Equipment: Difference between revisions

== Clothing, Armor, and Shields ==

Classes without any [[Armor#Armor Proficiency|Armor Proficiency]] such as [[Sorcerer]] and [[Wizard]] wear Clothing instead of Armor so they can cast [[Spells]] in and out of combat. Wearing Armor without the corresponding Proficiency also imposes a number of other penalties.

One can gain additional Armor Proficiency by taking appropriate Feats at Level 4, such as Lightly Armored, Moderately Armored and Heavily Armored.  However, each level of heaviness has the previous level as a prerequisite.  For example, in order to be able to pick the Heavily Armored Feat, your character must already have Medium Armor Proficiency from some source.

=== Armor ===

''Main article: [[Armor]]''

Armor offers the character an improved base [[Armor Class]] to decrease the chance of being hit. When wearing Armor, your Armor Class becomes that of the piece of Armor you're wearing. In other words, it overrides your base Armor Class, before bonuses from Dexterity, Shields, spell effects, etc. are applied.

There are three types of worn armor: Light, Medium, and Heavy. Shields are also treated as armor, although they do not split into any sub-types. You need the corresponding [[Armor#Armor Proficiency|Armor Proficiency]] to be able to use a specific type of Armor without penalties.

Shields provide a bonus to [[Armor Class]] to decrease the chance of being hit by enemies.  Your character doesn't need to be actively holding the equipped shield to get the AC bonus; it's enough that the shield is equipped in its melee off-hand slot.  I.e., a character with a sword and shield in its melee weapon slots and a longbow in its ranged weapon slots will benefit from the shield's AC bonus even while using the bow.

Choosing the [[Feat]] “Moderately Armored” grants Proficiency with Shields in addition to Medium Armor.  However, you must already have Light Armor Proficiency to be able to choose that Feat.