to toe, with virtually no gaps. If anything, AC 18 feels a little low! I’ve also seen it referred to as ‘full plate harness’. There would also be a gambeson underneath.
The weight of plate armour is actually very well-distributed across the wearer’s body, and because it’s articulated, a knight in full plate was surprisingly agile. They could still run, roll, mount a horse, and so on. But it would be exhausting to wear over long periods and would need to be carefully fitted to the wearer (hence the high cost). As a house rule, I don’t think characters should be able to wear full plate made for someone else without getting it adapted first (as per the optional rule in the Player’s Handbook).
Of all the armours, this is probably the one everyone can picture before they play D&D. In real life, full plate is quite late medieval, almost Renaissance. Henry VIII wore it, for instance. It exudes authority, confidence, status, wealth (or at least patronage), training, discipline, and real combat experience. It is elite armour, the best of the best. And with it, implicitly, comes an expectation of duty: it says you are obliged to wade into the thick of things, to lead the way, to outlast brutal close-quarters combat until no one is left standing. There’s a reason people call you ‘the tank.’
Shields
The 5th edition treatment of shields makes me sad.
First of all, I think there needs to be a bit more clarity about how shields actually work. For instance, I’ve had players assume they are steel (they were mainly wooden), that they can hold a torch in their shield hand (nope), that they can quickly swap between a two-handed ranged weapon and a sword and board (nope). These little details come up more than you think; a sentence or two of description in the Player’s Handbook would probably help.
Second, there are no interesting choices! Both Level Up and The Armorer’s Handbook have tower shields and a buckler option, and Level Up even distinguishes between medium and heavy shields. I’ll go into these options separately in a moment.
And finally—I know a passive +2 bonus to AC is an easy abstraction,but it doesn’t really capture how shields work in practice. Shields need to be used actively: lifted reflexively to block attacks before they cause harm. To shield is a verb for a reason. One way of doing this is to allow shield-users a bonus action to increase their AC by 1 until the start of your next turn or make a shield bash as an off-hand attack. Level Up allows this with a number of martial one-handed weapons like swords, maces, and morningstars, and it’s a fun option for melee fighters which doesn’t seem to break the game. For a buckler, it maybe makes more sense to allow this with lighter, faster weapons like scimitars and handaxes, although the classic pairing is probably a rapier, not that it’s a very medieval weapon. (Other games like Forbidden Lands and Dragonbane arguably do this better still.)
Let’s go through the shield types in turn.
- A buckler is a smaller, cheaper, lighter shield, maybe only 3–4 lbs. It probably only grants a +1 to AC; it would be pretty useless against missile attacks, and that wasn’t really its purpose. Instead, it was effective at parrying incoming attacks and played a particularly important role in protecting the sword hand. It could also be used for punching! All shields in Level Up do 1d4 bludgeoning damage as an improvised weapon, and this feels about right. A common feature of a buckler was a heavy, round metal boss on the front, which made them particularly good for deflecting blows.
- The heater was the classic ‘shield-shaped’ shield—the one you see in coats of arms like the symbol of the Royal Family. It is the shield of the Player’s Handbook, as useful on horseback or on foot, capable of blocking blows in melee or missiles fired at range.But despite being strapped to the arm, it still needs to be held and manoeuvred with a hand strap.
- Tower shields are the biggest of the three—think Roman shields, the kind used in tortoise formation (testudo). In The Armorer’s Handbook, these provide a +3 bonus to AC, but the wielder cannot make opportunity attacks. In Level Up, they are still +2, but they function more like a pavise, a large shield that can be spiked into the ground almost like mobile cover.
What does each shield say about you?
- Bucklers are fast, agile, up-close; they suggest finesse, maybe even a bit of swagger or street smarts. This is very much a shield for someone duelling mano a mano, perhaps in taverns and back alleys, perhaps as a hired swordsman.
- A heater was traditionally more knightly, and historically it might have suggested nobility and lineage (hence heraldry), but that doesn’t have to be the case in all settings. It certainly suggests preparedness and training, someone who needs to be ready for anything: archers, spears, hand-to-hand combat, even cavalry.
- The tower shield is the slowest and least mobile of the three. It’s for someone who expects to be part of a formation, holding down the line, breaching the gate, guarding the rear. There’s something quite grim and enduring about it, like you expect to dig in, besieged and outnumbered.
There’s one more type of armour to consider, and it’s arguably the most important of them all:
Helmets!
You want to protect your head. But there are no rules for this in 5e!
I guess the game gets round this by depicting helmets (and for that matter, gauntlets) as something to be included with certain armour types. And I guess that’s . . . fine.
But also: helmets are cool!
Maybe we don’t need granular rules for each type of helmet—there are lots of different kinds—but at the very least we can have visored helms using the rules in Level Up 5e (see here). And for flavour, if nothing else, we can envisage different helmet types for different characters.
Here’s my take:
- Characters like rogues, scouts and so on might just wear a cap, hood, or padded coif.
- Lightly armoured characters might wear something like a simple skull cap or kettle helm, maybe under a hood.
- Warriors who are wearing more serious armour like brigandine, chainmail, or partial plate might wear a more substantial helmet like a bascinet or sallet.
- Characters in the heaviest armour would want a visored or fully enclosed helmet like an armet or a closed sallet. In ceremonial, high-status situations, they might even wear a great helm decorated with crests, paintwork, or heraldic mantling.
This assumes fairly late medieval styles and technology, so you may want something a bit different if you’re trying to evoke an earlier aesthetic (eg, the iconic nasal helm for more of a Norman look).
That’s the end of part one. Next time, I’ll be looking at weapons: how they were actually used, the story they tell about the person wielding them, and how you might reinterpret the ones in your Player’s Handbook. Thoughts, questions, or corrections? Drop them in the comments below.
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