Untrained simply is +0 and does not add your level. Slowing down. Precipitation causes discomfort and fatigue. heavier armor class better protections, but makes physical skill checks harder. Bonuses and penalties apply to checks and certain statistics. For more, check out my Practical Guide to Celestial Armor. I see it as the opposite: you only take padded armor if you specifically have less than 12 strength (i. And also Playing the Game Key Terms. Armor check penalty will subtract that number (the armor check pen) from skills that 'loud and hard to wear armor' would affect. You can play a heavily armored battle wizard who gets up into the frey and plans to take the fighter archetype to. It does not. 108. 0 Price 1,600 gp (+160 gp per Bulk)Choose one type of armor, such as chain mail, for which you have already selected the Armor Focus feat. And that you can affix talismans as if the bracers were light armor, where explorer's. A suit of chain mail consists of several pieces of armor composed of small metal rings linked together in a protective mesh. Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant you strike. Adventure path name if there is a spoiler warning on the page. If you meet the armor’s Strength. There was a general feat for armor proficiency. With the Armor Expert trait you can easily get high AC with no armor check penalty. Typically from spells. Say you want to disarm a trap. In Pathfinder, they simplified it a bit by just making it count in all ways as light armor and letting the general rules about armor categories do the heavy lifting: Speed. The description for clumsy says: . For example, the Celestial Armor has a maximum Dexterity bonus of +8. -2 if you're in a moving vehicle or Grabbed by an enemy. Armor class makes you harder to hit. An armor check penalty applies to all Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks. This number is the maximum amount of your Dexterity modifier that can apply to your AC while you are wearing a given suit of armor. Armor Bonus +3; Max Dex Bonus +5; Armor Check Penalty-1 Arcane Spell Failure Chance 15%; Speed 30 ft. Just like for any other check and DC, the result of an. Bulwark. Such a creature can use the run action while swimming, provided that it swims in a straight line. This decrease does not apply to proficiency in wearing the armor. Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. An attack roll is one of the core types of checks in the game (along with saving throws, skill checks, and Perception checks). Introduction In Pathfinder 2e, your armor is generally dictated by your class. Hindering trait vs Unburdened Iron. 104 Your training allows you to pick pockets, draw hidden weapons, and take a variety of actions without being noticed. Armor protects your character only while they’re wearing it. When posting, add a system tag to the title - [D&D5e] or [PF2e], for example. The thing is, gambeson was one of the best historical armors. For example, Paladin doesn't really need high Dex. While these rounded studs offer little defense individually, in the numbers they are arrayed in. If your speed is 30 feet then no modifier based on speed applies to the check. So, I enjoy PF2e more than any other system I've played. Mithral full plate of speed has an armor check penalty of –3. Hardwood Armor [one-action] Feat 1. The choice of armor, IMO, is very boring to the point of not mattering at all. Delioth • Master of Master of Many Styles • 5 yr. ago. AC. 274 4. A character's encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty. Circumstance penalties come from unfavorable situations, and status penalties come from effects that impede your abilities or from broken armor. A character’s encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty. That choice sets the Setup Time and the Crafting DC. So if you can get 20 dex then do it. Lokotor • 7 yr. Yeah, either. 9, PRPG Core Rulebook pg. The big thing is the Proficiency bonus. Armor has zero penalties except movement speed if you fill the strength requirement. Ha, I forgot about this when I was building my first halfling rogue. Prerequisite(s): Proficiency with selected armor, Armor Focus with selected armor, 4th-level fighter. Sash of the War Champion with 3 levels of fighter - no movement penalty for any armor. Whenever a shield takes damage, the amount of damage it takes is reduced by this amount. An armor check penalty number is the penalty that applies to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble checks by a character wearing a certain kind of armor. 