The Complete Fighter’s Handbook

127 Pages·1989·11.16 MB·English

by  Aaron Allston

Player's Handbook
The
Complete
Fighter's
Handbool<
TSR, Inc.
Introduction
• • •
The ADVANCED DUNGEONS rules for different weapon
& DRAGONS® 2nd Edition Play styles, combat tactics, combat
Incidentally, The Complete
er's Handbook and Dungeon maneuvers, jousting, combat
Fighter"s Handbook presumes
Master's Guide told you all you results, and many other fighter
that you 're using the AD&D®
needed to know about playing oriented abilities within these
2nd Edition game rules for
warriors in the game. But it pages.
Weapon Proficiencies and Non
could be that you want to know Is it new equipment you're af
weapon Proficiencies. Many of
more than the bare minimum it ter? That, too, is present in copi•
the rules presented in this book
takes to play the warrior ous quantities, from new armor
depend on use of the proficien
classes. and weapons to new magic
cies. So if you haven't been us
That's where The Complete items.
ing them so far in your
Fighter's Handbook comes in. Or perhaps you want some
campaign, we highly recom
In these pages, we're going to role-playing and campaigning
mend that you familiarize your
show you lots of interesting tips for your fighter characters
self with them and introduce
things you can do with the war ... or your campaign in general.
them into your playing.
rior classes . . . things that the In these pages you '11 find role
Here's a special note for those
Player's Handbook and DMG playing advice for fighter char
of you who are using this Com
didn't have room to show you. acters, and discussion of the
plete· Fighter's Handbook with
Do you want to play fighter role of the fighter in regular
your first edition AD&D® game
characters other than Fighter, campaigns and in all-fighter
instead of the new second edi
Paladin, and Ranger? Here we'll campaigns.
tion: This supplement mentions
give you rules for characters like Whether you're a player or
a lot of page numbers from the
barbarians, samurai, gladiators, DM, an intent rules lawyer or
Player's Handbook and the
amazons-they're all subsets of just someone wishing to add a
Dungeon Masters Guide. The
the three main warrior classes, little depth to your campaign or
page numbers cited are for the
but they're here. character, you'll find something
second edition, not the first;
Do you want new combat here for you. Have fun.
you'll have to ignore the page
rules? We have them. You'll find
numbers given.
The Complete Fighter's Handbook
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Amazons ... ....... .............. ......... .. ... 46
Barbarians and Berserkers .. ... .......... ... ... ... 4 7
Character Creation ..... ... . . . .. . .. . ...... . 4 Beast Riders ...... .......... .... .. .......... ... 48
Cavaliers ....... . .. ... ... ...................... 48
Ability Scores ............................... ...... 4
Gladiators ................ ... ..... ... .......... 49
Races .......................... ............... .. 4
Myrmidons .............. .............. ... ..... 49
Classes ................................. ... ...... 4
Noble Warriors ..... ......... .. ... .............. 50
Alignment ....................................... 4
Peasant Heroes .. .. .... .. .... .. ................. 50
Wanior Kits ............................ ......... . 4
Pirates and Outlaws ............................. 51
Proficiencies ........... .. ............. ........... . 4
Good-Guy Outlaws and Pirates ..................... 51
Armorer ........ ........ ... .. ... .. .......... ... .. 4
Bad-Guy Outlaws and Pirates ................ ...... 51
The Workshop ........... .. ....... ............... 4
Samurai .. .. ... ..... ... ....................... 52
Apprentices and Overseers ... ...................... 6
Savages ......... .......... .............. ...... 52
Time to Craft Armor ..... ................... ...... 6
Swashbucklers .. ......................... ...... 53
Cost to Craft Armor .. .. ................ ....... ... 6
Wilderness Warriors ............. ................ 53
Chance of Failure .... .. .. ... ....... ...... .. ... ... 7
The Mtttary Campaign .... .. ............. .......... 53
Added Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... .... 8
Campaign vs. Mint-series ........................... 54
Player-Character Workshops ......... .............. 8
Repairing Armor ....................... .......... 8 Combat Rules . ......................... 56
Repairing Magical Armor .... ... ...... ....... ... ... 8
Bowyer/Fletcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 New Combat Rules .. ... .... ... ... ................. 56
Weaponsmlthlng ............ ..................... 10 Off-Hand Weapons Use ........................... 56
Weaponsmlthlng Failure ......................... 10 Kneeling and Sitting ........... .. ................ 56
Weapon Quality .... ................... ... .... .. 10 Range and Initiative ...... .. ....... .......... .... 56
Weapons Not Shown ...................... ....... 11 Weapon Proficiency Slots ..... ... .. ... ... .. .... ..... 58
