AD&D 2e Chapter 6: Money and Equipment

Although your character has some impressive abilities and skills, he really isn’t going to be effective without the equipment necessary for adventuring. To get this equipment, he needs money. Not only does he need money to outfit himself, but your character also has to cover his living expenses.

    Although there are many different types of coins and currencies in the world, all prices and treasures in the AD&D rules are given in standard coinage. Your DM may have specific names for different coins and may have different rates of exchange, but this is material particular to his campaign. He will tell you if there are differences from the coins listed here. The standard rate of exchange for each coin is given in Table 42.

    The basic coins are the copper piece (cp) and the silver piece (sp). These form the backbone of the monetary system and are the coins most frequently found in the hands of the common folk. Above these two coins is the much rarer gold piece (gp). This coin is seldom found in common use and mainly exists on paper as the standard money of account. This means it is used to measure the value of property and goods. Land values, ship cargoes, gemstones, and penalty bonds (royal court fines) are normally calculated in gold pieces, although payment of such vast sums normally takes other forms.

    In addition to these coins, there are other unusual metals used in exchange. Most of these come from failed currencies. As such, they are viewed with skepticism by many honest folk. Principal among these coins are the electrum (ep) and platinum pieces (pp). These coins are rarely circulated, and most are hidden away in ancient treasure hoards.

    However, remember that not all wealth is measured by coins. Wealth can take many forms–land, livestock, the right to collect taxes or customs, and jewelry are all measures of wealth. Coins have no guaranteed value. A gold piece can buy a lot in a small village but won’t go very far in a large city. This makes other forms of wealth, land for instance, all the more valuable. Indeed, many a piece of jewelry is actually a way of carrying one’s wealth. Silver armbands can be traded for goods, a golden brooch can buy a cow, etc. In your adventures, wealth and riches may take many different forms.

    Furthermore, in your DM’s campaign, there may be special situations or considerations to bear in mind. The Kingdom of Gonfli may be at war with the neighboring Principality of Boosk. Patriotic Gonflians might refuse Boosk coins (probably because they think the coins are worthless). Practical Booskites might accept the Gonfli florin at half normal value (so they can melt them down and mint new Boosk drachmas). Of course, both groups would send your character to the local money changer (if there is one), who would cheerfully convert your foreign coins to the local tender. He will, of course, charge a small commission (10-30%) for this service.

Table 42:

Standard Exchange Rates

                                                      Exchange Value

Coin                                  CP       SP       EP       GP      PP

Copper Piece (CP) =             1      1/10     1/50     1/100   1/500

Silver Piece (SP) =             10        1        1/5       1/10     1/50

Electrum Piece (EP) =        50        5          1        ½         1/10

Gold Piece (GP) =            100      10          2          1        1/5

Platinum Piece (PP) =       500      50        10          5          1

    Situations such as these can affect the value of any coin. If your characters start flashing about a lot of gold, pumping it into the local economy, merchants will quickly raise prices. As another example, the local lord may commandeer most of the region’s horses for his knights, making those left all that much more expensive.

Starting Money

All player characters begin with some amount of cash. This nest egg may be your character’s life savings. It may be a gift from his parents to start him out in the world. It may be his booty from an army campaign. Perhaps he stumbled across a small treasure chest, whetting his appetite for greater and more dangerous prizes. How he came by his money is not important (although it may be fun to know). You are free to create any explanation you want.

    To learn your character’s starting funds, roll the dice indicated for his group in Table 43. This is the number of gold pieces your character has to obtain equipment. If you are creating a character starting out at a level above 1st level, check with the DM to see if you can increase your character’s funds beyond the amounts given here.

    Multi-class characters use the most advantageous die range of their classes.

Table 43:

Initial Character Funds

Character Group      Die Range

Warrior                        5d4 x 10 gp

Wizard                        (1d4+1) x 10 gp

Rogue                          2d6 x 10 gp

Priest *                        3d6 x 10 gp

    *Priest characters can use their money only to purchase equipment and goods. Once all purchases are made, the priest character must return all but two or three of his remaining gold pieces to his superiors (since his equipment is supplied by his organization). Priests cannot lend any of their initial funds to other characters.

Equipment Lists

The following lists include much of the equipment your character needs for adventuring. The most basic of these are weapons, armor, clothing, and outfitting gear. The other lists provide goods and services your character may need during the course of his many adventures. While most items are always available, your DM may add to or delete from these lists. What you want may not be available or, if your DM has set his game in a specific time period, may not have been discovered or invented yet! While he should tell you which items are and aren’t available, you should ask if you have any doubts, particularly on large purchases.

    Many of the uncommon items in these lists are explained in the following pages.

    The price given for each item in the lists is its average price, the amount you can expect the item to cost in a normal economy. However, large cities, barren wildernesses, and places with brave adventurers carrying bags full of gold are not normal economies. In these places you may find yourself paying more (very rarely less) than the amount listed. You can also haggle with merchants over prices, although to speed up the game it’s recommended that you save this for your important purchases. If you wind up haggling over the cost of every tankard of ale, your character is going to spend more time being a pennypincher than an adventurer!

Table 44:

Equipment

Clothing

Belt                                                     3 sp

Boots                                                   —

   Riding                                              3 gp

   Soft                                                  1 gp

Breeches                                              2 gp

Cap, hat                                               1 sp

Cloak                                                   —

   Good cloth                                       8 sp

   Fine fur                                            50 gp

Girdle                                                  3 gp

Gloves                                                 1 gp

Gown, common                                   12 sp

Hose                                                    2 gp

Knife sheath                                        3 cp

Mittens                                                3 sp

Pin                                                       6 gp

Plain brooch                                        10 gp

Robe                                                    —

   Common                                          9 sp

   Embroidered                                    20 gp

Sandals                                                5 cp

Sash                                                     2 sp

Shoes                                                   1 gp

Silk jacket                                           80 gp

Surcoat                                                6 sp

Sword scabbard, hanger, baldric         4 gp

Tabard                                                 6 sp

Toga, coarse                                        8 cp

Tunic                                                   8 sp

Vest                                                     6 sp

Daily Food and Lodging

Ale (per gallon)                                   2 sp

Banquet (per person)                           10 gp

Bread                                                  5 cp

Cheese                                                 4 sp

City rooms (per month)                      —

   Common                                          20 gp

   Poor                                                  6 sp

Common wine (pitcher)                      2 sp

Egg or fresh vegetables                       1 cp

Grain and stabling for horse (daily)    5 sp

Honey                                                 5 sp

Inn lodging (per day/week)                —

   Common                                          5 sp/3 gp

   Poor                                                  5 cp/2 sp

Meat for one meal                               1 sp

Meals (per day)                                   —

   Good                                                5 sp

   Common                                          3 sp

   Poor                                                  1 sp

Separate latrine for rooms

(per month)                                         2 gp

Small beer (per gallon)                       5 cp

Soup                                                    5 cp

Household Provisioning

Barrel of pickled fish                          3 gp

Butter (per lb.)                                    2 sp

Coarse sugar (per lb.)                          1 gp

Dry rations (per week)                        10 gp

Eggs (per 100)                                    8 sp

   (per two dozen)                                2 sp

Figs (per lb.)                                        3 sp

Firewood (per day)                             1 cp

Herbs (per lb.)                                     5 cp

Nuts (per lb.)                                       1 gp

Raisins (per lb.)                                   2 sp

Rice (per lb.)                                       2 sp

Salt (per lb.)                                        1 sp

Salted herring (per 100)                      1 gp

Spice (per lb.)                                      —

   Exotic

   (for example, saffron, clove)           15 gp

   Rare (for example, pepper, ginger)  2 gp

   Uncommon (cinnamon)                   1 gp

Tun of cider (250 gal.)                        8 gp

Tun of good wine (250 gal.)               20 gp

Services

Bath                                                    3 cp

Clerk (per letter)                                 2 sp

Doctor, leech, or bleeding                  3 gp

Guide, in city (per day)                       2 sp

Lantern or torchbearer (per night)      1 sp

Laundry (by load)                               1 cp

Messenger, in city (per message)        1 sp

Minstrel (per performance)                 3 gp

Mourner (per funeral)                         2 sp

Teamster w/wagon                             1 sp/mile

Transport *

Barge                                                   500 gp

Canoe                                                  —

   Small                                                30 gp

   War                                                  50 gp

Caravel                                                10,000 gp

Carriage                                               —

   Common                                          150 gp

   Coach, ornamented                          7,000 gp

Chariot                                                —

   Riding                                              200 gp

   War                                                  500 gp

Coaster                                                5,000 gp

Cog                                                     10,000 gp

Curragh                                               500 gp

Drakkar                                               25,000 gp

Dromond                                             15,000 gp

Galleon                                                50,000 gp

Great galley                                         30,000 gp

Knarr                                                   3,000 gp

Longship                                             10,000 gp

Oar                                                      —

   Common                                          2 gp

   Galley                                               10 gp

Raft or small keelboat                         100 gp

Sail                                                      20 gp

Sedan chair                                          100 gp

Wagon or cart wheel                           5 gp

* Movement rates for this equipment are given in the DMG.

