Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General D&D Armor - How It Should Work

Posted this on a different thread and thought it would make a good thread of its own. This first bit was taken from someone else, but it's so true:

Dungeons and Dragons is quite known for “not understanding armor”, most of their armor types don’t make sense.

Why is leather armor stealthy, but padded armor is not? Leather tends to be more noisy. Gambison, which I’m assuming is what “padded armor” is supposed to represent, is quite silent. A leather jacket, not so much.

If you look through the list of armor in DnD 5e, and what armor you as a player can choose when you start your adventure, you’ll notice that there exists a LOT or armor that’s worse than what you can start with.

Hide armor is the lowest medium armor you can get, but many classes start with Scale Mail. At least here you start with the “not stealthy” variant, and to get the same AC but without disadvantage, you have to pay 4 times as much as your scale mail.

Som classes can start with a chain shirt, but I don’t think any start with Hide Armor.

Same with heavy armors, none really start with ring mail.


Basically, D&D armor is weird. I think armor should work more like this:

Light Armor - covers the torso, arms and legs. It does not cover the neck or head. This type of armor is typically worn almost like clothing and can even replace clothing, though it doesn't have to. Only 1 type of Light Armor can be worn.

Padded Armor - a padded defensive jacket, worn as armour separately, or combined with mail or plate armour. Padded armor is usually constructed of linen or wool; the stuffing varied, and could be for example scrap cloth or horse hair. AC +1 (Dex Max +2). No Stealth Disadvantage. Acrobatics and Athletics Disadvantage.

Leather Armor - Leather armor was made of several layers of leather. Material for leather armor was taken as hard and thick as possible. Then, it was boiled in oil to get additional hardness. AC +1 (No Dex Max). No Acrobatics and Athletics Disadvantage. Stealth Disadvantage.

Studded Leather Armor - same as leather but with studs or rings sewn into it for added protection. These could be made of metal, though some versions are made of bone or other natural materials. AC +2 (No Dex Max). No Acrobatics and Athletics Disadvantage. Stealth Disadvantage.

I figure that's a good start. I'll do Medium Armor next time.

Edit: Added Dexterity maximums because of Fuji's suggestions. Padded Armor should definitely have some sort of Dexterity Max because it's more cumbersome armor while Leather Armor's primary advantage is that it is more flexible and allows freedom of movement and mobility. Thus, Leather is superior for defense but inferior in that it is not stealthy. Meanwhile, Padded Armor is quiet armor and good for stealth, but it is more restrictive.

Also added a basic description for Light Armor.

+1 for more complex armor in D&D. The current system is so basic, where less expensive armor is basically strictly inferior and thus becomes worthless when new armor is found. There's never really any choice of armor to wear. And yeah, some armors are completely useless to players because 1st level characters start out with better versions.

The Acrobatics and Athletics Disadvantage could help introduce more tradeoffs to armor; e.g., padded is better for stealth but leather is better for mobility. Or you can get armor with better AC, but worse stealth, athletics, and/or acrobatics. Potentially a highish strength score could allow players to ignore the athletics and/or acrobatics disadvantage? This would make strength less of a universal dump stat.

However, it doesn't really make sense that light armor could allow you to add your full Dex modifier to AC, but also give you Disadvantage on acrobatics checks...those seem contradictory.

The *idea* behind padded, at least, is that it's bulky, largely ineffective, armour that is incredibly cheap as well as widely available due to being quick and easy to make... no I'm not saying it translates well, just that that is the concept; it's bulky enough that it's difficult to move well in, especially for activities that require precision movement or unusual positioning of the body - bulky enough that it's an active detriment to physically hiding yourself away as well. This is calling back to the understanding the stealth is more than just being quiet - hiding is a part of it as well, and it's physically harder to hide in bulky, cumbersome armour, compared to something with a closer fit. This is the reasoning behind why it has stealth disadvantage. Again, I'm not saying that it tracks particularly well, just that that was the thought process behind the classification.

Medium Armor - typically covers the torso but may cover sections of the upper arms and thighs. Medium Armor does not cover the legs or feet, and it does not go beyond the elbow. It also does not cover the neck or head. Only 1 type of Medium Armor can be worn.

