Other Rules
Armor
Absorb damage each round — trade protection for attack and movement penalties.
Armor does not raise Defense. It absorbs a set amount of damage each round until its Max Absorb is spent, then further damage lands fully until your next turn resets the pool. Different kits bring different penalties — plate soaks more but slows you; a light hauberk is milder protection with a lighter touch on your damage potential.
How Absorb Works
Per round, not per attack.
- Once armor has absorbed damage equal to its Max Absorb rating in a single round, it absorbs no further damage until the start of the wearer’s next turn.
- At the start of your next turn, absorb resets for the new round.
- Absorb is the starting soak per round. Add 1 raises that soak by 1 at the listed level interval. Cap is as high as it can go.
- Heavier kits soak more and cost more — in gold and penalties.
Armor Chart
Absorb is how much damage the armor absorbs each round. Cap is the maximum absorb value the armor can be raised to, regardless of player level.
| Armor | Weight | Absorb | Add 1 | Cap | Penalties | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Padded Cloth Cloth | Light | 1 | Every 4 levels | 3 | None | 5 mk |
| Common Studded Leather Leather | Light | 2 | Every 4 levels | 4 | Attack −1 | 25 mk |
| Boiled Hide Leather | Light | 3 | Every 4 levels | 5 | Initiative −3, Attack −1 | 15 mk |
| Mail Shirt Mail | Medium half | 3 | Every 3 levels | 5 | Initiative −4, Attack −2 | 5 gc |
| Scale Shirt Scale | Medium half | 3 | Every 3 levels | 5 | Initiative −4, Damage −1 | 7 gc |
| Hauberk Mail | Medium half | 3 | Every 3 levels | 5 | Initiative −4, Damage −1, Attack −1 | 8 gc |
| Far Madding Scale Shirt Scale | Medium half | 4 | Every 3 levels | 7 | Initiative −5, Attack −3 | 10 gc |
| Amadician Brigandine Shirt Banded plate | Heavy half | 5 | Every 2 levels | 8 | Initiative −6, Physicality −1, Attack −2 | 20 gc |
| Kandori Breastplate Plate | Heavy half | 5 | Every 2 levels | 8 | Initiative −6, Movement −5 | 20 gc |
| Saldaean Light Plate Plate | Heavy full | 6 | Every 1 level | 9 | Initiative −7, Movement −5, Attack −1 | 22 gc |
| Domani Full Leather-backed Plate Plate | Heavy full | 7 | Every 1 level | 10 | Initiative −8, Movement −5, Physicality −1 | 23 gc |
| Andoran Full Plate and Mail Plate | Heavy full | 7 | Every 1 level | 10 | Initiative −8, Attack −3 | 25 gc |
| Seanchan Full Plate and Lamellar Banded plate | Heavy full | 7 | Every 1 level | 10 | Initiative −8, Physicality −2 | 50 gc black market |
| Shienaran Full Plate Plate | Heavy full | 7 | Every 1 level | 10 | Initiative −8, Movement −10 | 25 gc |
| Myrddraal Full Banded Plate Banded plate | Special | 12 | — | — | Fort Save DC 18 vs poison | — |
Penalties
What the penalty column actually does.
- Movement — reduces feet you can move on a Standard Movement. A sprint is double that reduced distance.
- Agility — reduces any skill, DC, or saving throw that uses DEX.
- Attack — applies to any attack roll.
- Initiative — penalty when you join the fray.
- Physicality — you start the battle with less PHYS. It does not lower your natural physicality cap.
Custom Armor
Same kit, different cut — costs more, penalties can shift.
- Custom versions of the chart kits cost 50–150% more and may have slightly adjusted penalties, subject to DM approval.
- Scale — lighter, better mobility; stiff, so attack and/or agility suffer.
- Plate — very heavy; restricts mobility, dexterity, and/or attack.
- Mail — moderately heavy and bulky; hurts initiative, agility, and/or attack accuracy.
- Banded & brigandine — mix of plate and scale penalties.
- Plate & mail — mix of plate and mail penalties.
Repair
Leather stretches. Buckles break. Straps snap.
- The DM should require repair at a reasonable frequency from wear and tear.
- Repair costs 10–75% of the armor’s cost and returns it to a like-new state.
Cut and Nationality
Kandori plate is a style, not a commission in the army.
- National names describe the cut and style common to that nation’s armies — not that you wear their lacquer, colors, or sigils unless you actually do.
- To an educated observer, a Far Madding Scale Shirt looks like it was made in Far Madding, or by a smith working in that style. It does not, by itself, mark you as their soldier.
Wheel of Time RPG · Armor Rules manual