Animals

Boar                                                    10 gp

Bull                                                     20 gp

Calf                                                     5 gp

Camel                                                  50 gp

Capon                                                  3 cp

Cat                                                      1 sp

Chicken                                               2 cp

Cow                                                    10 gp

Dog                                                     —

   Guard                                               25 gp

   Hunting                                            17 gp

   War                                                  20 gp

Donkey, mule, or ass                          8 gp

Elephant                                              —

   Labor                                                200 gp

   War                                                  500 gp

Falcon (trained)                                  1,000 gp

Goat                                                    1 gp

Goose                                                  5 cp

Guinea hen                                          2 cp

Horse                                                   —

   Draft                                                200 gp

   Heavy war                                        400 gp

   Light war                                         150 gp

   Medium war                                     225 gp

   Riding                                              75 gp

Hunting cat (jaguar, etc.)                    5,000 gp

Ox                                                       15 gp

Partridge                                             5 cp

Peacock                                               5 sp

Pig                                                       3 gp

Pigeon                                                 1 cp

Pigeon, homing                                   100 gp

Pony                                                    30 gp

Ram                                                     4 gp

Sheep                                                  2 gp

Songbird                                             10 sp

Swan                                                   5 sp

Tack and Harness

Barding                                               —                      —

   Chain                                                500 gp             70 lbs.

   Full plate                                          2,000 gp          85 lbs.

   Full scale                                          1,000 gp          75 lbs.

   Half brigandine                                500 gp             45 lbs.

   Half padded                                     100 gp             25 lbs.

   Half scale                                         500 gp             50 lbs.

   Leather or padded                           150 gp             60 lbs.

Bit and bridle                                      15 sp                3 lbs.

Cart harness                                        2 gp                 10 lbs.

Halter                                                  5 cp                 *

Horseshoes & shoeing                        1 gp                 10 lbs.

Saddle                                                 —                      —

   Pack                                                 5 gp                 15 lbs.

   Riding                                              10 gp               35 lbs.

Saddle bags                                         —                      —

   Large                                                4 gp                 8 lbs.

   Small                                                3 gp                 5 lbs.

Saddle blanket                                    3 sp                  4 lbs.

Yoke                                                   —                      —

   Horse                                                5 gp                 15 lbs.

   Ox                                                    3 gp                 20 lbs.

    * These items weigh little individually. Ten of these items weigh one pound.

Miscellaneous Equipment

Backpack                                            2 gp                 2 lbs.

Barrel, small                                        2 gp                 30 lbs.

Basket                                                 —                      —

   Large                                                3 sp                  1 lbs.

   Small                                                5 cp                 *

Bell                                                      1 gp                 —

Belt pouch                                           —                      —

   Large                                                1 gp                 1 lbs.

   Small                                                7 sp                  ½ lbs.

Block and tackle                                 5 gp                 5 lbs.

Bolt case                                             1 gp                 1 lbs.

Bucket                                                 5 sp                  3 lbs.

Chain (per ft.)                                     —                      —

   Heavy                                               4 gp                 3 lbs.

   Light                                                3 gp                 1 lbs.

Chest                                                   —                      —

   Large                                                2 gp                 25 lbs.

   Small                                                1 gp                 10 lbs.

Cloth (per 10 sq. yds.)                        —                      —

   Common                                          7 gp                 10 lbs.

   Fine                                                  50 gp               10 lbs.

   Rich                                                  100 gp             10 lbs.

Candle                                                 1 cp                 *

Canvas (per sq. yard)                          4 sp                  1 lbs.

Chalk                                                   1 cp                 *

Crampons                                            4 gp                 2 lbs.

Fishhook                                             1 sp                  **

Fishing net, 10 ft. sq.                          4 gp                 5 lbs.

Flint and steel                                      5 sp                  *

Glass bottle                                         10 gp               *

Grappling hook                                   8 sp                  4 lbs.

Holy item (symbol, water, etc.)          25 gp               *

Hourglass                                            25 gp               1 lbs.

Iron pot                                               5 sp                  2 lbs.

Ladder, 10 ft.                                      5 cp                 20 lbs.

Lantern                                                —                      —

   Beacon                                             150 gp             50 lbs.

   Bullseye                                           12 gp               3 lbs.

   Hooded                                            7 gp                 2 lbs.

Lock                                                    —                      —

   Good                                                100 gp             1 lbs.

   Poor                                                  20 gp               1 lbs.

Magnifying glass                                100 gp             *

Map or scroll case                               8 sp                  ½ lbs.

Merchant’s scale                                  2 gp                 1 lbs.

Mirror, small metal                             10 gp               *

Musical instrument                             5-100 gp          ½-3 lbs.

Oil (per flask)                                      —                      —

   Greek fire                                         10 gp               2 lbs.

   Lamp                                                6 cp                 1 lbs.

Paper (per sheet)                                 2 gp                 **

Papyrus (per sheet)                             8 sp                  **

Parchment (per sheet)                         1 gp                 **

Perfume (per vial)                               5 gp                 *

Piton                                                    3 cp                 ½ lbs.

Quiver                                                 8 sp                  1 lbs.

Rope (per 50 ft.)                                 —                      —

   Hemp                                               1 gp                 20 lbs.

   Silk                                                   10 gp               8 lbs.

Sack                                                    —                      —

   Large                                                2 sp                  ½ lbs.

   Small                                                5 cp                 *

Sealing/candle wax (per lb.)               1 gp                 1 lbs.

Sewing needle                                     5 sp*                *

Signal whistle                                     8 sp                  *

Signet ring or personal seal                 5 gp                 *

Soap (per lb.)                                      5 sp                  1 lbs.

Spyglass                                              1,000 gp          1 lbs.

   Tent                                                  —                      —

   Large                                                25 gp               20 lbs.

   Pavilion                                            100 gp             50 lbs.

   Small                                                5 gp                 10 lbs.

Thieves’ picks                                     30 gp               1 lbs.

Torch                                                   1 cp                 1 lbs.

Water clock                                         1,000 gp          200 lbs.

Whetstone                                           2 cp                 1 lbs.

Wineskin                                             8 sp                  1 lbs.

Winter blanket                                    5 sp                  3 lbs.

Writing ink (per vial)                          8 gp                 *

*  These items weigh little individually. Ten of these items weigh one pound.

**    These items have no appreciable weight and should not be considered for encumbrance unless hundreds are carried.

Armor *

Banded mail                200 gp                         35 lbs.

Brigandine                  120 gp                         35 lbs.

Bronze plate mail        400 gp                         45 lbs.

Chain mail                   75 gp                           40 lbs.

Field plate                   2000 gp                       60 lbs.

Full plate                     4,000-10,000 gp          70 lbs.

Helmet                        —                                  —

   Great helm               30 gp                           10 lbs.

   Basinet                     8 gp                             5 lbs.

Hide                            15 gp                           30 lbs.

Leather                        5 gp                             15 lbs.

Padded                        4 gp                             10 lbs.

Plate mail                    600 gp                         50 lbs.

Ring mail                     100 gp                         30 lbs.

Scale mail                    120 gp                         40 lbs.

Shield                          —                                  —

   Body                        10 gp                           15 lbs.

   Buckler                     1 gp                             3 lbs.

   Medium                    7 gp                             10 lbs.

   Small                        3 gp                             5 lbs.

Splint mail                   80 gp                           40 lbs.

Studded leather           20 gp                           25 lbs.

*  See table 46 for the Armor Class ratings of various armor types.