Money and Equipment ............ .. ............ ... 11 Intelligence and Proficiencies ... ... .... ... ... ...... 58
Magic .......................................... 11 Single-Weapon Proficiency Weapon Specialization ... .. 58
Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Weapon-Group Proficiency ........................ 58
Tlghi Groups ...................... ............ 58
Warrior Kits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 3 Broad Groups .. ...................... .......... 59
Non-Groups ........ .... .... .. .. ............... 60
Kits and Warriors ... ................. .... ......... 13
Weapon Specialization and Weapon Groups . .......... 60
Kits and the Warrior Classes .......... ... ........... 14
Ambidexterity ............ ....... ................ 60
Kits and Character Creation .. .............. ....... . 14
Style Specialization .... ..................... ... .. . 61
The Warrior Kits .......... ..... .. .. .............. 14
Punching and Wrestling Specialization ................ 61
Amazon ...... ... .................. ... ... ..... 14
Martial Arts ..... ................................ 61
Barbarian ....... ... . .. ................ ... .. ... 16
Fighting Styles ...................... ..... ..... ... 61
Beast-Rider .................................... 18
The Four Fighting Styles ... ...... ........ .... .... 61
Berserker ..................................... 18
Specializing In the Styles ....... ... ... ... ..... .... 62
Cavalier .. ........................ .... ......... 22
Guidelines .. .......... ..... ..... ............... 62
Gladiator ................................... .. . 24
Multiple Style Specializations ....... ... .. .......... 62
Myrmidon ......... ... .... ..... ... ... .... ... .. . 25
Limitations on Style Specialization .. .. ............. 62
Noble Warrior ................. .......... .... ... 26
Single-Weapon Style ... ......................... . 62
Peasant Hero .................................. . 29
1\vo-Hander Style .. ... ............ ........... ... 62
Pirate/Outlaw .. ...... ........ ....... .. ......... 30
Weapon and Shield Style ............ ..... ..... ... 63
Samurai ................. .... . .. .. .. ........ .. 31
1\vo-Weapon Style .. .. .. .. ... ... .... ............. 64
Savage .... ................... .... ... ......... 32
Sample Style Specialization ..................... .. 64
Swashbuckler .......... .................. .. .... 34
Melee Maneuvers ... .. .. ............ ... ... ... .... . 64
Wilderness Warrior ....... .... .. .. ..... .. .... .... 35
Called Shots ... ............ ...... ...... .. .. .... .. 65
Recording Kits on the Character Sheet .. .. ..... ....... 36
Striking a Specific Body Part .......... ....... ... .. 65
Warrior Kits and MultJ-Class Characters ............... 36
Smashing Something Being Held . ..... ........... .. 65
Warrior Kits and Dual-Class Characters .... ........... 37
Bypassing Armor ..... ........... ......... ..... . 65
Abandoning a Kit ..................... ... ..... .... 37
Special Results .......... ................. ... ... 66
Modifying the Kits .............. .. .. .............. 37
Disarm ........ .. .. .... ............... ...... .. 66
Creating New Kits ....... ......... .. .. ........... . 37
Thrown-Weapon and Missile Disarms ... .. .......... 68
Role-Playing .................. . ....... . 39 Expert Disarms .. .............. .. .... ..... ... ... 68
Grab . ........ .... ... .. ....... ... ... .......... 68
Warrior Personalities .. ... ......... . .... ........... 39 Grabbing a Person ....... ............... .. . .. ... 69
The Brash Youth .... .................... .. ..... . 39 Grabbing a Monster ....... ...................... 69
The Crude Crusher .... ... .... ........... .. .... .. 40 Hold Attack ..................................... 69
The Dangerous Antagonist .... .. ................ .. 40 Characters with Multiple Attacks ...... ............. 70
The Doomed Champion .. ..... ... ................ 41 Parry ... .. ................................ ..... 70
The Fated Philosopher ........................... 42 Choice of Parries ................................ 70
The Merry Showoff .. ... ......................... 42 Polearm Parries ................................ 70
The Natural Leader ..... ...... .. ............. .. .. 43 Missile Weapon Parries ........................ ... 71
The Sneaky Thinker ............................. 43 Parrying from the DMG .. ..... .. ....... .. ........ 71
Changing Personality Types .... ...... ... ......... .. 43 Pin .. ..... .. ..... .. .... .. ... .... .... ........... 71
The Warrior Campaign .......... .. .... ....... ..... 44 Pull/'frlp .... ............... ..................... 71
Magical World vs. Nonmagical World ....... ... ...... 44 Use of Polearms ... ..... ....... ... ...... .. ........ 71
Magical World ....... ............ ...... ......... 45 Sap .. ..... ................. ......... ........... 72
Mostly Nonmagical World . ... .... ........... ... ... 45 Shield-Punch ............ ..... ................... 72