0 Similarly, a penalty to your check might be appropriate if some other factor of the battlefield (OTHER than the battle itself) is making it harder to move, concentrate, or apply medicine. There are several types of bonuses and penalties. Armor Check Penalty. Shields: If a character is wearing armor and using. Pick a high Dexterity armor. Attacks are considered a check, so Demoralize is also a great way to reduce risk to the party. Hide Source Ultimate Equipment pg. CMD and CMB are not skill checks. Barding. Bulwark is kind of necessary to allow low Dex fighters in heavy armor (very definitely a trope) to be practical. If you want to. 241 4. Feb 7, 2018, 09:39 am. Same with Drakeheart Mutagen . Strength 14; Bulk 2; Category Medium; Group Composite. Source Core Rulebook pg. While not nearly as protective as heavier armors, the armored coat allows the wearer to blend in more aesthetically during civilian functions. Being a fighter: Armor Mastery. In general I would always take +1 AC and have a check penalty. $endgroup$ –Armor Check Penalty: Any armor heavier than leather, as well as any shield, hurts a character's ability to use Dexterity- and Strength-based skills. 15 Ranks: If you attack after successfully using Stealth, your target is denied its Dexterity bonus against. ago. get penalties for studded leather) and have exactly 16 dex. This <i>+2 hide armor </i>is made from rhinoceros hide. In fact, Dex-based fighters are still better off with light armor because they will only be a couple points behind in AC in exchange for vastly improved mobility. Treat the defender’s Dexterity as 0 (-5 modifier). 274 4. All magic armor is also masterwork armor, reducing armor check penalties by 1. Price 2 gp; AC Bonus +1; Dex Cap +4; Check Penalty-1;. • The Registrar, Security Services, to conduct a criminal record check through any city, municipal or provincial police department or public body including the police information. Other than that, Shields and Resistance stack and can absolutely make the difference. A successful Swim check allows you to swim one-quarter of your speed as a move action or one-half your speed as a full-round action. 447 4. I have a PC with 10 STR and leather armor. It is also much cheaper to make mythril splint mail so by the time you are lookin at level 11/12, you will often have no armor check penalties at all. Medium Armor Cost 50 gp; Weight 20 lbs. This large battle axe is too heavy to wield with only one hand. Hey all. Compare the result to the difficulty class (DC). pg 383. A -6 armor check penalty would apply to every stealth roll with the heavy armor. If you have 10 or more ranks in Ride, the bonus increases to +4. The issue is getting Dex mod + item bonus (before runes) to be close to 5. I see it as the opposite: you only take padded armor if you specifically have less than 12 strength (i. I say grab that DR/-. Strength 18; Bulk 4; Category. I’m trying to remember all the ways to reduce armor check penalty. 274 4. The two likely outcomes are: Noisy's was intended to be removed or generalized to GM fiat rather than have a specific numerical penalty. An armor check penalty applies to all Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks. While wearing a suit of armor, you take the penalty listed in this entry to your Speed, as well as to any other movement types you have, such as a climb Speed or swim Speed, to a minimum Speed of 5 feet. I have a PC with 10 STR and leather armor. Being fixed now. PC in the water begins to sink at the end of the first turn they fail a Swim check by 5 or more, moving down 10 feet; the speed increases by 10 feet each round to a maximum speed of 30 feet downward per round after 3 rounds (movement provokes AoOs, and sinking creatures are considered off-balance); once per round if sinking, a creature. Mithral -6 (plate is now at -2, shield is now at -4), 15th level you're at -1, which isn't a problem. Weapon Proficiency - you become trained in (all simple/all martial/one advanced) weapon (s). This fashion birthed a trend that led to “buckle armor,” a colloquial name for chic armor with spacious tool storage. The defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC. Though it’s not armor and uses your unarmored defense proficiency, it still has a Dex Cap and can grant an item bonus to AC if etched with potency runes. Craft Requirements The initial raw materials must include 320 gp of rhinoceros hide (a common material). While wearing your armor, you take this penalty to Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks, except for those that have the attack trait. Aside from Full Plate and non-armor clothing, all armors have a combined AC Bonus and Dex Cap of +5. Bonuses and Penalties. The exact effect depends on which armor group your armor. Calculate the result. Animal companions can wear armor without taking any of the armor proficiency feats. Zone of Truth gives a status penalty to lying, while Athletic Rush gives a status bonus to athletics. Broken armor still grants its item bonus to AC, but it also imparts a status penalty to AC depending on its category: –1 for broken light armor, –2 for broken medium armor, or –3 for broken heavy armor. e. The justification would be that it makes sense to me that armour would slow you down and and also it penalises the armoured tank type character/rewards the light armour brigade -my current character