Weapons

                                             Weight             Speed Damage

Item                                     Cost       (lb.)    Size    Type6   Factor    S-M         L

Arquebus 3                           500 gp    10       M       P           15           1d10        1d10

Battle axe                             5 gp        7         M       S           7             1d8          1d8

Blowgun                              5 gp        2         L        —           5             —              —

   Barbed Dart                      1 sp         *         S        P           —             1d3          1d2

   Needle                               2 cp        *         S        P           —             1               1

Bow                                     —             —        —        —           —             —              —

   Composite long bow         100 gp    3         L        —           7             —              —

   Composite short bow        75 gp      2         M       —           6             —              —

   Flight arrow                      3sp/12     *         S        P           —             1d6          1d6

   Long bow                          75 gp      3         L        —           8             —              —

   Sheaf arrow                       3 sp/6      *         S        P           —             1d8          1d8

   Short bow                         30 gp      2         M       —           7             —              —

Club                                     —             3         M       B           4             1d6          1d3

Crossbow                             —             —        —        —           —             —              —

   Hand quarrel                     1 gp        *         S        P           —             1d3          1d2

   Hand crossbow                 300 gp    3         S        —           5             —              —

   Heavy quarrel                    2 sp         *         S        P           —             1d4+1      1d6+1

   Heavy crossbow                50 gp      14       M       —           10           —              —

   Light quarrel                     1 sp         *         S        P           —             1d4          1d4

   Light crossbow                 35 gp      7         M       —           7             —              —

   Dagger or dirk                   2 gp        1         S        P           2             1d4          1d3

Dart                                      5 sp         ½        S        P           2             1d3          1d2

Footman’s flail                     15 gp      15       M       B           7             1d6+1      2d4

Footman’s mace                   8 gp        10       M       B           7             1d6+1      1d6

Footman’s pick                     8 gp        6         M       P           7             1d6+1      2d4

Hand or throwing axe          1 gp        5         M       S           4             1d6          1d4

Harpoon                               20 gp      6         L        P           7             2d4          2d6

Horseman’s flail                   8 gp        5         M       B           6             1d4+1      1d4+1

Horseman’s mace                 5 gp        6         M       B           6             1d6          1d4

Horseman’s pick                   7 gp        4         M       P           5             1d4+1      1d4

Javelin                                  5 sp         2         M       P           4             1d6          1d6

Knife                                    5 sp         ½        S        P/S        2             1d3          1d2

Lance 4                                —             —        —        —           —             —              —

   Heavy horse lance             15 gp      15       L        P           8             1d8+1      3d6

   Light horse lance               6 gp        5         L        P           6             1d6          1d8

   Jousting lance                    20 gp      20       L        P           10           1d3-1       1d2-1

   Medium horse lance          10 gp      10       L        P           7             1d6+1      2d6

Mancatcher 2                       30 gp      8         L        —           7             —              —

Morning star                        10 gp      12       M       B           7             2d4          1d6+1

Polearm                                —             —        —        —           —             —              —

   Awl pike 5                        5 gp        12       L        P           13           1d6          1d12

   Bardiche                            7 gp        12       L        S           9             2d4          2d6

   Bec de corbin                    8 gp        10       L        P/B        9             1d8          1d6

   Bill-guisarme                     7 gp        15       L        P/S        10           2d4          1d10

   Fauchard                           5 gp        7         L        P/S        8             1d6          1d8

   Fauchard-fork                   8 gp        9         L        P/S        8             1d8          1d10

   Glaive 1                            6 gp        8         L        S           8             1d6          1d10

   Glaive-guisarme 1            10 gp      10       L        P/S        9             2d4          2d6

   Guisarme                           5 gp        8         L        S           8             2d4          1d8

   Guisarme-voulge               8 gp        15       L        P/S        10           2d4          2d4

   Halberd                             10 gp      15       L        P/S        9             1d10        2d6

   Hook fauchard                  10 gp      8         L        P/S        9             1d4          1d4

   Lucern hammer 5              7 gp        15       L        P/B        9             2d4          1d6

   Military fork 1                  5 gp        7         L        P           7             1d8          2d4

   Partisan 5                          10 gp      8         L        P           9             1d6          1d6+1

   Ranseur 5                          6 gp        7         L        P           8             2d4          2d4

   Spetum 5                           5 gp        7         L        P           8             1d6+1      2d6

   Voulge                              5 gp        12       L        S           10           2d4          2d4

Quarterstaff                         —             4         L        B           4             1d6          1d6

Scourge                                1 gp        2         S        —           5             1d4          1d2

Sickle                                   6 sp         3         S        S           4             1d4+1      1d4

Sling                                     5 cp.       *         S        —           6             —              —

   Sling bullet                        1 cp.       ½        S        B           —             1d4+1      1d6+1

   Sling stone                        —             ½        S        B           —             1d4          1d4

Spear                                    8 sp         5         M       P           6             1d6          1d8

Staff sling                             2 sp         2         M       —           11           —              —

Sword                                  —             —        —        —           —             —              —

   Bastard sword                   —             —        —        —           —             —              —

     One-handed                    25 gp      10       M       S           6             1d8          1d12

     Two-handed                    25 gp      10       M       S           8             2d4          2d8

   Broad sword                     10 gp      4         M       S           5             2d4          1d6+1

   Khopesh                            10 gp      7         M       S           9             2d4          1d6

   Long sword                       15 gp      4         M       S           5             1d8          1d12

   Scimitar                             15 gp      4         M       S           5             1d8          1d8

   Short sword                      10 gp      3         S        P           3             1d6          1d8

   Two-hand. sword              50 gp      15       L        S           10           1d10        3d6

Trident                                 15 gp      5         L        P           7             1d6+1      3d4

Warhammer                          2 gp        6         M       B           4             1d4+1      1d4

Whip                                    1 sp         2         M       —           8             1d2          1   

1    This weapon inflicts double damage against charging creatures of L or greater size.

2    This weapon can dismount a rider on a successful hit.

3    This weapon available only if allowed by DM.

4    This weapon inflicts double damage when used from the back of a charging mount.

5    This weapon inflicts double damage when firmly set to receive a charge.

6    The “Type” category is divided into Bludgeoning (B), Piercing (P), and Slashing (S).

This indicates the type of attack made, which may alter the weapon’s effectiveness

against different types of armor. See the optional Weapon Type vs. Armor rule in chapter

9.

*    These items weigh little individually. Ten of these weigh one pound.

Table 45:

Missile Weapon Ranges

                                     Range (yards)

Weapon                      ROF    S          M        L

Arquebus                     1/3       50        150      210

Blowgun                     2/1       10        20        30

Comp. long bow,

   flight arrow              2/1       60        120      210

Comp. long bow,

   sheaf arrow              2/1       40        80        170

Comp. short bow        2/1       50        100      180

Longbow,

   flight arrow              2/1       70        140      210

Longbow,

   sheaf arrow              2/1       50        100      170

Short bow                   2/1       50        100      150

Club                            1          10        20        30

Hand crossbow           1          20        40        60

Heavy crossbow          1/2       80        160      240

Light crossbow           1          60        120      180

Dagger                        2/1       10        20        30

Dart                             3/1       10        20        40

Hammer                      1          10        20        30

Hand axe                     1          10        20        30

Harpoon                      1          10        20        30

Javelin                         1          20        40        60

Knife                           2/1       10        20        30

Sling bullet                  1          50        100      200

Sling stone                  1          40        80        160

Spear                           1          10        20        30

Staff sling bullet          2/1       —          30-60   90

Staff sling stone          2/1       —          30-60   90

    “ROF” is the rate of fire–how many shots that weapon can fire off in one round. This is independent of the number of melee attacks a character can make in a round.

    Each range category (Short, Medium, or Long) includes attacks from distances equal to or less than the given range. Thus, a heavy crossbow fired at a target 136 yards away uses the medium range modifier.

    The attack roll modifiers for range are -2 for medium range and -5 for long range.

    Arquebuses (if allowed) double all range modifiers.

Equipment Descriptions

Not every piece of equipment is described here. The vast majority of things found on the equipment lists need no description, as their functions, forms, and purposes are obvious. Only those items whose use is obscure or appearance is unusual are described below. Specific game effects of equipment are given in the appropriate sections of the rules.

Tack and Harness

    Barding: A war horse, or any animal trained for combat, is a considerable investment for the average warrior. Therefore, it behooves the owner to see that his mount is as well protected as possible. Other than avoiding risks, the best nonmagical protection is horse armor or barding. Barding is simply some type of armor fitted to be worn by the mount. Full barding covers the neck, chest, and body of the beast, while half barding covers the head, neck, chest, and front quarters. Barding can be made from many different materials; stouter types provide increasing protection according to the Armor Class of the construction. All of this, however, is at the expense of increased weight and lowered maneuverability of the mount. Plate barding, for example, is the equivalent of a warrior’s field plate and is made of carefully interlocked plates and joints. It provides an Armor Class of 2 to the mount. It weighs at least 80 to 100 pounds at the lightest and thus, a fully equipped war horse with this armor can manage little more than a steady trot at top speed.