Strictly Nonmagical World ....... ..... ... ......... 45 Shield-Rush ..................................... 72
The Mixed-Warrior-Type Campaign ................... 46 Strike/Thrust ................. ............ ....... 73
The One-Warrior-Type Campaign .. .. .... .. .. .... .. .. 46 Surprise and Flash Maneuvers .. .. .................. 73
.2
The Complete Fighter's Handbook
Don't Say No; Determine DilTiculty .. .. .... .... ..... .. 73 Wolf-pack Tuctlcs ...... .............. ...... ... .. 90
Maneuvers In the Campaign ... .................. ... 74 Thctlcal Mix ... .. ......................... .. .... 90
Punching. Wrestling, and Martial Arts ............ .... 74 Rotation ........ ... .. .. .............. ... .. .. , . 90
Specializing Wllh Punching and Wrestling ........... 74 Spear-Carriers ... ..... ......... .. . .. .... ..... .. . 91
Normal Punching Attacks .......... ..... ......... 75 Directing Traffic ....... ...... ................... 91
Punching Specialization ........ . ............... .. 75 Campaign Tuctlcs ... ..... .. .... ........ .... .. ..... 91
Normal Wrestling Attacks .... ......... .. .. .... .... 75 Just Arriving In Town .. ... ............ ... ... .. .... 92
Wrestling Specialization .................. .. ... ... 75 The Combat Sheet .. ..... .. .... .. .. ...... ......... 92
Martial Arts ....... ...... .. ..................... 76
Equipment ..................... ... ... .. 93
Martial Arts Results ............ ... .... ........ .. 76
Descriptions of the Maneuvers ... .. ................ 76 Old Weapons ...... ...... ....... .. ... .. .......... 93
Specializing in Martial Arts ..... .... .. ........ .... 77 One-Hand. lwo-Hand ... .............. .. .... ....... 93
More Than One Style ... ... .... ....... ... .. .. .... 77 New Weapons .... ... ... .. ... ..... ... .. .. ......... 94
Continuing Specialization ............ ........ ... . 78 Gladiator Weapons .. ........................... ... 94
The Complete Martial Artist ......... ..... ..... ... .. 78 Pirate Weapons ........ ........... .... .. ........ 100
In Oriental Campaigns ..... ... ............... .... 78 Samurai Weapons ..... ... ....... .. ... ...... .. .. . 100
Barehanded Maneuvers ....... ....... ..... ..... .. 79 Savage Weapons ..... ...... ..... .... .... ........ 103
Called Shots: Punching and Martial Arts ... .... .. .... 79 Swashbuckler Weapons .. .. ......... .............. 103
Called Shots: Wrestling ..... ..... .. ... .. .......... 79 New Armor ... ...... , ... ......... .. ... ........ .. 104
Disarm ... ... ......... .... ..... ... ............ 79 Gladiator Armor ........ .. ...... ...... ......... .. 104
Grab ...... ... .. ..... ............... ...... .... 79 Samurai Armor ............ .............. ... .. .. 105
Hold Attack .... .. ... .... .. .... ....... .. ... ..... 79 Effects of Armor ........... ...... .... ..... ...... . 106
Parry .... ..... ......... .. ........... .. ... ..... 79 Effects on AC .................. ..... ........ .. 106
Pin .... ........ ....... ...... ................. 80 Effects on Speed ...... .... .............. ..... .. 106
Pull/Trip ......... .......... ................... 80 Effects on Dexterity Checks .... ...... ... ... ... ... 106
Sap ...... ............ ................ ..... ... 80 Effects on Vision and Hearing .. ..... ... .... ....... 107
Shield-Punch ...................... ............ 80 Other Helms and Helmets ...... ... . .... ....... .. 107
Shield-Rush ..... ... .... .... ... .. ......... ..... 80 What Head Protection Doesn't Do .......... ....... 107
Strike/Thrust .... .. ... ......... .... .... ...... .. 80 Vision and Hearing Checks ... ............... ..... 107
Hit Locations .... ... ............ ..... ... .... ..... 80 No Head Protection .... .. .. ... .. ..... .. ....... .. I 07
The "Numbed" and Useless" Numbers .. .. ..... ..... 80 Variant Armor ... ......... ....... ....... ....... . 109
Body Locations ... ..... ... ..... ...... ... ..... ... 80 Racial Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
General Effects of Called Shots ..... ..... ... ... .. ... 81 Armor Fitting ...... ... .. ... ...... ........ .... . 109
Specific Effects of Called Shots ........... ........ .. 81 High-Quality Racial Armor ....... .............. .. l 10
Recording These Injuries ....... . ... ..... ......... 82 Piecemeal Armor .............. .. ........ ..... . 111
Individual Injuries and Healing Magic ............... 82 Weight of Piecemeal Suits ... .................... . 112
Permanent and Crippling Effects .. .......... ... .... 82 Magical Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Monsters and Hit Locations .. ............. ..... ... 82 Gladiator Armor .......... ....... .. ........... . 112
This System and Low-Level Characters .............. 82 Damage to Armor ......................... ... .. . I I 2
Recovery ........ ........... .. .. ...... ..... .... 82 Piecemeal Armor ..................... .... ... . .. . 112
Recovery of1emporary Damage .. .. ...... ...... .... 82 Magical Armor ..... , ........ ....... ............. 112