is an orc tank, so it's not for personal gain. Some adventurers travel with loyal allies known as animal companions and familiars. Source Core Rulebook pg. Armor. An armor check penalty applies to all Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks. When you target a creature that’s concealed from you, you must attempt a DC 5 flat check before you roll to determine your effect. When wild shaped does the armor check penalty still apply what about max dex bonus, same question only armor has wild enhancement. Godless Healing and Continual recovery may be a "feat tax" to play. Armor Bonus +8; Max Dex Bonus +0; Armor Check Penalty-7 Arcane Spell Failure Chance 40%; Speed 20 ft. Though not as effective as metal armor, it offers better protection than leather alone. If you don't have a high enough STR, you take an armor check penalty to STR/Dex based checks equal to the penalty score, as well as a -X to your SPD. Aid is pretty much useless in PF2e as multiple checks are always. . A shoddy suit of armor also worsens the armor’s check penalty by 2. Weird that no one has ever caught this before… thanks :)Armor check penalties apply to "Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks, except for those that have the attack trait. Source PVT. Barding uses the same rules as armor except for the following. Low-light vision and imprecise scent 30 feet. ANSWERED. If you have a high enough STR you can negate those penalties. When a creature attacks you, your Armor Class is the DC for that attack roll. If you have the Acrobatic feat, you get a bonus on Acrobatics checks (see Feats). 0. Source PFU. Buckle armor comes with the storage armor adjustment. Please bear with me, I'm new to Pathfinder 2e and I'm also making an automated character sheet, so I need to be pedantic. This large, thick cloak is fitted with thin strips of metal at key locations along its length. All items in this chapter are level 0 unless. You’ll then identify all the relevant modifiers, bonuses, and penalties that apply to the roll. He takes a –2 penalty on Str and Dex and can't charge or run. Trigger A creature within your reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using. - All items list the cost, level, and a brief description of the item if needed. You keep up your defenses in preparation for combat, and keep an eye out for hidden threats. g. While you are right that baseline padded armor doesn't have any penalties for not having enough strength, this way they can make feats/items/spells/races/classes in the future. Magic can still raise it higher, but you can only buy up to a 20. Just letting the dex cap increase would be much more powerful in 2e because of how the math works, so there is no such option. Dwarves of Dongun Hold developed fortress plate, which is still popular in Alkenstar and Dongun Hold. However, Even if you only have 16 dex, studded leather is better than padded armour. If your character is wearing armor, use the worse figure (from armor or from load) for each category. The appearance of this armor varies by the country of origin and. Some of the players believes that if you meet the. Adventurers who don’t wear armor travel in durable clothing. Do not stack the penalties. Likewise, you use only the worst penalty of each type. It has an armor check penalty of –1 instead of –3. The choice of armor, IMO, is very boring to the point of not mattering at all. Stride twice. Characters with the armor. Encumbrance by Armor: A character’s armor determines his maximum Dexterity bonus to AC, armor check penalty, speed, and running speed (see Table 6–6). Like other suits of armor, the armored coat is custom-fitted to an. 16: 2: Plate — Heavy Armor: Price: AC Bonus: Dex Cap: Check Penalty: Speed Penalty: Strength: Bulk: Group: Armor Traits: Splint mail (Level 1) 13 gp +5 +1 –3 –10 ft. Barding uses the same rules as armor except for the following. If you have a high enough STR you can negate those penalties. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC. Note that the speed penalty is not reduced by having a high STR, as is the case with armor. Automatically critically fail Perception checks that require hearing. Unless your. Alchemist Barbarian Bard Champion Cleric Druid Fighter Gunslinger Inventor Investigator Kineticist Magus Monk Oracle Psychic Ranger Rogue Sorcerer Summoner Swashbuckler Thaumaturge Witch WizardAnimal Companions Construct Companions Eidolons Familiar Abilities Specific Familiars Undead Companions. This thread is archived. 