    Barded animals also require special attention. Care must be taken to prevent chafing and sores. The mount cannot wear the armor indefinitely. It must be removed at night and ideally should not be worn except in preparation for a battle or tournament. Removing horse barding takes 15 minutes for leather and 30 minutes for metal armors. Fitting it on takes twice as long. The weight of barding is carefully distributed to account for the weight of the armor and the rider, so barded animals cannot be used as pack animals! It is normal practice to have a second mount for carrying gear and supplies.

    When barding is fitted over a mount whose natural Armor Class is better than the barding, some protection is still gained. This is explained under “Armor” later in this chapter.

    In addition to horses and elephants, it may be possible to fit barding on more fantastic mounts. Flying steeds can wear only leather or magical barding. Aquatic creatures cannot wear normal barding although extremely rare magical pieces may exist. Other land creatures can certainly be barded, provided your DM rules that they are sturdy enough to carry the weight of armor and rider. Camels, for instance, are seldom barded for this reason. A huge ostrich would not be able to carry barding, since its legs would not support the weight.

    Saddles: There are two basic saddles–riding and pack. Riding saddles take many forms, but their basic purpose is to carry a person. If your DM has set his campaign in an ancient or early Medieval setting, saddles may be without stirrups. Ask your DM to be sure. Pack saddles are special frames designed to carry supplies and equipment. The only practical limit to how much a well-stowed pack saddle can carry is the carrying ability of the animal.

Transport

    Caravel: This ship was sailed in late Medieval/early Renaissance times and was the type of ship Columbus used to reach the New World. (It should be used only in late Medieval settings.) It normally has two or three masts and square sails. No oars are used. The typical caravel is 70 feet long and 20 feet wide. The normal crew is from 30 to 40 men. The average cargo displacement is 150-200 tons.

    Coaster: Also called a round ship, this is a small merchant ship that hugs the coasts. This is a sailing ship, fitted with two masts and triangular sails. The average size is 60 to 70 feet long and 20 feet wide. The rudder hangs from one side. The crew is 20 to 30 men, and the cargo capacity is about 100 tons. Normally there is only a small sterncastle. A coaster is slow and not tremendously seaworthy, but it can carry large amounts of cargo with smaller crews than galleys.

    Cog: This ship is a larger, improved version of the coaster, able to make ventures into the open sea. Like the coaster, it is a sailing ship with one or two masts, but the cog employs square sails. It is about 75 to 90 feet long and 20 feet wide. The crew is only 18 to 20 men. There is normally one deck and fore- and sterncastle. the cargo capacities of cogs vary greatly, but the average is 100 to 200 tons.          

    Currach: This is an early, primitive vessel. It is made from thick hides stretched over a wood-and-wicker frame. A single mast caries a small square sail, but the currach is usually worked by oars. It is normally 20 to 40 feet long. the crew is approximately six to eight and the cargo space is limited–no more than five tons.

    Drakkar: The largest of the Viking longships is known as a drakkar or dragonship. Built for war, this ship stretches about 100 feet in length. Although a single mast can be raised, oars provide the main source of power. The crew of 60 to 80 men rows, one man to an oar. Up to 160 additional man can be carried for boarding and raiding. Due to its great size, a drakkar is not very seaworthy. This and the fact there is no space on board for many supplies (certainly not enough for 240 men) or sleeping quarters keep the drakkar close to the coast where it can put in for the night. Because of its cost and limited use, a drakkar is usually built by kings and rulers and is not used for the mundane task of shipping cargo.

    Dromond: This ship is the largest of the Byzantine galleys. Although it boasts one or two masts and triangular sails, the main power comes from the 100 oars, 50 to a side. These oars are divided into an upper and lower bank, with one man per oar on the lower bank and three men on the upper bank. Thus, the total crew is about 200 men. The dromond is about 130 to 175 feet long and 15 feet wide, making it a very slender ship. The cargo capacity is around 70 to 100 tons.

    A dromond can be used both for shipping and war. As a warship, a ram projects from the front just above the water line. Castles are built fore, aft, and amidships as firing platforms. The cargo space is then taken up by marines. With such numbers of men, it is a very dangerous ship to attack. A dromond is not a seaworthy craft, however, and usually sails in sight of shore. They beach at night like all galleys, since supplies and sleeping accommodations are very limited.

    Galleon: This is the largest and most advanced sailing ship that might be available in the AD&D game. It should appear only in Renaissance-period settings. It is a sail-driven ship with three or four masts. There are normally three through decks (running the length of the ship), while the castles fore and aft have two decks. The average size is about 130 feet long and 30 feet wide. Crews average about 130 men. Although cargo capacity is about 500 tons, a galleon is mainly used as a warship. (In the real world they were fitted with cannon, something beyond the standard AD&D game rules.) They can easily carry men equal to their tonnage, making capture by pirates nearly impossible.

    Great Galley: Built during the Late Middle Ages, the great galley is an improved version of the dromond. It is slightly smaller than the dromond, about 130 feet long and 20 feet wide. The main power comes from 140 rowers, one man to an oar, but is supplemented by three masts; this combination gives it better speed and handling. The cargo capacity is 150 tons. When outfitted as a warship, the front end is built as a ram and marines are carried instead of cargo. Like all galleys, the great galley is a coastal vessel, rarely venturing into open water. It is not seaworthy in heavy storms and waits in port for these to pass.

    Knarr: This small ship was a common cargo ship of the Scandinavian region. It is 50 to 75 feet long and 15 to 20 feet wide. It has a single mast and a square sail. In times of poor wind, a few oars at the bow and stern can provide more power. The crew ranges from eight to 14 men. The cargo capacity is small, anywhere from ten to 50 tons. The ship is, however, relatively seaworthy and can be used to make long sea voyages (although it cannot be called comfortable). Its flat bottom makes it useful for sailing up rivers and estuaries, and it can be beached easily.

    Longship: This is the standard Viking warship. It is more substantial than the knarr but not nearly as massive as the drakkar. An average longship is 75 feet long with 20 to 25 oars per side. Each oar is worked by a single man for a total crew of 40 to 50 men. There is also a single mast and a square sail. In addition to the crew, the ship can carry 120 to 150 men. A longship can be used for shipping, but its cargo capacity is only about 50 tons. It is, however, fairly seaworthy and can sail across the open sea when necessary.

Miscellaneous Equipment

    Holy Item: Holy items are small representations of all those things revered by religions–stars, crosses, hammers, rosaries, anointed oils, blessed wine, sacred teachings, and more. Just what constitutes a holy item depends on the campaign your character is in. All good holy items have similar effects on undead and other evil creatures, provided they are wielded by a follower of a belief associated with these items. Thus, rules that refer to holy symbols and holy water apply to all similar items, provided these items are specially prepared by the cleric’s order.

    Because of their special nature, holy items cannot normally be purchased. Different sects tend to protect the symbols of their faith to prevent their misuse or corruption. Therefore such items must be obtained through the auspices of a local congregation. This is not difficult for sincere followers of that faith, although requests for rare or unusual items must always be justified. Nonbelievers are given holy items only if there is a clear and present danger to the faith.

    Lanterns: A hooded lantern (30-foot radius of light) is a standard lantern with shuttered or hinged sides. It is not directional, as its light is cast equally in all directions. A bullseye lantern (60-foot radius of light) has only a single shutter, the other sides being highly polished to reflect the light in a single direction. Both hooded and bullseye lanterns can be carried in one hand. A single flask of oil (one pint) burns for six hours in either.

    The beacon lantern (240-foot radius of light) is a much larger affair and must be mounted on the prow of a ship, the bed of a wagon, or other large structure. It operates like the bullseye lantern but illuminates to a greater distance. The beacon goes through oil quickly, burning a flask every two hours.

    Locks: Locks are still fairly primitive affairs (except for those complicated by the use of magic). All are worked with a large bulky key. Combination locks are virtually unknown at this time. As with most things, there are good, very complex locks as well as bad, easily opened locks.

    Magnifying Glass: This simple lens is more an oddity than a useful tool. It does not greatly enhance viewing, especially since many are unevenly ground, creating distortion. It is useful as a substitute for tinder and steel when starting fires.