Recording Tumporary Damage ...... .... ..... ...... 82 Repairing Armor .......... ... ....... ........... . 113
Recovering From Tumporary Damage ....... ........ 82 Effects on the Campaign ......... ... ........ ...... 113
Magical Healing and lemporary Damage ............. 83 Magical Items ...... .... ...... .. ... .. .. ........ .. 113
Recovery From Knockout ..... ............. ... .... 83 Miscellaneous Equipment ......................... 116
Tomporary Damage and Knockout . .... ........ .. .. . 83
Magical Healing and Knockout .... ......... ........ 83 Tables 1 18
Combat Conditions ........ ..... ... .. ..... ....... . 83
Forms 120
Darkness and Blindness ................. ......... 83
Unstable Ground .. ...................... ..... .. 84 Complete Fighter's Character Sheet ......... ... ..... 120
Mounted Combat ...... .. ....... ... .. .... ......... 85 Complete Fighter's Combat Sheet (PC Side) .. ..... .... 122
Jousting ........... .................. ...... .. . 85 Complete Fighter's Combat Sheet (DM Side) ......... .. 123
Lance Specialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Warrior Kit Creation Sheet ...... .. ..... ....... ..... 124
Horseback Archery .. ...... ........... ..... ..... . 86
Tournaments .. ....... ......... ... ............. .. 86
Written by Aaron Allston
The Basic 'lburnament ....... ...... .... ...... .... 86 Edited by Stt'Vt' Winter
The Joust List ....... .. ... ..... .... ..... ........ 86 B\aC'k a1td WhHc Art by Vakrlc Valusck
Color Art by John atld Laura Lakey. Doug Chaffee, and Jeff Easley
The Jousting Competition .. ...... ...... ........ .. 86 Typography by Angelika Lokotz
Blunted Lances ... .................. ........... . 87 ADVANCF.D DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AW,D, PRODUCTS Of YOUR IMAGINATION, and
Queen of Love and Beauty ....... .. ......... ...... 87 the TSR logo arc trademarks owned by TSR Inc.
Prizes ............. ...... ... .............. .... 87 01989 TSR Inc. All r'lgt:ns reserved.
Other Events ..... ... .......... ... .. ..... ....... 87 Printed tn the U.S.A.
Archery Competition .. ... ..... ... ..... ...... .... 87 Distributed to the book trade In the United States by Random House Inc. and In Canada by
Foot Lists .. ..... ............................. . 88 Random House of Canada. Ltd. Oistrlbuted to the toy and hobby trade by regional dlstrlbu•
tors. Dtstrlbutcd In the Unttcd Kingdom by TSR UK Lld.
Merchants' Stalls .............. ... .......... .... 88
This product ts protc-ctt::d under the copyright laws of the United States of Amcrka. Any
Dancing. Socializing ......... ........ .. ...... ... . 88
reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained h"rc-tn ls
When to End Combat .............................. 88 prohibited without the-express written permission ofTSR Inc.
When Characters Don't Accept Surrender ... .. ........ 88 TSR Inc. TSR Lid.
When Characters Always Chase Escapees ............. 88 POB7!>6 120 Church End. Cherry Hinton
When Characters Never Negotiate .. .................. 89 WLaI ke5 3G1e4n7e vUa.. S.A. --- CamUbnriidtegde KCtBngI d3oLmB
Notes on the Combat Sequence ..... ... ........ ...... 89
Tucttcs ........... ........ .. ....... ... ..... .. ... 89
ISBN 0-88038-779-3 21 JOXXXJ501
Shield Walls and Polearms ... ............. ... .. ... 89
3
In this chapter, we'll briefly Classes choice. (The chaotic evil fighter
present notes on character crea who wants to play with the
The three war
tion in the AD&D® game. This is troupe of wandering paladins
rior character classes (Fighter,
material you already know, but will be a problem.)
Paladin. and Ranger) are still
we'll be talking about character
the only warrior character
creation as it specifically applies Warrior Kits
classes. However, those players
to warrior player-characters
who would like to have more Once you've
(Fighters, Paladins, and Rang
specialized warrior classes will worked up your character's abil
ers).
probably find what they want in ity scores, and then chosen his
the Warrior Kits chapter. class and alignment, you can
Ablllty Scores
When you're creating single choose a Warrior Kit for the
For a normal class warrior characters. we rec character. Warrior Kits are dis
campaign, any of the six dice ommend that you start all cussed in the Warrior Kits chap
rolling methods from the Play first-level warriors with the ter of this book.
er's Handbook, page 13, is maximum number of hit points
acceptable. they can have at that level Proficiencies
If you decide to run an all don't even bother to roll the
As the Intro
warriors campaign (see the dice. In other words, if you have
duction notes. use of the Profi
Role-Playing chapter of this a first-level Fighter with a Con
ciencies section of the AD&D
book for details on such a thing), stitution of 16. he'd start with
2nd Edition Player's Handbook
we recommend that you use one 12 hit points instead of rolling
is not optional with The Com
of the five Alternate Dice-Rolling his 1d 10 and adding + 2 for his
plete Fighter's Handbook. The
Methods presented. Constitution adjustment.