0 Certain class features can grant you additional benefits with certain armors. You are better at using that armor’s natural advantages to protect yourself. Trained and above add your level, in addition to the +2,4,6, or 8. Any armor heavier than leather, as well as any shield, applies an armor check penalty to all Dexterity- and Strength-based skill checks. Armor Bonus +3; Max Dex Bonus +3; Armor Check Penalty-1 Arcane Spell Failure Chance 15%; Speed 30 ft. The “Maximum Dexterity Bonus” has been renamed to “Dexterity Cap”, and the “Armor Check Penalty” is simply “Check Penalty”, but they mostly work the same way that they did in 1st edition. Medium armor typically applies a speed penalty. Spell Attack Rolls Source Core Rulebook pg. A shoddy item’s Hit Points and Broken Threshold are each half that of a normal item of its type. Artifacts View all types of assistive items. /20 ft. David knott 242 wrote: The rule about being fatigued from sleeping in medium or heavy armor in Pathfinder can be found in the Endurance feat. Unlike with attack rolls and saving throws, a natural roll of 20 on the d20. Whenever you are the target of a ranged. Armor Check Penalty. they are both heavy armor types. Rhino Hide Item 9. RingsArmor Proficiency- feat 1. Check it out at. g. This is called an armor specialization effect. The exact effect depends on which armor group your armor. 5 Ranks: When attempting a disarm or steal maneuver, a successful Sleight of Hand check against your target’s CMD grants a +2 circumstance bonus on your combat maneuver. Swimming, sneaking, climbing, and jumping are all much more. In Pathfinder, they simplified it a bit by just making it count in all ways as light armor and letting the general rules about armor categories do the heavy lifting: Speed. Lattice armor (Level 1) TV: 9 gp +4 +1 –2 –5 ft. Shields are made with craft (armor). Rhino Hide Item 9. what your dex mod is doesn't matter, because it doesn't affect your Dex, but rather the end results of things related to it. Broken armor still grants its item bonus to AC, but it also imparts a status penalty to AC depending on its. Does anyone else think that the speed penalty and skill check penalty for armor are arbitrary and unfair? Let us have a look at the speed penalty, first. - A check box has been put in to indicate purchased items. So Strength is required to overcome the armors penalities. The skill modifier incorporates the character’s ranks in that skill and the ability modifier for that skill’s key ability, plus any other miscellaneous modifiers that may apply, including racial bonuses and armor check penalties. Your movement and position determine how you can interact with the world. There isn't really much complexity to the armor, the different armor types just have different dex requirements to hit the maximum amount of AC. Secret Checks Source Core Rulebook pg. If I roll a stealth check from the proficiencies tab of the character sheet, the -1 armor check penalty is correctly ignored since the character has a 10. If you are using. Unlike metal armor, the wood. Whenever a shield takes damage, the amount of damage it takes is reduced by this amount. You have learned techniques to adjust and modify your armor and movements to reduce the noise you make. The armor's check penalty applies to Stealth checks even if you meet the required Strength score. Your trait can reduce this to 3, and Mithral lowers ACP by 3 to drop it to Zero. 6. The higher the result, the better. The question you mentioned had someone using it while hiding. Without making a check, a flying creature can remain flying at the end of its turn so long as it moves a distance greater than half its speed. You take a −2 to attack rolls while using it. At level 1, it’s basically just if you have 18 dex (which every dex based martial has). This allows you get around with as little as 12 Dexterity, but your armor’s Check Penalty applies to important skills like Stealth, so if you can manage high enough Dexterity you may still prefer light armor. p244. And since Dwarves have a base speed of 20ft, you’re not ending up any faster than an ancestry with a base 30ft speed taking -5ft from the heavy armor and -10ft from the shield. Source Core Rulebook pg. At Master these benefits increase to +2 , and Legendary is +3. Price 6 gp; AC Bonus +3; Dex Cap +2; Check Penalty-2; Speed Penalty-5 ft. You connect disparate facts to unlock deeper mysteries and uncover the truths of the universe, and you zealously hoard the knowledge your painstaking research produces. It is usually better to not have check penalties. 2. There are three types of saving throws: Fortitude saves, Reflex saves, and Will saves. While wearing your armor, you take this penalty to Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks, except for those that have the attack trait. Climb As part of a move action, you can use Athletics to climb up, down, or across a slope, a wall, or another steep incline. Armor Specialization Effects Source Core Rulebook pg. This is called an armor specialization. Stone Plate/ Heavy /level 2 / 35gp/ +6 AC/ +0 Dex Cap/ -3 Check Penalty / -10ft Speed Penalty/ 20 Strength/ 6 Bulk/ Plate Group/ Bulwark, Uncommon Armor Traits In 1E hell knight armor cost 2k next to the 1. 