    Merchant’s Scale: This is a small balance and pans along with a suitable assortment of weights. Its main use is to weigh coins–a common method of settling a transaction. Merchants are well aware that coins can be undersized, shaved, or plated. The only sound protection is to check the coins against a set of established weights. It is also needed when using foreign coins to make a purchase or exchange. Of course, merchants are no more noble than anyone else and may use sets of false weights–one set heavier than normal for selling an item (causing the customer to pay more) and another set lighter than usual for buying items (letting the merchant pay less). In well-regulated areas, officials verify the accuracy of weights and measures, but this in itself is no protection. Players may wish to have a scale and weights for their own protection.

    Oil: Greek fire is a general name given to all highly flammable oils used in combat. (Historically, Greek fire was a special combination of oil and chemicals that was sticky and difficult to extinguish.) These oils are highly flammable and a little dangerous to carry. Lamp oil is used for lamps and lanterns. It is not particularly explosive although it can be used to feed an existing blaze.

    Spyglass: Like the magnifying glass, the spyglass is more of an oddity than a useful item. Objects viewed through it are a little closer, although not much. For better results magical items are preferred. The spyglass gives from two to three times magnification.

    Thieves’ Picks: This is a small collection of tools useful to burglars. The kit includes one or more skeleton keys, long metal picks, a long-nosed clamp, a small hand saw, and a small wedge and hammer. These combined with some common tools (such as a crowbar) make up most of the special equipment a thief needs to perform his trade.

    Water Clock: This bulky item is good for giving the time accurate to a half-hour. Activated by a regulated flow of drops, the water clock is not something you carry in your pocket. For it to work at all, it must have a source of water and be left undisturbed. A very uncommon item, it is primarily an amusement for the wealthy and a tool for the student of arcane lore. The vast majority of society is not concerned with exact time.

Weapons

    The Weapons Table lists more than just the price of each item. It also gives other game information. Since each weapon is different, you should note this information separately for each weapon your character purchases or finds.

    Weapon Size: All weapons are classed according to a size category–S, M, L, G, or H. Small (S) weapons are approximately two feet or less in size; medium (M) weapons are two to five feet long; large (L) weapons are generally six feet or greater in length. Giant (G) and huge (H) weapons are not found on the lists, since these are items normally used by ogres, giants, and even greater creatures. They are not items of equipment a PC can normally buy!

    A character can always wield a weapon equal to his own size or less. Normally this requires only one hand, except for some missile weapons (bows and crossbows in particular). A character can also use a weapon one size greater than himself although it must be gripped with two hands. Beyond this size limit, the weapon is not usable without special means (most often magical).

    Drelb the halfling (size S) can use a short sword with no difficulty (a size S weapon), or a long sword with two hands (a size M weapon), but a glaive (size L) is just too large for him to wield. Likewise, he can use a short bow but is unable to handle a long bow.

    Type: Weapons are classified according to types–bludgeoning (B), piercing (P), and slashing (S). These types are used to determine armor type modifiers (if these are used). Weapons vs. Armor Type is explained in Chapter 9: Combat.

    Speed Factor: Weapon speed is a relative measure of the clumsiness of the weapon. The lower the number, the quicker and easier the weapon is to use. Weapon speed is explained in Chapter 9: Combat.

    Damage: All weapons are rated for the amount of damage they can cause to small- and medium-sized creatures (S-M) and larger-than-man-sized creatures (L).

    Arquebus: This weapon may be disallowed by your DM and you must check with him before you purchase it. An arquebus is an early form of the musket, almost as dangerous to its user as it is to the target. To use an arquebus, you must have a supply of powder and shot and a piece of slow-burning match or cord. These items may or may not be commonly available. (Powder is treated as a magical item in these rules.) The weapon can be fired only once every three rounds, and then only if the character is not attacked while loading. When firing an arquebus, all penalties for range are doubled.

    If the attack roll for the arquebus is a 1 or 2, the weapon backfires, causing 1d6 points of damage to the firer. It is also fouled and cannot be used again until it has been cleaned, which takes about 30 minutes. When a arquebus scores a hit, it normally does 1 to 9 points of damage on 1d10. When a 10 is rolled, the die is rolled again and this amount is added to 10. Each time a 10 is rolled, the die is rolled again and added to the previous total. Thus, in a rare instance, a single shot could inflict 37 points, for example, if three consecutive 10s were rolled, followed by a 7. The damage caused by an arquebus is never modified for a high Strength score.

    Bows: Bows come in various shapes and sizes. The power of a bow is measured by its pull. The greater the pull, the more Strength needed to work the bow. Thus, it is possible for characters to have bows that grant them damage bonuses for high Strength (it is assumed the character has chosen a bow that has a greater pull). Likewise, characters with low Strengths suffer their usual penalties when using a bow (they are forced to use weaker bows or simply cannot draw back as far). The pull of a bow seldom prevents a character from using the weapon, only from gaining the full effect. The true test of a character’s Strength comes in stringing a bow–the bow of a strong hero may simply be unstringable by a lesser man (as was Odysseus’s).

    Heavier pull bows are not normally any more expensive than standard bows. The exceptions to this are those bows that enable the fighter to gain bonuses for exceptional Strength (18/01 or greater). These bows must be custom crafted and cost three to five times the normal price. These bows are also difficult to string or use effectively for those without exceptional Strength. These characters must roll a successful bend bars/lift gates roll to string or use such weapons (again, think of the test of the suitors in Odysseus’s household).

    Arrows for long bows of all types are divided between lightweight flight arrows and heavier sheaf arrows. Flight arrows have longer ranges and are normally used in hunting. Sheaf arrows have a stronger metal head but a reduced range. They are often used in times of war.

    Crossbow: Strength bonuses or penalties do not apply to crossbows, since these are purely mechanical devices. The hand crossbow is easily held in one hand and cocked with the other. The light crossbow, also called latches, must be braced against an object to be cocked with a lever mounted on the stock. The heavy crossbow, also called arbalest, has a powerful pull and must be cocked with a cranequin (a simple winch or lever) that comes with the weapon. One foot is places in a stirrup at the end of the crossbow while the cranequin is worked. All crossbows fire quarrels or bolts and the correct size must be used with each weapon.

    Lance: The different lances are rated according to size and sturdiness. Each type can be used only if the rider is on the same type of horse or a greater one. A man on a light war horse could not use a heavy horse lance, if only because the impact would bowl him and the horse right over! Furthermore, the heavy and jousting lances require that the rider is firmly in a saddle and using stirrups. The jousting lance is a heavy horse lance modified for use in tournaments, in which the desire is not to kill the opponent. The end of the lance is fitted with a special blunted tip intended to lessen the chance of wounds. Of course, good intentions often go awry, so there is still a chance of injury during a joust.

    Mancatcher: This item is a highly specialized type of polearm designed to capture without killing a victim. It consists of a long pole with a spring-loaded set of sharpened jaws at the end. The victim is caught between the arms, which then snap shut. The mancatcher is effective only on man-sized creatures. The target is always treated as AC 10, modified for Dexterity. If a hit is scored, the character is caught. The caught victim loses all shield and Dexterity bonuses and can be pushed and pulled about. This causes an automatic 1d2 points of damage per round and gives a 25% chance of pulling the victim to the ground. The victim can escape on a successful bend bars/lift gates roll, although this results in 1d2 points more damage. A common tactic is to use the weapon to pull horsemen off their mounts, then pin them to the ground.

    Polearms: A popular group of weapons during the ancient and Medieval periods were the polearms. Their length was a distinct advantage and, for the peasant, they were a relatively easy weapon to make. Thus, there came to be an abundance of polearms of different sizes and shapes. Due to their numbers, there is no standard system for naming polearms. The names used in the AD&D game might possibly be applied to other weapons elsewhere.

    Because of their length, all polearms are infantry weapons and require two hands to use. They are almost always the weapon of the common peasant and soldier, who, lacking a horse and heavy armor, needs some weapon to keep the enemy’s knights at bay. Thus, most polearms are intended to be used in close-packed formations that present a forest of sharp points and wicked blades to any knight foolish enough to charge.

    Awl Pike: Essentially this is a long spear 12 to 20 feet long ending in a spike point of tapered spear head. It was a popular weapon during the Renaissance. Since the pike stuck out in front, men could be packed side-by-side in dense formations, and several rows of men could fight. Large blocks of pikemen made formidable troops. However, once the pikemen engaged in close combat, they normally dropped their clumsy awl pikes and fought hand-to-hand with short swords.