Proficiencies are necessary for
Whether or not you run an all This is for a couple of Impor
you to customize and fine-tune
warriors campaign, if you uti tant reasons. First, it gives the
your character. and for the use
lize the Warrior Kits chapter of warrior a slightly better chance
of the Warrior Kits chapter of
this rule book, we recommend for survival at lower experience
this book.
that you use Method VI to create levels. Second, it reflects the
Use of the Weapon Proficien
the ability scores for your char fact that warriors are simply
cies are pretty much self
acters. Because characters us tougher and hardier than other
evident after you read the
ing the Warrior Kits are so player-character c1asses.
Player's Handbook. Later in this
specialized, you'll find it helpful But remember: This is for first
book. though. in the Combat
to be able to custom-design your level single-class warriors only.
chapter, you'll learn some inter
character ability scores, which Starting with second level.
esting new things which you
Method VI allows you to do. these Fighters. Paladins, and
can do with weapon proficien
Rangers have to roll their hit
cies.
Races points like everyone else. No
Don't forget that high Intelli
other class gets this benefit, and
Much of The gence scores grant extra profi
multi-class warriors (such as
Complete Fighter's Handbook is warrior/thieves, warrior/mages, ciencies (equal to the number of
written with the human charac extra languages the character
and the like) don't get to do this.
ter in mind. However, most of receives for the same score).
the text is equally applicable to Here. let's talk about three
Alignment
all the other player-character non weapon proficiencies (Ar•
races as well, and can be used The Complete morer, Bowyer/Fletcher, and
by them without any sort of ad Fighter's Handbook follows all Weaponsmithing) which are of
aptation necessary. normal game rules for character particular use to the warrior
All the normal rules for racial alignments. Once the player has player-character.
ability adjustments, class re chosen an alignment for his
strictions. level limits, lan character, he needs to have his Armorer
guages, and miscellaneous choice approved by the DM; it
With the Ar
bonuses and penalties will be may be that his choice will clash
morer proficiency. a character
used, and all the material in this excessively with the alignments
knows how to build all varieties
book can be used for all the de of other characters in the party,
of armor. Armorer overlaps a
mihuman races except where so the DM is within his rights to
couple of other proficiencies:
speciflcally noted in the text. disapprove any alignment
4
The Armorer knows enough sary to process unrefined metal Then, the workshop would ac
Blacksmithing to forge metal ar into armor. commodate three more armor
mor and craft scale and chain Such a workshop costs 200 ers at the same time. For
mail (though he cannot forge gp, plus the cost of the shelter another + 250 gp. now totalling
horseshoes, wrought iron gates, where it is set up: An additional 1.000 gp, the shop can accom
hardened metal tools, or any 100 gp for a pavilion tent, an ad modate nine armorers at the
other useful items unless he also ditional 300 gp for a well-crafted same time.
knows Blacksmithing); hut/workshop, or more as part
The Armorer knows enough of a larger dwelling. such as a Leather Armor
Leatherworking to cut and mansion, villa or castle (these If he intends to make any sort
shape boiled leather into leather sorts of dwellings are priced at of all-leather armor (hide armor,
armor, shield coverings, and the whatever sort of price scheme leather armor, and armored
under-layers of scale mail and the DM prefers). leather caps), the workshop is a
banded mail (though he cannot (Included in the price of the Jeatherworker's shop, including
make dress jerkins, saddles, smithy is the cost of the tools apparatus for leather soaking,
elaborate pouches or rucksacks, necessary to make leather hilt scraping, tanning. boiling, boil
or any other useful leather wrappings. padded armor, ar ing in wax, shaping, hole
items); and mor linings and padding, and punching, sewing, and all the
The Armorer knows enough the simple leather straps used to other processes by which
of the Thilor·s art to manufac hold all-metal armors together.) leather is transformed into ar
ture padded armor and armor This workshop is large mor.
padding (but not enough to cut enough to accommodate the Such a workshop costs 25 gp,
and sew any sort of good character and up to two appren plus the cost of the shelter
looking garment). tices working full-time. (The ap where it is set up: An additional
Naturally, the ordinary Black prentices, too, must have the 25 gp for a large tent, an addi
smith cannot forge metal armor, Armorer proficiency; the char tional 75 gp for a well-crafted
the Leatherworker is not experi acter can always take in an ap hut/workshop, or more as part
enced with making leather ar prentice without the proficiency of a larger dwelling (at whatever
mors, and the Thilor isn't and train him. but until he ac price scheme the DM prefers).