Cuirass (Breastplate and Backplate) - the front and back portion of plate armor covering the torso. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. AC +4 (Dex Max +2). No Athletics or Stealth Disadvantage. Acrobatics Disadvantage. Basically, the breastplate/backplate doesn't really hinder jumping, climbing, shoving, etc., but it does hinder balance, flipping, etc. It also doesn't hinder stealth because it doesn't really clang against anything when a person is moving. The breastplate and backplate are fastened together via straps, so they don't really bang together. If a person wears Padded Armor and Cuirass, they get a +1 to AC for the Padded Armor and a +4 for Cuirass for a total of +5 to AC with a Dex Max of +2. The disadvantages also stack, however, so because they are wearing Padded Armor as well, their Athletics receives Disadvantage. So they would have no Stealth Disadvantage but again have Athletics and Acrobatics Disadvantage. If a person wears Leather Armor and Cuirass, it is similar, a +5 to AC (+6 to AC for Studded Leather) but with a Dex Max of +2 because the Cuirass is hindering their mobility. They also receive a Stealth Disadvantage and Acrobatics Disadvantage, but no Athletics Disadvantage.

Half Plate Armor - Half plate consists of shaped metal plates that cover most of the wearer's body. It does not include leg protection beyond simple greaves that are attached with leather straps. AC +5 (Dex Max +1). No Athletics Disadvantage. Acrobatics and Stealth Disadvantage. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. Same rules apply as with Cuirass. Disadvantages and AC bonuses stack. So Leather and Half Plate Armor receives +6 AC (Dex Max +1) and Acrobatics and Stealth Disadvantage but no Athletics Disadvantage.

Chain Shirt - chainmail shirt reaching at least to the thighs and has half or partial sleeves. AC +3 (Dex Max +2). No Athletics or Acrobatics Disadvantage. Stealth Disadvantage. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. Same rules apply as with Cuirass. Disadvantages and AC bonuses stack. So Leather and Chain Shirt receives +4 (Dex Max +2) and Stealth Disadvantage but no Athletics or Acrobatics Disadvantage. Chain Shirts provide mobility because they are more flexible. Thus, they make a great combination with leather.

Hide Armor - armor made from tough animal skins, furs, bones, feathers and other materials extracted from beasts. It covers the torso and may also cover the arms and thighs. AC +3 (No Dex Max). No Disadvantages. Hide Armor provides the most flexibility and is similar enough to clothing that it doesn't make a lot of noise. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. Same rules apply as with Cuirass. Disadvantages and AC bonuses stack. Hide Armor is the only Medium Armor that a druid will wear without receiving penalties to social skills with other druids. Although druids can wear any kind of armor, it is taboo for a druid to wear any armor with metal in it. Therefore, a druid can wear Padded, Leather and some versions of Studded Leather (so they can only wear Studded Leather if it specifies that it can be worn by druids), but they can't wear Cuirass, Half Plate or Chain Shirts or any heavy armor (some versions of Ring Mail also are acceptable if they specify that they can be worn by druids) without committing an infringement on druidic beliefs. Any druid who is wearing armor with metal on it who attempts to interact with another druid who is not wearing armor with metal on it receives Disadvantage on all social skill checks. Basically, even if the other druid doesn't care, because it is taboo, it causes the druid to feel awkward around another druid who is not obviously breaching the taboo. Thus, Hide Armor is a common armor for druids because it provides more protection without infringing upon their taboo.

Scale Armor - Scale armour is an early form of armour consisting of many individual small armour scales of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows. Scale armour offers better and more solid protection from piercing and blunt attacks than mail. It is also cheaper to produce, but it is not as flexible. AC +6 (Dex Max 0). Disadvantage to Athletics, Acrobatics and Stealth. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. Same rules apply as with a Cuirass. Disadvantages and AC bonuses stack. So Leather and Scale receives AC +7 (Dex Max 0) with Disadvantages to Athletics, Acrobatics and Stealth. Scale Armor is thus very similar to Heavy Armor in that it provides a lot of protection but virtually no flexibility, mobility, and it is rather noisy. Like Studded Leather and Ring Mail, some versions of Scale Armor are made with creature scales, such as dragon scales. These are perfectly fine to be worn by druids without receiving penalty for breaching taboo. However, such armor specifically notes that they are able to be worn by druids. Otherwise, it is assumed that Scale Armor is made from metal.

Yeah. I get that. Same with Ring Mail in terms of it is there to provide a cheaper, basic armor for NPCs and in case you have nothing better to choose from. Each armor does have it's purpose. I just think it's too wonky.

I also think armor is supposed to be combinable. You can wear Padded Armor under a breastplate, for example, and often people wore padded or leather with scale.