580 4. Sure, you get -1 to physical skills, which isn't great. If you want to increase your character’s defense beyond the protection your armor provides, they can use a shield. A potency rune is what makes a weapon a magic weapon (page 599) or armor magic armor (page 556). A mix of furs, sturdy hide, and sometimes molded boiled leather, this armor provides protection due to its layers of leather, though its bulkiness slows the wearer down and decreases mobility. Don Hastily: This column tells how long it takes to put the armor on in a hurry. . You'll always add a proficiency bonus to each save. Armor Bonus +3; Max Dex Bonus +5; Armor Check Penalty-1 Arcane Spell Failure Chance 15%; Speed 30 ft. Ignore your armor's check penalty and speed reduction. Certain class features can grant you additional benefits with certain armors. Roll a d20 and identify the modifiers, bonuses, and penalties that apply. 5 Ranks: If you take a –10 penalty, the time required to use this skill is halved; escaping a grapple or pin is a move action, and escaping a net, animate rope, command plants, or control plants spell is a standard action. It’s easier to wear than normal metal armor, reducing the Strength score necessary to ignore its check penalty by 2 and reducing its Speed penalty by 5 feet. Without Quiet Allies, P1 would use their new +4 modifier granted by Following the Expert, while P2 would use their own, normal modifier. celestial armor (22,400 gp) - +6 armor (plus an extra +3 enhancement for +9), +8 max. Strength 16; Bulk 2; Category Medium; Group Chain. But no speed penalty. You learn a particular fighting style, known as a way. Rogue. After leaving the world in ancient times, they returned to a changed land, and they still struggle to reclaim their ancestral homes, most notably from terrible demons that have invaded parts of their lands. Also worth noting that the Armor Proficiency general feat will be good all the way up to lvl 13, as long as you don't mind the -1 armor check penalty if you have 10 strength. You take a status penalty equal to the condition value to Dexterity-based checks and DCs, including AC, Reflex saves, ranged attack rolls, and skill checks using Acrobatics, Stealth, and Thievery. Check Penalty. Such a creature can use the run action while swimming, provided that it swims in a straight line. Four fundamental runes produce the most essential magic of protection and destruction: armor potency and resilient runes for armor, and weapon potency and striking runes for weapons. Eldritch Researcher. Am I right in reading that even if your buckler has no armor check penalty that it will still require a -1 to attack rolls when fighting with two weapons? I see nothing in the pathfinder rules that say buckler check penalties are tied to the 2 weapon fighting penalty. Athletics allows you to perform deeds of physical prowess. Armor Class is referenced in multiple locations as a DC. Another option is levels in fighter- the Armor Training class feature lowers ACP by one at level three and one more every 4 levels (min 0). 5 temporary Hit Points. As with all penalties to your Speed, this can’t reduce your Speed below 5 feet. The DC increases by 2 for each opponent beyond the first. 0. An armor check penalty applies. The rules for Hardness appear in Item Damage. Anyone who’s Avoiding Notice should attempt a Stealth check for their initiative. Using Quiet Allies, P1 and P2 make one collective. At the GM's discretion, wearing experimental clothing may impart a +1 item bonus or –1 item penalty on checks to Make An Impression, depending on the target's fashion sense. So both of them have pros and cons. Is this correct? Liquidsabre : Oct 3, 2009, 05:53 pm:The armor has an arcane spell failure chance of 25%, a maximum Dexterity bonus of +3, and an armor check penalty of -3. A suit of armor cannot have an effective bonus (enhancement plus special. Construct is low complexity to build because so many of the decision points are essentially mandatory, but it’s high complexity to play because you’re managing a minion. It's important to note that Armor Class is considered a DC, making Demoralize a great way to increase the party's chances to successfully hit (and critically hit) the target. Arcane Spell Failure Chance 40%; Speed 20 ft. Speed Penalty. Once the GM rolls your check for a concealed object, that same result is used no matter how many passive. The downside is the speed penalty, taking up valuable bulk, and capping dex. No. Ruffians also add medium armor proficiency, and the proficiency will keep pace with the Rogue’s proficiency with Light Armor. Using Follow the Expert, P1's modifier becomes: Dex (1) + Level from FtE (3) + FtE bonus (2) - Armor penalty (2) = +4 modifier total. But no speed penalty. Armor Bonus +9; Max Dex Bonus +1; Armor Check Penalty-6 Arcane Spell Failure Chance 35%; Speed 20 ft. 6 For the purposes of section 4 (2) (b) of the Act, the registrar must carry out the following checks in respect of an applicant for a new body armour permit or. If a character is wearing armor and using a. Powered armor uses the same type of batteries as other items, including charged