"Suit Armor" from RC/BECMI

[plethon]

Not sure if this has been discussed before (searching "suit armor" doesn't really narrow things down) so I figured I'd make a thread.

In the Rules Cyclopedia, there is an armor type which is one step above Plate mail called "Suit Armor," described thus (page 68):

Suit Armor: Suit armor is the type of armor associated with the mounted knights of high romance. It encloses the wearer completely in a sheath of steel. with chain-link joints to permit movement. It is often called plate armor (which is different than plate mail), full plate, gothic armor, or jousting armor. However, suit armor is more like the plate armor made during the last days of armor-making. The arrival of gunpowder forced armor-makers to thicken the armor made, which rendered it too heavy and clumsy and impractical for use, leading to the abandonment of making armor. In the game, the presence of magic has had almost the same effect of suit armor[...]

It goes on to describe the mechanical benefits and penalties, which include some pretty serious negatives to movement, needing to roll to stand up from prone, loud clanks and creaking which alert monsters, a penalty to your own surprise rolls if you are alone, and a -5 penalty to bows (crossbows unaffected)

It costs 250gp and has an AC of 0. Additionally, it reduces damage from all area of affect attacks and breath attacks by one point per d6 of damage, and magical suit armor also adds its bonus to this reduction (- 1 per die of damage).

None of the players in my current BECMI game have bought this, so I have yet to deal with the mechanics of it.

Do any of you have experience with Suit armor in your games? It seems charming and even a bit slapstick with the inability to stand from prone and the creaks and clanks, which are qualities I enjoy. There's a bit about using a rope and a pulley to hoist your party member in Suit armor onto their horse. I don't think it's very realistic, in the sense that the movement restrictions and so forth are a bit exaggerated, but I kind of like it more because of this.

[jeffb]

I don't have any practical experience with BECMI other than owning the BEC part. I had a couple of rules cyclopedias back in my collecting days but never played with my group. I get the impression we do not have too many active BECMI DM/Players here, but I could be wrong- hopefully someone will be able to help you out. You might try Dragonsfoot and the Piazza too if you have not, their BECMI communities are very active.

That said, I think I would avoid that armor like the plague if I was a a Fighter.

[hamurai]

I don't think that "suit armor" is suitable (no pun intended) for adventuring. We've never had anyone using this in normal "adventure mode" play, only for campaigns when they were riding with the mounted knights.

[barna10]

I've never had anyone use it, but playing with my kids now and I can see one of them wanting it

[Parzival]

The suit armor rules in the RC are based on Victorian nonsense, created by “historians” of that era who just made assumptions about armor without actually examining the real thing— whether the authors knew this or not, I don’t know. Actual, well-crafted suit armor is not at all restrictive of movement— a wearer can actually perform acrobatic feats, including jumping up from a prone position, jumping onto a horse, dancing, kicking one’s heels together in midair, somersaults, knee bends, etc., etc.. You could literally wear plate armor and play a game of tennis. Certainly it’s not the same as being in normal clothes or bare skin, but you’re not wearing a metal straitjacket either. In fact, it would probably be less restrictive on movement than banded or plate mail— or even chain mail, which is far heavier to wear. Nor would it necessarily be noisier than any other form of armor— you think chain mail and scale male are gonna be quiet???

So the fluff stuff is entirely up to you— if you want the Victorian silliness in your game, go for it. Me, I’d drop the absurd restrictions and just go with the high cost— and that in order to have such a suit made, one has to travel to a place where it can be made, to be measured for the “tailored” suit, make a deposit on it, and wait months (or even a year) for it to be crafted. And, of course, one is competing with dukes, princes, kings and emperors for place in line for the suit. But that’s more because I want a slightly more restricted progression for the PCs in my setting. It all depends on what the DM wants the game to be.

[ratikranger]

I always had a different complaint, namely that by picking AC 0 they messed up the nice traditional AC progression. It's 9, 7, 5, 3 after all, so it should of course be 1 next, not 0. "Oh, but our research showed that suit armor is actually 15% more effective than plate mail, so we had to pick 0..." Whatever.

I have it in my B/X house rules at AC 1. And with a much higher price. And with a move of 30' instead of 60' for chain/plate, so a character in suit armor cannot carry treasure at all. Seems fair to me and has the desired effect that none of my players have ever tried to get one. (Also the person in suit armor would always be the one that gets eaten when the party decides to run, so...)

[calstaff]

I wonder if the reason they introduced this armor at all was to counteract the bonuses given for weapon mastery rules that were included at the same time in the Master rules set?

[vasious]

Aug 4, 2021 23:13:48 GMT -6 hamurai said:

I don't think that "suit armor" is suitable (no pun intended) for adventuring. We've never had anyone using this in normal "adventure mode" play, only for campaigns when they were riding with the mounted knights.

Indeed Knights/Wilderness Heavy Horse  and Jousting events where you want it adorned for conspicuous consumption

[retrorob]

Jan 17, 2022 20:57:55 GMT -6 vasious said:

Aug 4, 2021 23:13:48 GMT -6 hamurai said:

I don't think that "suit armor" is suitable (no pun intended) for adventuring. We've never had anyone using this in normal "adventure mode" play, only for campaigns when they were riding with the mounted knights.

Indeed Knights/Wilderness Heavy Horse  and Jousting events where you want it adorned for conspicuous consumption

Excalibur is a great example of such "high romance"!