conversant with the making of quires the Armorer proficiency (Included in the price of the
padded armor, unless they also he doesn't count as a productive leatherworker's shop is the cost
take the Armorer proficiency. element of the workshop.) of the tools necessary to make
The Armorer can repair exist In theory, the character could padded armor and armor lin
ing armor that has taken dam hire another three-man crew to ings and padding.)
age (if you 're using that optional work a second shift in the same As with the smithy above, this
rule), and can also craft barding workshop; thus the workshop price presumes one principal
(horse armor) through use of his would be occupied nearly 24 leatherworker and up to two ap
proficiency. hours a day. (This presumes prentices may work together at
But what does all of this mean eight- to ten-hour shifts and a the same time. Above that num
in a campaign? certain amount of necessary ber costs 50% of the workshop
nonproductive time each day: and housing costs per addi
The Workshop Time for furnaces to cool and be tional three leatherworkers.
cleaned, tools to be repaired and
Th craft armor,
sharpened, etc.) No more than Metal and Leather Armor
the character must first have a
three people can work in this If he intends to make both
workshop (a place to work and
workshop effectively; with more sorts of armor, or armor which
tools with which to do work).
than three people, the workshop combines both metal and
suffers a loss ofe fficiency so that leather elements (banded mail,
Metal Annor
it produces goods just as though brtgandine, bronze plate mail,
If he intends to make any sort
it were only manned by three ar ring mail, scale mail, shields,
of all-metal armor (chain mail.
morers. splint mail, and studded
field mail, full plate, plate mail,
Th expand the workshop costs leather), a combined workshop
and helmets), the workshop is a
an additional 50% for each is needed.
smithy, complete with tools, bel + three workers. If the smithy Such a workshop costs 250
lows. a furnace. an anvil, tongs.
costs 200 gp and is set up in a gp, plus the cost of the shelter
cauldrons. casting molds, and
300-gp hut, thus costing 500 gp, where it is set up: An additional
all the other materials neces-
the builder could pay + 250 gp. 100 gp for a pavilion tent, an ad-
5
ditional 300 gp for a well-crafted Time to Craft Armor For pieces of armor which
huUworkshop, or more as part don't grant specific AC benefits
Th determine
of a larger dwelling (again, at (like helmets). figure the time at
the time it takes to make a piece
whatever pricing the DM pre 1 week per 7 .5 gp value. Thus, a
of armor, take the armor's AC.
fers). great helm would take four
The number that the AC is un-
(Included in the cost of the ar weeks to make (it costs 30 gp); a
der 10, multiplied by two weeks,
morer's shop is the cost of the basinet. one week and a few
is the time it takes an apprentice
tools necessary to make wooden hours of the eighth day (it costs
(supervised and aided by an
shield blanks and shield frames, 8 gp).
Overseer) to craft the item.
padded armor, and all armor lin
Thus, a set of chain mail (AC
ings and padding necessary to Cost to Craft Armor
5) is calculated this way: 10 - 5
the armored goods.)
= 5; 5 x two weeks = ten weeks. And it does
As with the smithy above, this
It talces ten weeks to make a suit cost money to craft armor. The
price presumes one principal ar
of chain mail. cost is:
morer and up to two appren
tices; above that number costs
+ 50% of the workshop and Standard Costs to Manufacture Armor
housing costs per additional
Apprentice
three armorers.