I love the idea of combining armored elements, and layering in general. Like interchanging the shirts and tunics with gauntlets and grieves and whatnot. I don't know how they could do it to keep with the same sort of loadout vibe, but maybe instead of classes of armor being the whole deal, it should be like lightly armored, heavily armored as opposed to light armor or heavy armor, if that makes sense. With the idea that the character has like two style loadouts, adventure wear and full battle wear. The later would be the stuff that you don when you know what's coming, and perhaps it could be attached to the short rest as way to keep it systemically interesting? But the idea of just rolling in heavy ass armor the entire time cause your class/build allows you to push heavy seems kinda fanciful even for the fantasy game hehe. Anyhow, I like the direction and the trade offs. I think perhaps part of the original idea behind the system had more to do with recognizing what the enemy was wearing, so you'd know how to direct damage against it. Basically the inverse of seeing what weapon they're brandishing, but because armor is harder to make out in a visual at quick glance, than a brief spoken description say "the Orc is wearing full plate mail!" or "the bandits are in leathers" or floating number etc that's maybe that's why they made the way they did? Who knows, but it does seem like one of those things that holds over from early days.

I thought the Angkeg plate in BG1 was a cool concept, because it conveyed what is probably the most important aspect, which is weight. Like the reason they made armor from cloth and leather or wood or bamboo or whatever (all rigid) was because the material was more abundant, relatively cheaper to acquire, and easier to carry on the long haul. Stuff like that just doesn't seem to play very well into the D&D computer game scheme though. I think the systems here have been sort of weird from the outset, cause it was based more on like an Errol Flynn swashbuckling flicks or like a Hollywood knights in technicolor understanding of arms and armor. Dress up armor basically, more than the real thing. For me, as much as the mechanics of armor progress, I'm always more interested in the aesthetic progression. Again I mean in the computer game context, where I'd maybe take a hit somewhere in some respect, just cause it looks good haha. I wish there a bit more of that baked in to armor of whatever type or class, where we don't just see the one version, and an enchanted re-color of it, but have some real variety on offer for different styles. But also where there is enough style going on, that you don't really have to sacrifice that to get something that just works well enough that you're not constantly getting bloodied. I don't like right now how we don't have any real choices in the initial loadout. Not even the basic spread, but just our class spiffy version. It could be so much deeper, where the player really has to put some thought into what they want to buy and where they want to put the focus stylewise. Anyhow, I like the ideas. Keep em coming!

I like the concept of Athletics and Acrobatics Disadvantage from bulkier armor and it should affect your Jumping ability in combat. A naked Barbarian should be able to jump much more effectively than a Knight in Full Plate.

I'd also like the next edition of DnD to be more dynamic with the Dex bonuses from armor. There's basically only 1 viable top of the class armor from each weight category, and more variety to fit a different niche would be nice. What if Studded Leather was max Dex +5, but Leather was +6. And perhaps Elves and Halflings could have a max Dex score of 22, so high level Rogues would have some armor diversity.

I'm also reconsidering Padded Armor. Quite honestly, it should have the most AC of the Light Armors but have the Dex restrictions and Disadvantages. Padded Armor is/was more protective than Leather, but a Dextrous person WOULD benefit more from Leather because they are more agile.

Also, I'm wondering if Shove should be an exception to Athletics Disadvantage because it is something that would benefit from you having more weight, not less.

OK. Revamped and consolidated:

A person doesn't have to be proficient in armor to take advantage of its AC bonuses. However, if you aren't proficient, you suffer Disadvantage on all checks, even Charisma, Intelligence and Wisdom. Basically, you are distracted while wearing armor you are not proficient with.

Light Armor - covers the torso, arms and legs. It does not cover the neck or head. This type of armor is typically worn almost like clothing and can even replace clothing, though it doesn't have to. Only 1 type of Light Armor can be worn.

Leather Armor - Leather armor was made of several layers of leather. Material for leather armor was taken as hard and thick as possible. Then, it was boiled in oil to get additional hardness. AC +1 (Dex Max +6). Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 10 lbs. 10 gp.

Studded Leather Armor - same as leather but with studs or rings sewn into it for added protection. These could be made of metal, though some versions are made of bone or other natural materials. AC +2 (Dex Max +5). Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 13 lbs. 20 gp.

Padded Armor - a padded defensive jacket, worn as armor separately, or combined with mail or plate armor. Padded armor is usually constructed of linen or wool; the stuffing varied, and could be for example scrap cloth or horse hair. AC +3 (Dex Max +4). Acrobatics and Athletics Disadvantage (exception Shove. Shove action receives no Disadvantage). Weight 10 lbs. 30 gp.

