Table: Armor and Shields

—— Speed ——

Armor

Cost

Armor/Shield Bonus

Maximum Dex Bonus

Armor Check Penalty

Arcane Spell Failure Chance

(30 ft.)

(20 ft.)

Weight¹

Light armor

Padded

5 gp

+1

+8

0

5%

30 ft.

20 ft.

10 lb.

Leather

10 gp

+2

+6

0

10%

30 ft.

20 ft.

15 lb.

Studded leather

25 gp

+3

+5

–1

15%

30 ft.

20 ft.

20 lb.

Chain shirt

100 gp

+4

+4

–2

20%

30 ft.

20 ft.

25 lb.

Medium armor

Hide

15 gp

+3

+4

–3

20%

20 ft.

15 ft.

25 lb.

Scale mail

50 gp

+4

+3

–4

25%

20 ft.

15 ft.

30 lb.

Chainmail

150 gp

+5

+2

–5

30%

20 ft.

15 ft.

40 lb.

Breastplate

200 gp

+5

+3

–4

25%

20 ft.

15 ft.

30 lb.

Heavy armor

Splint mail

200 gp

+6

+0

–7

40%

20 ft.²

15 ft.²

45 lb.

Banded mail

250 gp

+6

+1

–6

35%

20 ft.²

15 ft.²

35 lb.

Half-plate

600 gp

+7

+0

–7

40%

20 ft.²

15 ft.²

50 lb.

Full plate

1,500 gp

+8

+1

–6

35%

20 ft.²

15 ft.²

50 lb.

Shields

Buckler

15 gp

+1

—

–1

5%

—

—

5 lb.

Shield, light wooden

3 gp

+1

—

–1

5%

—

—

5 lb.

Shield, light steel

9 gp

+1

—

–1

5%

—

—

6 lb.

Shield, heavy wooden

7 gp

+2

—

–2

15%

—

—

10 lb.

Shield, heavy steel

20 gp

+2

—

–2

15%

—

—

15 lb.

Shield, tower

30 gp

+4³

+2

–10

50%

—

—

45 lb.

Extras

Armor spikes

+50 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

+10 lb.

Gauntlet, locked

8 gp

—

—

Special

⁴

—

—

+5 lb.

Shield spikes

+10 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

+5 lb.

¹ Weight figures are for armor sized to fit Medium characters. Armor fitted for Small characters weighs half as much, and armor fitted for Large characters weighs twice as much.

² When running in heavy armor, you move only triple your speed, not quadruple.

³ A tower shield can instead grant you cover. See the description.

⁴ Hand not free to cast spells.