Armor Retail Materials Time & Total
Piece Value Cost (gp) To.ken Overseer Cost
Apprentices and Overseers
Banded Mail 200 100 12wk 48 • 148
The cost of the Brigandine 120 60 8wk 32 • 92
workshop constitutes only the Bronze plate 400 200 12wk 114 • • 314
set-up cost for the armoring op Chain mail 75 38 lOwk 20 ••• 58
eration. Maintenance of the Field Plate 2000 1000 16 wk 304 + 1304
workshop, pay for the employ Full plate 7000 3500 18 wk 342 + 3842
ees. and cost of materials also Helm/great 30 15 4wk 8 ••• 23
come into play. Of course, so do Helm/basinet 8 4 1 wk 2 ••• 6
the profits from the sale of man Hide armor 15 7 8wk 8 + + 15
ufactured goods. Leather armor 5 1 +++ 4wk 4 + + 5
Each apprentice costs 2 gp/ Padded armor 4 O+++ 4wk 4 + + 4
week for food, upkeep, and Plate mail 600 300 14wk 133 •• 433
training. And once an appren Ring mail 100 50 6wk 24 * 74
tice has reached young adult Scale mail 120 60 8 wk 32 • 92
hood (age 16) and has achieved Shield/body 10 5 2wk 4 ••• 9
an Armorer ability check of 12 Shield/buckler 1 0 + + + 2wk 1 + + 1
or better, he'll demand to be pro Shield/medium 7 3 2wk 4 ••• 7
moted to Overseer status (de Shield/small 3 1 2wk 2 ••• 3
scribed immediately below) or Splint mail 80 40 12 wk 24 ••• 64
will find better pickings else Studded lthr 20 10 6wk 6 ++ 16
where. Barding:
Apprentices cannot run a Chain 500 250 l0wk 190 + 440
workshop unsupervised. Super Full plate 2000 1000 16 wk 304 + 1304
vision comes in the form of an Full scale 1000 500 8 wk 152 + 652
Overseer, an adult with an Ar Half brig. 500 250 6wk 114 + 364
morer ability check of 12 or bet Half padded 100 50 2wk 38 + 88
ter. Each Overseer costs 15 Half scale 500 250 8wk 152 + 402
gp/week (the OM may wish to Lthr/Padded 150 75 4wk 75 + 150
have the cost relate to the Over •
1\vo apprentices, no overseer
seer's Armorer ability check: 15 ••
One apprentice.½ overseer
gp/week at a check of 12, + 15 •••
One apprentice, no overseer
gp/week per + 1 to his ability
+ 1\vo apprentices. one overseer
check; thus, if his ability check
++ ½ apprentice, no overseer
is 16, he costs 75 gp/week).
+++ Cost reduced because of easy availability of materials; cost of
"0 gp" means cost is a negligible
6
(a) About half the "retail apprentices to the job. At that the manpower on the task as it
value" of the armor piece for point. you cut the speed of the customarily requires, thus cut
materials; plus job in half. ting the time required to one
(b) The cost of maintaining Example: From the chart, you fourth, or two weeks). If he can
one or two apprentices during see it takes one apprentice with sell it for 15 gp, he's made 8 gp.
the time it takes to make the no overseer ten weeks to work He's earning a meager 4 gp a
piece; plus up a set of chain mail. That's a week, which is better than a
(c) Additional cost based on standard in the armorer's indus poverty-level wage. but less than
how much of the overseer's time try: they'll always tell you it middle-class.
and attention the project takes. takes ten weeks to work up a
(The project may take one or chain mail hauberk. But in an Chance of Failure
two overseers full-time on the emergency situation, they could
It would seem
project, may take only half one put an extra apprentice on the
that the thing to do would be to
overseer's time on the project, job {either have two working on
set up an armorer's shop and
or may take none of the over it at once, or have one on the
just build field plate and full
seer's time-the latter consti "day shift" and one on the
plate. which are the most profit
tute projects that the "night shift"). With twice the
able items of armor. However.
apprentices can do all by them available manpower, it would
that isn't necessarily so.
selves, mostly unsupervised.) only take half the time, or five
This is because, for every item
The previous table shows weeks, to create the chain mail.
of armor you make, you have to
standard costs to manufacture Second, if the Overseer is a
make an Armorer Ability
armor. player-character, he doesn't
Check. At the end of the armor
In usual circumstances, the have to pay himself as much.
making period, the most experi
difference between the Total This is usually the case with ar
enced (highest ability check)
Cost and the Retail Value is the morers when they first go into
character who worked continu
shop's profit when it sells a piece business for themselves: They
ously on the project makes his
of armor. pay the cost for materials and
Armorer ability check. If he
As you can see from the table, the cost for their apprentices,
passes the check, the armor is
hide armor, leather armor, pad and whatever they have left
just fine. If he fails it, it's flawed.
ded armor, medium shields and over is their own salary, even if it
small shields are little-to-no is much less than the 15 gp/ If the character missed his roll
by 1, 2. 3. or 4, the armor looks
profit propositions. However. week standard mentioned
just fine. The maker knows it's
they keep the apprentices paid above. (That number, 15 gp/
flawed, but this will not be obvi
and keep work in the shop. week, represents a firm lower
ous to anyone on casual inspec
middle-class standard of living;
tion, and only another armorer
Playing With These Numbers an armorer who earns less will
will be able to detect that it's
be living at a lower-class stand
Now, the costs flawed ... and only with careful
ard of living.)
given above are not the final inspection. This type of flawed
With that in mind, we can re
word on how much it costs to armor functions at 1 AC higher
interpret some of the numbers
make armor. With your DM 's than it should (thus flawed full
above. Let's say that we have
permission, you can skew these plate would be AC 2 instead of
one player-character armorer
numbers around (both up and 1). If the flawed armor is ever
who wants to work up a set of
down) through the following struck in real combat with a nat
hide armor.
means. ural to-hit roll of 19 or 20. it
Hide armor normally takes up
First, you can put extra men "breaks" (caves in. splits open.