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Medium Armor - typically covers the torso but may cover sections of the upper arms and thighs. Medium Armor does not cover the legs or feet, and it does not go beyond the elbow. It also does not cover the neck or head. Only 1 type of Medium Armor can be worn. However, 1 Light Armor and 1 Medium Armor can be worn together to stack AC bonuses. This also causes Disadvantages to stack and you must take the lowest of the Dex Maximums. So, if a person wears Padded Armor and a Cuirass, they receive +7 AC but have a Dex Max of +3, Athletics and Acrobatics Disadvantages (except Shove. Shove action receives no Disadvantage).

Hide Armor - armor made from tough animal skins, furs, bones, feathers and other materials extracted from beasts. It covers the torso and may also cover the arms and thighs. AC +1 (No Dex Max). No Disadvantages. Hide Armor provides the most flexibility and is similar enough to clothing that it doesn't make a lot of noise. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. Hide Armor is the only Medium Armor that a druid will wear without receiving penalties to social skills with other druids. Although druids can wear any kind of armor, it is taboo for a druid to wear any armor with metal in it. Therefore, a druid can wear Padded, Leather and some versions of Studded Leather (so they can only wear Studded Leather if it specifies that it can be worn by druids), but they can't wear Cuirass, Half Plate or Chain Shirts or any heavy armor (some versions of Ring Mail also are acceptable if they specify that they can be worn by druids) without committing an infringement on druidic beliefs. Any druid who is wearing armor with metal on it who attempts to interact with another druid who is not wearing armor with metal on it receives Disadvantage on all social skill checks. Basically, even if the other druid doesn't care, because it is taboo, it causes the druid to feel awkward around another druid who is not obviously breaching the taboo. Thus, Hide Armor is a common armor for druids because it provides more protection without infringing upon their taboo. Weight 5 lbs. 5 gp.

Chain Shirt - chainmail shirt reaching at least to the thighs and has half or partial sleeves. AC +3 (Dex Max +4). Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 30 lbs. 50 gp.

Cuirass (Breastplate and Backplate) - the front and back portion of plate armor covering the torso. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. AC +4 (Dex Max +3). Acrobatics Disadvantage. Basically, the breastplate/backplate doesn't really hinder jumping, climbing, shoving, etc., but it does hinder balance, flipping, etc. It also doesn't hinder stealth because it doesn't really clang against anything when a person is moving. The breastplate and backplate are fastened together via straps, so they don't really bang together. Weight 40 lbs. 100 gp.

Half Plate Armor - Half plate consists of shaped metal plates that cover most of the wearer's body. It does not include leg protection beyond simple greaves that are attached with leather straps. AC +5 (Dex Max +2). Acrobatics and Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 50 lbs. 200 gp.

Scale Armor - Scale armor is an early form of armor consisting of many individual small armor scales of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows. Scale armor offers better and more solid protection from piercing and blunt attacks than mail. It is also cheaper to produce, but it is not as flexible. AC +6 (Dex Max +1). Disadvantage to Athletics (except Shove), Acrobatics and Stealth. Scale Armor is thus very similar to Heavy Armor in that it provides a lot of protection but virtually no flexibility, mobility, and it is rather noisy. Like Studded Leather and Ring Mail, some versions of Scale Armor are made with creature scales, such as dragon scales. These are perfectly fine to be worn by druids without receiving penalty for breaching taboo. However, such armor specifically notes that they are able to be worn by druids. Otherwise, it is assumed that Scale Armor is made from metal. Weight 15 lbs. 30 gp.

Heavy Armor - typically covers the whole body including the entire arm, hands, thighs, shins, calves, feet, neck and head. Only 1 type of Heavy Armor can be worn. However, 1 Light Armor and 1 Heavy Armor MUST be worn together to stack AC bonuses. This also causes Disadvantages to stack and you must take the lowest of the Dex Maximums (which is 0 for all Heavy Armor). So, if a person wears Padded Armor and Ring Mail, they receive +10 AC but have a Dex Max of 0, Athletics and Acrobatics Disadvantages (except Shove. Shove action receives no Disadvantage). Heavy Armor cannot be worn together with Medium Armor.

Ring Mail - a personal armor constructed as series of metallic rings sewn to a fabric or leather foundation. AC +7 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove) and Acrobatics Disadvantage. The rings are sewn into the fabric, so they do not jangle or clang, making Ring Mail a potential Heavy Armor stealth alternative, not providing Disadvantage for Stealth. As mentioned with Hide Armor, select versions which specify they can be used by druids are made of non-metal rings. Also, -5 feet of movement due to weight and encumbrance. Weight 40 lbs. 30 gp.