    Bardiche: One of the simplest of polearms, the bardiche is an elongated battle axe. A large curving axe-head is mounted on the end of a shaft 5 to 8 feet long. It probably grew out of common peasant tools and was popular with them. One relative disadvantage is that the bardiche required more space to wield than a pike or a spear.

    Bec de corbin: This was a highly specialized weapon of the upper classes during the Late Middle Ages and the early Renaissance. It is an early can-opener designed specifically to deal with plate armor. The pick or beak is made to punch through plate, while the hammer side can be used to give a stiff blow. The end is fitted with a short blade for dealing with unarmored or helpless foes. The weapon is about eight feet long. Since the weapon relies on impact, a great deal of swinging space is needed.

    Bill-guisarme:  A particularly bizarre-looking combination weapon, the bill-guisarme is an outgrowth of the common bill hook. Mounted on a seven- to eight-foot-long pole, it has a combination of a heavy cleaver blade, a jutting back spike, and a hook or spike on the end. Thus, it can be used in several different ways. Like most polearms, it requires lots of room to use.

    Fauchard: An outgrowth of the sickle and scythe, the fauchard is a long, inward curving blade mounted on a shaft six to eight feet long. It can slash or thrust, although the inward curving point makes thrusting rather ineffective. Its advantage is that a peasant can easily convert his common scythe into this weapon of war.

    Fauchard-fork: This is an attempted improvement on the fauchard, adding a long spike or fork to the back of the blade. Supposedly this improves the thrusting ability of the weapon. It is still an inefficient weapon.

    Glaive: One of the most basic polearms, the glaive is a single-edged blade mounted on an eight- to ten-foot-long shaft. While not the most efficient weapon, it is relatively easy to make and use. Normally the blade turns outward to increase the cutting area until it almost resembles a cleaver or axe.

    Glaive-guisarme: Another combination weapon, this one takes the basic glaive and adds a spike or hook to the back of the blade. In theory, this increases the usefulness of the weapon although its actual application is somewhat questionable.

    Guisarme: Thought to have derived from a pruning hook, this is an elaborately curved heavy blade. While convenient and handy, it is not very effective.

    Guisarme-voulge: This weapon has a modified axe blade mounted on an eight-foot-long shaft. The end of the blade tapers to a point for thrusting and a back spike is fitted for punching through armor. Sometimes this spike is replaced by a sharpened hook for dismounting riders.

    Halberd: After the awl pike and the bill, this was one of the most popular weapons of the Middle Ages. Fixed on a shaft five to eight feet long is a large axe blade, angled for maximum impact. The end of the blade tapers to a long spear point or awl pike. On the back is a hook for attacking armor or dismounting riders. Originally intended to defeat cavalry, it is not tremendously successful in that role since it lacks the reach of the pike and needs considerable room to swing. It found new life against blocks of pikemen. Should the advance of the main attack stall, halberdiers issue out of the formation and attack the flanks of the enemy. The pikemen with their overlong weapons are nearly defenseless in such close combat.

    Hook fauchard: This combination weapon is another attempted improvement to the fauchard. A back hook is fitted to the back of the blade, supposedly to dismount horsemen. Like the fauchard, this is not a tremendously successful weapon.

    Lucern hammer: This weapon is similar to the bec de corbin. Fitted with a shaft up to ten feet long, it is usually found in the hands of the common soldier. Like the bec de corbin, its main purpose is to punch through armor. The end is fitted with the long point of an awl pike to hold off enemy cavalry.

    Military fork: This is one of the simplest modifications of a peasant’s tool since it is little more than a pitchfork fixed to a longer shaft. With tines strengthened and straightened, the military fork serves well. The need for cutting and cleaving eventually often results in combining the fork with other weapons.

    Partisan: Shorter than the awl pike but longer than the spear, the partisan is a broad spear-head mounted on an eight-foot-long shaft. Two smaller blades project out from the base of the main blade, just to increase damage and trap weapons. Since it is a thrusting weapon, it can be used in closely packed formations.

    Ranseur: Very much like the partisan, the ranseur differs in that the main blade is thinner and the projecting blades extended more like tines of a fork. These can trap a weapon and sometimes punch through armor.

    Spetum: The spetum is a modification of the normal spear. The shaft increases to eight to ten feet and side blades are added. Some have blades that angle back, increasing the damage when pulling the weapon out of a wound. These blades can also trap and block weapons or catch and hold an opponent.

    Voulge: The voulge, like the bardich, is a variation on the axe and the cleaver. The voulge is little more than a cleaver on the end of a long (seven- to eight-foot) pole. It is a popular weapon, easy to make and simple to learn. It is also called the Lochaber axe.

    Scourge: This wicked weapon is a short whip with several thongs or tails. Each thong is studded with metal barbs, resulting in a terrible lash. It is sometimes used as an instrument of execution.

    Sword, Bastard: This sword is similar to a long sword in size and weight, but has a longer hilt. It can be used one- or two-handed. Use the speed factor and damage appropriate to the grip. If it is used two-handed, your character cannot employ a shield.

    Sword, Khopesh: This is an Egyptian weapon. A khopesh has about six inches of handle and quillons. Its blade is then straight from the quillons for about two feet. The blade becomes sickle-shaped at this point, being about two additional feet long but effectively extending the overall length of the sword by only 1-½ feet. This makes the khopesh both heavy and unwieldy, difficult to employ properly, and slow to recover, particularly after a badly missed blow. Its sickle-like portion can snag an opponent or an opposing weapon.

Armor

    You are going to want your player character to buy armor, if he is allowed to use any. Armor is the easiest and cheapest way to improve your character’s chance of surviving the more violent dangers of the adventuring life. Clearly, the better the armor the character possesses, the less likely he is to be hurt. Armor protection is measured by Armor Class (AC), a number rating; the lower the Armor Class number, the better the protection. Table 46 lists the values for all the types of armor found in the equipment lists.

Table 46:

Armor Class Ratings

Type of Armor                                                                                           AC Rating

None                                                                                                                  10

Shield only                                                                                                           9

Leather or padded armor                                                                                     8

Leather or padded armor + shield, studded leather, or ring mail armor              7

Studded leather or ring mail + shield, brigandine, scale mail, or hide armor      6

Scale mail or hide + shield, chain mail                                                                5

Chain mail + shield, splint mail, banded mail, bronze plate mail                       4

Splint mail, banded mail, or bronze plate mail + shield, plate mail                    3

Plate mail + shield, field plate                                                                             2

Field plate armor + shield, full plate                                                                   1

Full plate armor + shield                                                                                      0

See “Shields” for more information on the defensive benefits of various shields.

    Although there is some controversy historically over the different types of armor, all known or suspected types are included here. However, not all armor may be available if your DM has chosen to set his campaign in a particular historical era or locale. For example, full plate armor is not available to characters adventuring in an ancient Greek setting.

    Banded: This armor is made of overlapping strips of metal sewn to a backing of leather and chain mail. Generally the strips cover only the more vulnerable areas, while the chain and leather protect the joints where freedom of movement must be ensured. Through straps and buckles, the weight is more or less evenly distributed.

    Brigandine: This armor is made from small metal plates sewn or riveted to a layer of canvas or leather and protected by an outer layer of cloth. It is rather stiff and does not provide adequate protection to the joints where the metal plates must be spaced widely or left off.

    Bronze plate mail: This is a plate mail armor–a combination of metal plates, chain mail or brigandine, leather and padding–made of softer bronze. It is easier and cheaper to make than steel armor, but it does not protect as well. A large breastplate and other metal plates cover areas of the body, but the other materials must protect the joints and movable parts of the body. It is not the full plate armor of the heavy knight of the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

    Chain mail: This armor is made of interlocking metal rings. It is always worn with a layer of quilted fabric padding underneath to prevent painful chafing and to cushion the impact of blows. Several layers of mail are normally hung over vital areas. The links yield easily to blows, absorbing some of the shock. Most of the weight of this armor is carried on the shoulders and it is uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.

    Field plate armor: This is the most common version of full plate armor, consisting of shaped and fitted metal plates riveted and interlocked to cover the entire body. It includes gauntlets, boots, and a visored helmet. A thick layer of padding must be worn underneath. However, the weight of the suit is well-distributed over the whole body. Such armor hampers movement only slightly. Aside from its expense, the main disadvantages are the lack of ventilation and the time required to put it on and take it off (see the “Getting Into and Out of Armor” section). Each suit of field plate must be individually fitted to its owner by a master armorer, although captured pieces can be resized to fit the new owner (unless such is patently absurd, such as a human trying to resize a halfling’s armor).