half the work-day of one appren
on a job. (Important Note: If etc.). Its AC goes up 4 (thus our
tice for eight weeks. It costs 7 gp
overseers are drafted to do flawed full plate would shoot
in materials, and he can sell it on
apprentice-level work. one over from AC 2 to AC 6). And because
the usual market for 15 gp. Ifjust
seer counts as two apprentices.) it's broken and hanging wrong,
the chief armorer, who counts as
You can only put extra men on a it hinders the player; until he
an Overseer if his Armorer abil
job in increments of the original can take it off (this takes ld4
ity check is 12 or better, works
number of men required for the rounds), he moves at half his
on this item alone. it will take
Job: In other words, if the Job re normal rate and suffers a -4
him only two weeks to make the
quired two apprentices. you penalty to all of his attack rolls.
hide armor (remember, an Over
don't see an improvement in Obviously, most reputable ar
seer counts as two apprentices;
speed until you assign two more morers would never sell a piece
therefore, he's putting four times
7
off lawed armor. They have their Armor Type Modifier to Unclaimed Goods: Some
reputations to protect, so they Armorer times a patron who custom
throw it away. They take a loss Proficiency orders a piece of armor never
in money equal to the Total Cost Check shows up to buy it. Maybe he's
of the armor from the chart Barding: been killed in the meantime:
above. Chain 0 maybe he ran low on funds and
If the character misses his roll Full plate -3 decided not even to tell the ar
by 5 or more. it's obvious to any Full scale 0 morer of his misfortune. And if
one, with casual inspection, that Half brig. 0 the custom piece of armor was
the armor is flawed. No one will Half padded 0 decorated or fine-tuned to that
buy it at the normal retail value. Half scale 0 specific customer (for example,
The armorer might be able to sell Lthr/Padded 0 if it bears his coat of arms or un
it at half the Total Cost value to usual decoration), it could be
someone desperate for cheap ar As you can see, making field that no one else is willing to buy
mor. someone who's willing to plate and full plate is a risky it. .. except at heavily discounted
take the risk of wearing flawed proposition. Only the best of in prices.
armor. If he can't sell it, this too dependent armorers will under Unsold Stock: Armorers
is a total loss. take such a task because the don't just work up pieces of ar
Finally, not all armor is the potential losses are so great. (On mor to order. The armorer fabri
same in the level of difficulty it the other hand, a hireling ar cates n urnerous examp ies of the
requires to manufacture. Some morer will do it whenever his most common sorts of armor
armor is simple enough that ap employer says, because all the (leather and padded armor,
prentices can work on it alone. financial risk is his employer's.) shields) for the casual customer
Some is so complicated that And player-character armorers and as practice for the appren
only master armorers should run these same financial risks tices. Not all of this gets sold,
oversee this work. And hiring a when they try to make field and a piece that is never sold is a
master armorer costs more than plate and full plate for them few gold pieces out of the shop's
just hiring a normal overseer. selves or their friends. coffers.
The chart below shows the All in all. it may be safer. fi
relative difficulty of manufac nancially. for a player-character
Added Expenses
turing these different types of to be a full-time adventurer and
If the DM
armor. only a part-time armorer.
wishes, he can add to the grief of
Armor Type Modifier to a player-character armorer by
Player-Character Workshops
Armorer confronting him with a lot of the
Proficiency hidden expenses of any such op Often, a PC Ar
Check eration: morer who is also an adventurer
Banded Mail +l Bribery: In many places, local will set up an armorer's shop
Brigandine +l officials will expect a little graft and crew it with a single over
Bronze plate 0 in order for them to process the seer and two apprentices. This
Chain mail +3 necessary permits efficiently shop's duty will be to keep the
Field Plate -3 and regularly. If the PC doesn't PC supplied in armor; also,
Full plate -3 pay up, those permits take a whenever the PC returns home,
Helm/great +3 long, long time (months) to be he can, if he wishes, operate the
Helm/basine t +3 processed, and during that time shop, especially in the "off
Hide armor +3 the PC can't operate a retail ar shift" (whichever shift the regu
Leather armor +3 morer's shop. lar crew is not operating it).
Padded armor +3 Theft: Armorer's shops can If he does hire an overseer.
Plate mail 0 be burglarized just like any he'll have to pay the rates ac
Ring mail +l other operation. Thieves are cording to the overseer's ability,
Scale mail +1 quite willing to steal some high as described above.
Shield/body +3 quality armor goods and fence
Shield/buckler +3 them elsewhere in the city. De Note that a PC Armorer can
Shield/medium +3 pending on the quality of the make armor for his friends. He
Shield/small +3 merchandise lying around in can ·t avoid paying the mini
Splint mail +3 the shop, this can be a serious fi mum cost for the materials. of
Studded leather +3 nancial blow for the shop. course. The character can carry
8