Chain Mail - like Chain Shirt except that it covers the legs and arms as well as an armored hood covering the neck and head. Everything but the hands, feet and face are covered. It is also rather heavy, so although it is flexible, the weight makes it not as easy to move around in. Still, it is more maneuverable than other Heavy Armors. AC +8 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove), Acrobatics and Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 60 lbs. 125 gp.

Splint Armor - is armor consisting of strips of metal ("splints") attached to a cloth or leather backing. AC +9 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove) and Acrobatics Disadvantage. The splints are sewn into the fabric, so they do not jangle or clang, making Splint Armor a potential Heavy Armor stealth alternative, not providing Disadvantage for Stealth. As mentioned with Hide Armor, select versions which specify they can be used by druids are made of non-metal splints. Also, -10 feet of movement due to weight and encumbrance. Weight 60 lbs. 200 gp.

Plate Armor - a full suit of personal body armor made from bronze, iron, or steel plates (or other metals like Adamantine), culminating in the iconic suit of armor entirely encasing the wearer. AC +10 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove), Acrobatics, Stealth and Perception Disadvantage. Because the individual is fully covered, including neck and head, it is difficult to see via peripheral vision. Thus, Perception is also hindered. Also, -10 feet of movement due to weight and encumbrance. Weight 70 lbs. 500 gp.

Shields - Requires proficiency to apply bonus to AC. Stacks with any armor.

Small Wooden Shield - +1 to AC. If enemy rolls a Critical Hit, shield is broken and useless. Weight 2 lbs. 2 gp.
Medium Wooden Shield - +2 to AC. If enemy rolls a Critical Hit, shield is broken and useless. Weight 5 lbs. 5 gp.
Large Wooden Shield - +3 to AC. If enemy rolls a Critical Hit, shield is broken and useless. Weight 8 lbs. 8 gp.
Small Metal Shield - +1 to AC. Weight 5 lbs. 5 gp.
Medium Metal Shield - +2 to AC. Weight 8 lbs. 10 gp.
Large Metal Shield - +3 to AC. Weight 10 lbs. 20 gp.
Tower Shield - +4 to AC. Weight 30 lbs. 50 gp.

Just throwing this out here right now. It's a work in progress. This, however, would make ACs way too high, as would Heavy Armor, so I might have to tweak AC bonuses for all armors listed.

OK. Revamped and consolidated:

A person doesn't have to be proficient in armor to take advantage of its AC bonuses. However, if you aren't proficient, you suffer Disadvantage on all checks, even Charisma, Intelligence and Wisdom. Basically, you are distracted while wearing armor you are not proficient with.

Light Armor - covers the torso, arms and legs. It does not cover the neck or head. This type of armor is typically worn almost like clothing and can even replace clothing, though it doesn't have to. Only 1 type of Light Armor can be worn.

Leather Armor - Leather armor was made of several layers of leather. Material for leather armor was taken as hard and thick as possible. Then, it was boiled in oil to get additional hardness. AC +1 (Dex Max +6). Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 10 lbs. 10 gp.

Studded Leather Armor - same as leather but with studs or rings sewn into it for added protection. These could be made of metal, though some versions are made of bone or other natural materials. AC +2 (Dex Max +5). Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 13 lbs. 20 gp.

Padded Armor - a padded defensive jacket, worn as armor separately, or combined with mail or plate armor. Padded armor is usually constructed of linen or wool; the stuffing varied, and could be for example scrap cloth or horse hair. AC +3 (Dex Max +4). Acrobatics and Athletics Disadvantage (exception Shove. Shove action receives no Disadvantage). Weight 10 lbs. 30 gp.

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Medium Armor - typically covers the torso but may cover sections of the upper arms and thighs. Medium Armor does not cover the legs or feet, and it does not go beyond the elbow. It also does not cover the neck or head. Only 1 type of Medium Armor can be worn. However, 1 Light Armor and 1 Medium Armor can be worn together to stack AC bonuses. This also causes Disadvantages to stack and you must take the lowest of the Dex Maximums. So, if a person wears Padded Armor and a Cuirass, they receive +6 AC but have a Dex Max of +3, Athletics and Acrobatics Disadvantages (except Shove. Shove action receives no Disadvantage).