weapons, and the battery for a suit of powered armor can be recharged as normal using a. The downside is the speed penalty, taking up valuable bulk, and capping dex. This might be at a substantial penalty or impossible depending on distance or other factors, as described in the full action's text. Greataxe. You are better at using that armor’s natural advantages to protect yourself. Bulk 4; Hardness 5; HP (BT) 20 (10) These massive shields can be used to provide cover to nearly the entire body. Karal mithrilaxe : Jan 25, 2013, 03:04 pm: Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wizards are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. I’m trying to remember all the ways to reduce armor check penalty. While not nearly as protective as heavier armors, the armored coat allows the wearer to blend in more aesthetically during civilian functions. In fact, I chose Orc to show that if we switch that Dexterity in the Background step to Strength, and change nothing else, we have the 16 Strength and 12 Dexterity for any of the +4/+1 Medium. Feats If you have the Athletic feat, you get a +2 bonus on Swim skill checks. This table provides a quick reference for how far you can move with a Climb or Swim action. ") It doesn't list a number of hours involved to gain that Fatigue though. cleric_spell. Jun 20, 2005. The Price and Bulk of barding depend on the animal’s size. With sufficient ranks in Escape Artist, you earn the following. You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage equal to 1 + the value of the armor’s potency rune for medium armor, or 2 + the value of the armor’s potency rune for heavy armor. Hi there people. The ways available to all gunslingers are described below. So no. Sash of the War Champion magic item with mithril heavy armor - Gives you 4 levels of fighter for the purposes of armor training. Source Core Rulebook pg. It does not affect Attacks or Combat Maneuvers. 1 person marked this as a favorite. Special. 556 4. 463 4. Your trait can reduce this to 3, and Mithral lowers ACP by 3 to drop it to Zero. The frightened creature would get a penalty to both their AC and their Attacks. If you do so, it retains its Bulk, Check Penalty, and Speed Penalty, if any, but you are otherwise treated as being Unarmored. 275 4. /20 ft. An entangled character takes a -4 penalty to Dexterity. 3. Item. Calculate the result. When one or both sides of an impending battle are being stealthy, you’ll need to deal with the impacts of Stealth on the start of the encounter. Changelog v. Fighter 7 - Armor never slows you down. The bonus is actually a penalty reduction, so it "stacks" in that it reduces both penalties--3 for the tower shield, 1 for the plate, putting you at -12. 517 4. All the normal bonuses and penalties apply, including any. if you are trained in all 3, raise your armor proficiency for medium and heavy armor to the level your class provides at your current level to light armor. All animals have a trained proficiency rank in light barding, and combat-trained animals are trained in heavy barding. spell_list. Assistive Items (9) View all blighted boons. 0. If the ACP reduction of masterwork and mithral stacked, then it would reduce that by 4, to -2. Armor increases your character’s defenses, but some medium or heavy armor can hamper movement. #2 WarShrike Sep 26, 2018 @ 3:19pm Any skills that involve movement are penalized by the armor check penalty. An object is broken when damage has reduced its Hit Points to equal or less than its Broken Threshold. 580 4. 0. The armor's check penalty applies to Stealth checks even if you meet the required Strength score. Nonproficient with Armor Worn: A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he is not proficient takes the armor's (and/or shield's) armor check penalty on. Armor Source Core Rulebook pg. Armor is mostly passive, making it low complexity to build and low complexity to play. If you want to increase your character’s defense beyond the protection your armor provides, they can use a shield. Only medium and heavy armors have armor specialization effects. A suit of chain mail consists of several pieces of armor composed of small metal rings linked together in a protective mesh. This hardwood armor is medium armor but uses your highest armor proficiency. It has an armor check penalty of –1 instead of –3. The actual mechanical purpose of making Mithral armor is: Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonuses are increased by 2, and armor check penalties are decreased by 3 (to a minimum of 0). A character’s encumbrance may also incur an armor check penalty. Armor Check Penalty. 234 4. This armor is loud and likely to alert others to your presence. There isn't really much complexity to the armor, the different armor types just have different dex requirements to hit the maximum amount of AC. When wild shaped does the armor check penalty still apply what about max dex bonus, same question only armor has wild.