Armor and Acrobatic Proficiencies

This system of modifiers for armor other than the usual leather may be used for non-thief characters as well as those thieves who may be found wearing heavier protection.

Elfin chain mail is light and thin and can be worn under normal clothing. All other types of armor except simple leather are stiff or bulky, and can only be covered by a full body cloak.

Jumping: For an acrobat wearing armor and attempting a jumping maneuver other than pole vaulting, compute the height or length of the jump as described in the Player's Handbook, Chapter Five. Then adjust this distance according to the armor of the character, as shown on Table 37. Should the resulting total be less than zero, the character fails the acrobatic feat entirely (probably by tripping and landing flat on his face).

Pole vaulting is a different matter. To successfully get off the ground in armor bulkier than leather requires a proficiency check, adjusted, as indicated on Table 37, according to the pole vaulter's armor. In addition, a pole vaulter with armor heavier or bulkier than studded or padded can vault no higher than the height of the pole.

Tightrope Walking: Adjustments listed on Table 37 indicate the penalties associated with each sort of armor if it is worn while tightrope walking. The DM should also take into account how heavy the character and all his armor, weapons and equipment are, and whether the rope or beam or other surface on which the character walks is capable of supporting such weight.

Tumbling: Defensive and offensive tumbling maneuvers are limited by the use of armor. As the Player's Handbook states (Chapter Five), a character with tumbling proficiency can improve his armor class by 4 against attacks directed solely at him in any round of combat, provided he has the initiative and forgoes all attacks that round. The row "Tumbling—Defensive" on Table 37 indicates what AC bonus, if any, the character can get when he is wearing various sorts of armor. When in unarmed combat, a character with tumbling proficiency is also normally able to improve his attack roll by 2. The bonus, if any, that the character has when in armor is shown in the row "Tumbling—Attack."

The third function of tumbling proficiency is the ability to avoid falling damage. If the character makes a successful proficiency check, he takes only half damage from falls of 60 feet or less, and none from falls of 10 feet or less. Modifiers to this proficiency check are listed in the row "Tumbling—Falling."

Table 37:

EFFECTS OF ARMOR ON ACROBATIC PROFICIENCIES

	No	Elfin	Studded		Ring or	Brigandine	Scale or	Plate	Plate
Skill	Armor	Chain	or Padded	Hide	Chain	or Splint	Banded	Mail	Armor
Broad jump,
running	+1'	—	-1/2'	-3'	-5'	-7'	-10'	-15'	-20'
High jump,
running	+1'	-1/2'	-1'	-2'	-4'	-8'	-10'	-20'	-18'
Broad jump,
standing	+1/2'	—	-1/2'	-2'	-3'	-4'	-5'	-7'	-10'
High jump,
standing	+1/4'	—	-1/2'	-1'	-2'	-21/2'	-2 1/2'	-3'	-3'
Pole vaulting	—	-1'	-1'	-3'	-5'	-8'	-10'	-12'	-15'
Tightrope
Walking	—	-1	-1	-3	-5	-6	-8	-10	-12
Tumbling
Defensive	+4	+4	+3	+1	+2	+1	0	0	0
Attack	+2	+2	+2	0	+1	+1	0	0	0
Falling	—	-1	—	-3	-5	-6	-8	-10	-12

General Notes: Leather armor is taken to be the standard, with no positive or negative adjustment to thief skills. No dexterity bonuses apply to thief functions (though penalties do) when wearing armor other than simple leather.

1. This category applies when wearing bracers of defense or a cloak, but no large protective devices.

2. Includes bronze plate mail.

3. Encompasses both field plate and full plate armor.

4. (Table 38) Assumes that armor worn is covered by another garment. Elfin chain mail is light and thin, and can be worn under normal clothing. All other types of armor except simple leather are stiff or bulky, and can only be covered by a full body cloak.

Table of Contents