Hide Armor - armor made from tough animal skins, furs, bones, feathers and other materials extracted from beasts. It covers the torso and may also cover the arms and thighs. AC +1 (No Dex Max). No Disadvantages. Hide Armor provides the most flexibility and is similar enough to clothing that it doesn't make a lot of noise. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. Hide Armor is the only Medium Armor that a druid will wear without receiving penalties to social skills with other druids. Although druids can wear any kind of armor, it is taboo for a druid to wear any armor with metal in it. Therefore, a druid can wear Padded, Leather and some versions of Studded Leather (so they can only wear Studded Leather if it specifies that it can be worn by druids), but they can't wear Cuirass, Half Plate or Chain Shirts or any heavy armor (some versions of Ring Mail also are acceptable if they specify that they can be worn by druids) without committing an infringement on druidic beliefs. Any druid who is wearing armor with metal on it who attempts to interact with another druid who is not wearing armor with metal on it receives Disadvantage on all social skill checks. Basically, even if the other druid doesn't care, because it is taboo, it causes the druid to feel awkward around another druid who is not obviously breaching the taboo. Thus, Hide Armor is a common armor for druids because it provides more protection without infringing upon their taboo. Weight 5 lbs. 5 gp.

Chain Shirt - chainmail shirt reaching at least to the thighs and has half or partial sleeves. AC +2 (Dex Max +4). Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 30 lbs. 50 gp.

Cuirass (Breastplate and Backplate) - the front and back portion of plate armor covering the torso. Can be worn with any Light Armor for added protection. AC +3 (Dex Max +3). Acrobatics Disadvantage. Basically, the breastplate/backplate doesn't really hinder jumping, climbing, shoving, etc., but it does hinder balance, flipping, etc. It also doesn't hinder stealth because it doesn't really clang against anything when a person is moving. The breastplate and backplate are fastened together via straps, so they don't really bang together. Weight 40 lbs. 100 gp.

Half Plate Armor - Half plate consists of shaped metal plates that cover most of the wearer's body. It does not include leg protection beyond simple greaves that are attached with leather straps. AC +4 (Dex Max +2). Acrobatics and Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 50 lbs. 200 gp.

Scale Armor - Scale armor is an early form of armor consisting of many individual small armor scales of various shapes attached to each other and to a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows. Scale armor offers better and more solid protection from piercing and blunt attacks than mail. It is also cheaper to produce, but it is not as flexible. AC +3 (Dex Max +1). Disadvantage to Athletics (except Shove), Acrobatics and Stealth. Scale Armor is thus very similar to Heavy Armor in that it provides a lot of protection but virtually no flexibility, mobility, and it is rather noisy. Like Studded Leather and Ring Mail, some versions of Scale Armor are made with creature scales, such as dragon scales. These are perfectly fine to be worn by druids without receiving penalty for breaching taboo. However, such armor specifically notes that they are able to be worn by druids. Otherwise, it is assumed that Scale Armor is made from metal. Weight 15 lbs. 30 gp.

Heavy Armor - typically covers the whole body including the entire arm, hands, thighs, shins, calves, feet, neck and head. Only 1 type of Heavy Armor can be worn. However, 1 Light Armor and 1 Heavy Armor MUST be worn together to stack AC bonuses. This also causes Disadvantages to stack and you must take the lowest of the Dex Maximums (which is 0 for all Heavy Armor). So, if a person wears Padded Armor and Ring Mail, they receive +8 AC but have a Dex Max of 0, Athletics and Acrobatics Disadvantages (except Shove. Shove action receives no Disadvantage). Heavy Armor cannot be worn together with Medium Armor.

Ring Mail - a personal armor constructed as series of metallic rings sewn to a fabric or leather foundation. AC +5 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove) and Acrobatics Disadvantage. The rings are sewn into the fabric, so they do not jangle or clang, making Ring Mail a potential Heavy Armor stealth alternative, not providing Disadvantage for Stealth. As mentioned with Hide Armor, select versions which specify they can be used by druids are made of non-metal rings. Also, -5 feet of movement due to weight and encumbrance. Weight 40 lbs. 30 gp.

Chain Mail - like Chain Shirt except that it covers the legs and arms as well as an armored hood covering the neck and head. Everything but the hands, feet and face are covered. It is also rather heavy, so although it is flexible, the weight makes it not as easy to move around in. Still, it is more maneuverable than other Heavy Armors. AC +6 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove), Acrobatics and Stealth Disadvantage. Weight 60 lbs. 125 gp.