    Full Plate: This is the impressive, high Gothic-style armor of the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. It is perfectly forged and fitted. All the plates are interlocking and carefully angled to deflect blows. The surfaces are normally highly ornamented with etching and inlaid metals. Each suit must be carefully custom-fitted to the owner and there is only a 20% chance that a captured suit can be refitted to a new owner of approximately the same size. The metal plates are backed by padding and chain mail. The weight is well-distributed. The armor is hot, slow to don, and extremely expensive. Due to these factors, it tends to be used more for parades and triumphs than actual combat.

    Hide: This is armor prepared from the extremely thick hide of a creature (such as an elephant) or from multiple layers of regular leather. It is stiff and hard to move in.

    Leather: This armor is made of leather hardened in boiling oil and then shaped into breastplate and shoulder protectors. The remainder of the suit is fashioned from more flexible, somewhat softer materials.

    Padded: This is the simplest type of armor, fashioned from quilted layers of cloth and batting. It tends to get hot and after a time becomes foul with sweat, grime, lice, and fleas.

    Plate mail: This armor is a combination of chain or brigandine with metal plates (cuirass, epaulettes, elbow guards, gauntlets, tasets, and greaves) covering vital areas. The weight is distributed over the whole body and the whole thing is held together by buckles and straps. This is the most common form of heavy armor.

    Ring mail: This armor is an early (and less effective) form of chain mail in which metal rings are sewn directly to a leather backing instead of being interlaced. (Historians still debate whether this armor ever existed.)

    Scale mail: This is a coat and leggings (and perhaps a separate skirt) of leather covered with overlapping pieces of metal, much like the scales of a fish.

    Shields: All shields improve a character’s Armor Class by 1 or more against a specified number of attacks. A shield is useful only to protect the front and flanks of the user. Attacks from the rear or rear flanks cannot be blocked by a shield (exception: a shield slung across the back does help defend against rear attacks). The reference to the size of the shield is relative to the size of the character. Thus, a human’s small shield would have all the effects of a medium shield when used by a gnome.

    A buckler (or target) is a very small shield that fastens on the forearm. It can be worn by crossbowmen and archers with no hindrance. Its small size enables it to protect against only one attack per melee round (of the user’s choice), improving the character’s Armor Class by 1 against that attack.

    A small shield is carried on the forearm and gripped with the hand. Its light weight permits the user to carry other items in that hand (although he cannot use weapons). It can be used to protect against two frontal attacks of the user’s choice.

    The medium shield is carried in the same manner as the small shield. Its weight prevents the character from using his shield hand for other purposes. With a medium shield, a character can protect against any frontal or flank attacks.

    The body shield is a massive shield reaching nearly from chin to toe. It must be firmly fastened to the forearm and the shield hand must grip it at all times. It provides a great deal of protection, improving the Armor Class of the character by 1 against melee attacks and by 2 against missile attacks, for attacks from the front or front flank sides. It is very heavy; the DM may wish to use the optional encumbrance system if he allows this shield.

    Splint Mail: The existence of this armor has been questioned. It is claimed that the armor is made of narrow vertical strips riveted to a backing of leather and cloth padding. Since this is not flexible, the joints are protected by chain mail.

    Studded leather: This armor is made from leather (not hardened as with normal leather armor) reinforced with close-set metal rivets. In some ways it is very similar to brigandine, although the spacing between each metal piece is greater.

    In addition to the types of armor listed above, your DM may have special armors prepared from rare or exotic materials. Since it is highly unlikely that your character can afford these at the start, the DM will tell you when you need to know about such items.

Armor Sizes

    The equipment list reflects the price of a suit of armor (including an appropriate helmet) made for any normal player character race. Although a halfling is much smaller than a human and needs a smaller suit, there are fewer armorers available to meet such specialized needs. Thus, the armor for a halfling is as expensive as that for a human. Armor for nonstandard sizes and shapes is going to cost significantly more and must be custom-made. This is not the kind of thing one can pick up at the local store!

    When armor is found during the course of an adventure, the players should note the creature who wore the armor previously. While a human-sized character might be able to wear the armor of a gnoll, it will do little good for a halfling. Likewise, the armor of a giant is of little use to anyone.

    Armor size also affects the weight of the armor, if the optional encumbrance system is used. The weights listed on the table are for human-sized (Medium) armors. Small armor weighs half the amount listed, while large armor weighs 50% more.

Getting Into and Out of Armor

    There are times when it is important to know how quickly a character can get into or out of his armor. Accidents and unforeseen events happen all the time. The party is attacked at night. Those sleeping around the campfire may want to don their armor before rushing into battle. A character slips and falls into the river where his heavy armor pulls him down like a stone. He greatly desires to get it off before he drowns. Just how long does it take him?

    The time required to don armor depends on its make. Those armors that are a single piece–leather tunics, robes, chain mail–take one round (two for metal items) to don with slight assistance. Without aid, the time is doubled. Armor that is made of separate pieces require 1d6 + 4 rounds, again with assistance. Without help, the time required is tripled. In all cases, the times given assume that the proper undergarments and padding are also worn.

    Sometimes characters need to get into armor in a hurry and thus, they dress hastily. This assumes that some buckles aren’t fastened, seatings adjusted, etc. Single suits can be hastily donned in one round at the cost of 1 worse AC (though never worse than 8). Thus, a fighter could hastily pull on his brigandine jack (AC 6) and charge into a fray with an AC of 7. Hastily donning piece armor (plate mail for example) improves the character’s AC by 1 (from a base of 10) for every round spent dressing. A fighter could choose to spend three rounds fitting on parts of his plate mail, giving him an AC of 7, before going into battle.

    Removing armor is a much quicker matter. Most can be shed in a single round. Piece armor (particularly full plate) requires 1d4 + 1 rounds. However, if the character is willing to cut straps and bend pins, such armors can be removed in half the time (roll 1d4 + 1, divide by 2, then round fractions up).

Table 47:

Character Encumbrance

Character Encumbrance Max.Carried

Strength          Unencumbered      Light            Moderate      Heavy              Severe            Weight

      2                 0-1                            2                    3                      4                          5-6                      6

      3                 0-5                            6                    7                      8-9                       10                    10

    4-5                0-10                          11-13           14-16             17-19               20-25                 25

    6-7                0-20                          21-29           30-38             39-46               47-55                 55

    8-9                0-35                          36-50           51-65             66-80               81-90                 90

  10-11             0-40                          41-58           59-76             77-96             97-110                110

  12-13             0-45                          46-69           70-93             94-117           118-140               140

  14-15             0-55                          56-85           86-115           116-145         146-170               170

     16                0-70                          71-100         101-130         131-160         161-195               195

     17                0-85                          86-121         122-157         158-193         194-220               220

     18                0-110                       111-149       150-188         189-227         228-255               255

18/01-50         0-135                       136-174       175-213         214-252         253-280               280

18/51-75         0-160                       161-199       200-238         239-277         278-305               305

18/76-90         0-185                       186-224       225-263         264-302         303-330               330

18/91-99         0-235                       236-274       275-313         314-352         353-380               380

   18/00            0-335                       336-374       375-413         414-452         453-480               480

Creatures with Natural Armor Classes

    Some creatures possess a natural Armor Class already superior to some of the armor types (for example, the horse is AC 7). However, these creatures can still benefit from wearing armor of a quality worse than their natural Armor Class. If the AC of armor is equal to or worse than the AC of the creature, the AC of the creature improves by 1.

    For example, a horse has a natural AC of 7. The AC of leather armor is 8, worse than the horse’s natural AC. However, if a horse is fitted with leather barding, its AC drops to 6 since it gains the benefit of the additional protection.

Encumbrance (Optional Rule)

    A natural desire is to have your character own one of everything. Thus equipped, your character could just reach into his pack and pull out any item he wants whenever he needs it. Sadly, there are limits to how much your character, his horse, his mule, his elephant, or his whatever can carry. These limits are determined by encumbrance.

    Encumbrance is measured in pounds. To calculate encumbrance, simply total the pounds of gear carried by the creature or character. Add five pounds for clothing, if any is worn. This total is then compared to the carrying capacity of the creature to determine the effects. In general, the more weight carried, the slower the movement and the worse the character is at fighting.

Basic Encumbrance (Tournament Rule)

    Encumbrance is divided into five categories: Unencumbered, Light, Moderate, Heavy, and Severe Encumbrance.