Splint Armor - is armor consisting of strips of metal ("splints") attached to a cloth or leather backing. AC +7 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove) and Acrobatics Disadvantage. The splints are sewn into the fabric, so they do not jangle or clang, making Splint Armor a potential Heavy Armor stealth alternative, not providing Disadvantage for Stealth. As mentioned with Hide Armor, select versions which specify they can be used by druids are made of non-metal splints. Also, -10 feet of movement due to weight and encumbrance. Weight 60 lbs. 200 gp.

Plate Armor - a full suit of personal body armor made from bronze, iron, or steel plates (or other metals like Adamantine), culminating in the iconic suit of armor entirely encasing the wearer. AC +8 (Dex Max 0). Athletics (except Shove), Acrobatics, Stealth and Perception Disadvantage. Because the individual is fully covered, including neck and head, it is difficult to see via peripheral vision. Thus, Perception is also hindered. Also, -10 feet of movement due to weight and encumbrance. Weight 70 lbs. 500 gp.

Shields - Requires proficiency to apply bonus to AC. Stacks with any armor.

Small Wooden Shield - +1 to AC. If enemy rolls a Critical Hit, shield is broken and useless. Weight 2 lbs. 2 gp.
Medium Wooden Shield - +2 to AC. If enemy rolls a Critical Hit, shield is broken and useless. Weight 5 lbs. 5 gp.
Large Wooden Shield - +3 to AC. If enemy rolls a Critical Hit, shield is broken and useless. Weight 8 lbs. 8 gp.
Small Metal Shield - +1 to AC. Weight 5 lbs. 5 gp.
Medium Metal Shield - +2 to AC. Weight 8 lbs. 10 gp.
Large Metal Shield - +3 to AC. Weight 10 lbs. 20 gp.

3e already had the armor mechanics pretty much nailed down with the Max Dexterity Bonus being different on every armor subtype rather than between the light/medium/heavy classes, plus having the Arcane Spell Failure chance that would get in the way of arcane spellcasters wearing heavier armor even if they were profiecient with it, and the penalties on Dexterity-based skills from heavier suits. Same with the different subtypes of shields.

5e dumbing the armor mechanics down is one of the many reasons I find it far less appealing, as there is indeed no logical reason behind picking some of the existing types of armor over the other. Hide armor's only saving grace is that it's the only piece of medium armor available to druids (apart from the non-metal rare magical ones), but padded armor is just plain useless, and so is ringmail (where the only use case I can think of is a Life/Nature cleric who for some reason dumped both strength and dexterity wearing it). Having Lae'zel start with the best kind of medium armor also throws the balance out the window in that regard (and I hope that in the full game they will downgrade her to a breastplate or something).

The one approach to counteract all that would be having interesting enchanted varieties of the gear that would normally be overlooked, but that introduces an even greater issue of being flooded in too many magical items than there already is now. Otherwise they will have to rewrite the armor rules, and considering how hostile people can be even to actually well-implemented and system-improving cases of Larian's homebrew stuff, I somehow doubt it'll go over well.

This is a new gameplay mechanic that they are introducing rather late.

Yeah. I wasn't a big fan of the armor in 3e. It was the other extreme - too complicated. You had to always remember all the nuances of everyone's armor. Especially as a DM, it was a pain in the rump.

Even what I've described is a bit complicated. You have to try to remember what armor gets what disadvantage, and if you combine a Light and Medium, you have to combine the disadvantages and take the lowest Dex Max. Still, what I'm proposing isn't that complicated. It's more like you look up Padded Armor and see that it provides Disadvantage to Athletics (except for Shove) and Acrobatics. It doesn't do Disadvantage for Stealth. If you just read the description, it makes sense, so it's not too hard to remember. Astarion's wearing Padded Armor. It's made of linen or wool. They aren't real noisy fabrics, but the armor is padded. So, it's going to be a bit more bulky. In comparison, you give Astarion Leather. Leather is sleek and hugs the body. However, just moving in leather makes noise. It kinda makes a creaking sound when you move, especially if leather rubs against leather. Thus, no restriction to movement, but it makes noise so restriction to stealth.

The thing I noticed, though, is that there is no armor that fits the stereotypical rogue's needs perfectly. Either you are Acrobatic or Stealthy with light armor. You can't have both. So what if you want to be a rogue that is both stealthy and acrobatic? Either don't wear armor or best find armor that is magically enhanced to do both. By providing these limitations to armor, you open doors for enhanced items. Instead of just Leather + 1, you can now have Masterwork Leather Armor which provides the bonsues for Leather and makes it so that it doesn't give Disadvantage on Stealth. Or you can have Masterwork Padded Armor which provides the bonuses for Padded and makes it so that it doesn't give Disadvantage on Acrobatics and/or Athletics.

See. The same goes for all the armors. It doesn't have to be as complicated as 3e, but add just a smidge more restriction/limitation and it suddenly creates value for all armor types and leaves room for more diverse masterwork/magic items.

Was it? I recall having notes as part of a DM Screen (which may or may not have existed as an actual physical screen during any given session) that made factoring in penalties a breeze; all of the commonly used/relevant factors were taken into account ahead of time and any extemporaneous adjustments were infrequent.

Meh. Even if they don't implement something like this in BG3 - and I highly doubt they would at this point - I'm just discussing it as an idea for maybe 6e or even just between us. How should armor actually behave for D&D, because traditionally, armor has been kinda weirdly done. It doesn't make sense based on historical armor.

Frankly, this IS one homebrew area I wouldn't mind Larian implementing. Armor is dumb in 5e. As mentioned, Ring mail is garbage. If you find it, it's not even hardly worth picking up and selling it. It's virtually worthless. So is hide armor, especially since a druid CAN actually wear whatever armor they want. Nothing in 5e actually restricts them from wearing regular armor like everyone else - and this is 100% true for BG3. My druid easily equipped Scale Armor the first chance I got. No one even said, "Hey. It's taboo for a druid to wear metal armor. Take that off." No hindrance to spells. Nothing. So Hide armor is also pretty much garbage.

I'd like to see armor with more meaning and purpose. As also mentioned, Lae'zel starts with pretty much the best armor she can, and so does Shadowheart. Astarion's armor is junk, and it makes no sense for him to be wearing it. I toss it the moment I find leather for him. Wyll's armor is also garbage and I toss it for leather first chance I get.

@GM4Him, your suggested system seems more complicated than even 3e as it involves the possible mix-n-matching of various armor sets. I think that's too complicated for both 5e and for the level of tutorials/game-mechanic-explanations in BG3.

Each armor having 3(5) properties---AC bonus, max Dex bonus, and Skill (Stealth vs Acrobatics vs Athletics) Disadvantage---should be sufficient to create an interesting system without making the system too messy. I agree that it'd make for exciting moments where you e.g., find a magical padded armor that negates the acrobatics Disadvantage. As opposed to finding +1 Padded Armor now and thinking "this is strictly worse than my non-magical leather armor :/"

Yeah. I'm not happy with what I presented - not entirely. The mix-n-matching thing SEEMS good at first, but upon actual application, it's messy. I've even tried multiple times to tweak it, and I don't like it. Basically, I was thinking of something more simple in the end and breaking it out similar to 5e. I still think the stats need tweaking though, to fit more with how these armor types actually work... something like this:

Leather = +1 AC, No Dex Max, Dis on Stealth
Studded = +2 AC, No Dex Max, Dis on Stealth
Padded = +2 AC, Dex Max +3, Dis on Acrobatics

Hide Armor - +2 AC, No Dex Max, No Dis at all (I honestly think Hide should be light armor, but whatever)
Chain Shirt - +3 AC, Dex Max +3, Dis on Stealth
Cuirass - +3 AC, Dex Max +2, Dis on Acrobatics
Half Plate - +4 AC, Dex Max +1, Dis on Acrobatics and Stealth
Scale Armor - +5 AC, Dex Max +1. Dis on Acrobatics and Stealth

Ring Mail - +6 AC, Dex Max 0, Dis on Acrobatics and Athletics (except Shove), requires Str 13
Chain Mail - +7 AC, Dex Max 0, Dis on Stealth, requires Str 14
Splint Armor - +7 AC, Dex Max 0, Dis on Acrobatics and Athletics (except Shove), requires Str 14
Plate Armor - +8 AC, Dex Max 0, Dis on Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception and Athletics (except Shove), requires Str 15

Small Shield - +1 to AC
Medium Shield - +2 to AC
Large Shield - +3 to AC

In light of keeping everything simple, why not just say:

Light armor gives a +1 AC with a max of +4 Dex.

Medium armor gives a +4 AC with a max of +2 Dex. Disadvantage on Acrobatics.

Heavy armor gives a +8 AC with a max of +0 Dex. Disadvantage on Acrobatics and Stealth.

Add in shields, as usual.

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If you're trying to keep it simple, I don't see the point in differentiating between types of light and heavy and whatnot. Just give bonuses on the type, let the player and DM color in the specifics.

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Then special materials like mithral and such can make a difference to the base stats.

And magic, of course.