    To calculate your character’s encumbrance category, first figure out the total weight he is carrying (including five pounds for clothing). Then look across the row corresponding to your character’s Strength on Table 47 until you come to the column that includes your character’s carried weight. The heading at the top of that column shows his level of encumbrance.

    Use Table 49 to figure out the encumbrance category of your character’s mount or beast of burden.

    The Max. Carried Wgt. column lists the most weight (in pounds) your character can carry and still move. But movement is limited to 10 feet per round, as your character staggers under the heavy load.

Specific Encumbrance (Optional Rule)

    The maximum total weight your character can carry is determined by his Strength, as listed on Table 47.

    The basic encumbrance rule gives general categories of encumbrance but does not allow for fine distinctions. Some players and DMs may take exception to the idea that adding one more pound to a character suddenly shifts that character to the next (and drastically worse) encumbrance category. They may want to use the following optional table; Table 48 reduces a character’s movement rating 1 factor at a time.

    To determine your character’s movement rate (see “Movement” in Chapter 14: Time and Movement) for a given load, find the row on Table 48 with his Strength score. Read across it until you find the first column in which the number of pounds listed is greater than your character’s current load. At the top of that column are two rows for base movement rates. Characters with a base movement rate of 12 use the top row; those with a base movement rate of 6 use the bottom row. The number in the appropriate upper row is your character’s modified movement rate.

    Tarus (a human with a base movement of 12) has a Strength of 17 and is carrying a 140-pound load. Looking across on the 17 rows shows that 140 falls between 133 and 145 on the table. Looking at the top of the 145 column shows that Tarus has a modified movement rate of 7. He can carry five more pounds of gear (total 145 pounds) and maintain his speed, or drop seven pounds of equipment (to 133 pounds) and increase his speed to 8.

Table 48:

Modified Movement Rates

Base  Move                                            Modified Movement Rate

Strength        12         11         10         9           8           7           6           5           4           3           2           1

Score               6         5             5         4           4           3           3           2           2           1           1           1

2                        1         —            2         —          —          3           —          —          4           —          —          5

3                        5         —            6         —            7         —          —            8         —            9         —          —

4-5                  10        11        12        13        14        15        16        17        18        19        20        21

6-7                  20        23        26        29        32        35        38        41        44        47        50        53

8-9                  35        40        45        50        55        60        65        70        75        80        85        89

10-11             40        46        52        58        64        70        76        82        88        94        100       106

12-13             45        53        61        69        77        85        93        101       109       117       125       133

14-15             55        65        75        85        95        105       115       125       135       145       155       165

16                   70        80        90        100       110       120       130       140       150       160       170       180

17                   85        97        109       121       133       145       157       169       181       193       205       217

18                   110       123       136       149       162       175       188       201       214       227       240       253

18/01-50       135       148       161       174       187       200       213       226       239       252       265       278

18/51-75       160       173       186       199       212       225       238       251       264       277       290       303

18/76-90       185       198       211       224       237       250       263       276       289       302       315       328

18/91-99       235       248       261       274       287       300       313       326       339       352       365       378

18/00             335       348       361       374       387       400       413       426       439       452       465       478

Table 49:

Carrying Capacities of Animals

                                                               2/3                   1/3

Mount                         Base Move      Move              Move

Camel                          0-330 lbs.        331-500 lbs.    501-660 lbs.

Dog                             0-15 lbs.          16-20 lbs.        21-30 lbs.

Elephant                      0-500 lbs.        501-750 lbs.    751-1,000 lbs.

Horse, draft                 0-260 lbs.        261-390 lbs.    391-520 lbs.

Horse, heavy               0-260 lbs.        261-390 lbs.    391-520 lbs.

Horse, light                 0-170 lbs.        171-255 lbs.    256-340 lbs.

Horse, medium            0-220 lbs.        221-330 lbs.    331-440 lbs.

Horse, riding               0-180 lbs.        181-270 lbs.    271-360 lbs.

Mule                            0-250 lbs.        251-375 lbs.    376-500 lbs.

Ox                               0-220 lbs.        221-330 lbs.    331-440 lbs.

Yak                             0-220 lbs.        221-330 lbs.    331-440 lbs.

Aside from knowing the weight limits, your character needs to have ways to hold all his gear. The capacities of different containers are given in Table 50.

Table 50:

Stowage Capacity

Item                            Weight Cap.  Volume

Backpack                       50 lbs.           3’×2’×1′

Basket, large                  20 lbs.           2’×2’×2′

Basket, small                  10 lbs.           1’×1’×1′

Belt pouch, large              8 lbs.           6″×8″×2″

Belt pouch, small             5 lbs.           4″×6″×2″

Chest, large                 100 lbs.           3’×2’×2′

Chest, small                    40 lbs.           2’×1’×1′

Sack, large                      30 lbs.           2’×2’×1′

Sack, small                     15 lbs.           1’×1’×8″

Saddle bags, large          30 lbs.           18″×1’×6″

Saddle bags, small          20 lbs.           1’×1’×6″

Encumbrance and Mounts (Tournament Rule)

    The “Base Move” column in Table 49 lists the maximum amount an animal can carry and maintain its normal movement rate. Animals can be loaded greater than this, up to a maximum of twice their normal load. However, this causes a drop in the animal’s movement rate (as indicated by the column headings). When calculating a mount’s load, be sure to include the weight of the rider!

    The values listed in Table 50 for standard-sized items. It is certainly possible for sacks, chests, and backpacks to be larger or smaller than the sizes listed. The weight capacity, however, lists the maximum weight the item can carry, regardless of size. Beyond this point, the material used to construct the item will fail, sooner or later. The volume gives the length, width, and height or depth of the item. Items that exceed the capacity of a container cannot be stored in it.

    Since all player characters are adventurers, it is assumed they know the best methods for packing and stowing equipment. Blankets are rolled into bedrolls, small items are carefully arranged, rope is properly coiled, weapons are slung in the most comfortable manner, etc. While small items can be easily stuffed into a pack, large bulky things may encumber more than their actual weight would indicate. The DM has the right to rule that an object is more encumbering than it actually appears.

    Tarus Bloodheart finds a 5 ft. × 9 ft. flying carpet. He carefully rolls it into a thick cylinder and wisely ties it closed. Even though he has taken this sensible precaution, the carpet is still a large and awkward thing. The DM rules that although the carpet weighs only 20 pounds, its encumbrance is equal to that of an item weighing 50 pounds. Tarus must increase his current encumbrance level by 50 pounds, adding the awkwardness of the rolled carpet slung over his shoulder to his already carefully packed backpack.

Magical Armor and Encumbrance

    One of the special properties of magical armor is its effect on encumbrance. Although magical armor appears to weigh as much as normal armor, the weight of magical armor applies only toward the weight limit of the character. It does not apply when determining the effects of encumbrance on movement and combat. In essence, the armor appears to weigh as much as normal armor but does not restrict or hamper the character.

    Cwell the bard finds a suit of chain mail +1. Lifting it up, he finds it weighs 60 pounds. Cwell is already carrying 50 pounds of gear. Donning the chain mail, he is now carrying 110 lbs. of gear. Cwell’s Strength is 12, which means that he can carry only 30 more pounds of equipment. However, when calculating the effect of all this weight on his movement, Cwell is considered to only be carrying 50 pounds of gear–the magical armor doesn’t count. Furthermore, he does not suffer any combat penalties for the chain mail’s weight.

Effects of Encumbrance

    Encumbrance has two basic effects. First, it reduces your character’s movement rate. If encumbrance categories are used, Unencumbered has no effect on movement, Light reduces the movement rate by 1/3 (round fractions down), Moderate reduces it by ½, Heavy reduces it by 2/3, and Severe lowers the movement rate to 1. If the optional system is used, the character’s movement rate is reduced to the amount found by using Table 48. The movement rate determines how far your character can move in a round, turn, hour, and day. As his movement rate gets lower, your character moves slower and slower. See “Movement” in Chapter 14: Time and Movement for more details.

    Encumbrance also reduces your character’s combat abilities. If encumbrance reduces your character to ½ of his normal movement rate, he suffers a -1 penalty to his attack roll. If he is reduced to 1/3 or less of his normal movement rate, the attack penalty is -2 and there is an additional AC penalty of +1. If your character’s movement is reduced to 1, the attack roll penalty is -4 and the AC penalty is +3. Clearly, the wise thing for a heavily encumbered character to do is to quickly drop most of his gear before entering battle.