Dragon armor

[Sivar]

Hello people! I was wondering what de-buffs dragons with armor would get, I at first though it would be the normal minus to hit but I want to make sure.

[Greenish]

Reduced speed (if medium or heavy), arcane spell failure chance (since many dragons cast as sorcerers), maximum dex bonus (though most bigger dragons have very little dex), armor check penalty on skills, and, if not proficient, on attack rolls and on all Strength-based and Dexterity-based ability and skill checks.

In short, exactly the same penalties any other creature would. Wyrm of War sovereign archetype (RoE) could be used to grant the dragon armour proficiency and trade out the spells.

[Deophaun]

Dragons are not proficient with any armor (by default; they could take a level in a martial class because they forgot that they are dragons) and so would take the normal penalties for using armor without proficiency. They will also take the ASF penalty for their spells (though not their spell-like abilities). So they probably really don't want anything more than the equivalent of a mithral chain shirt. At which point, they should just cast mage armor and not worry about it.

[Necroticplague]

Hello people! I was wondering what de-buffs dragons with armor would get, I at first though it would be the normal minus to hit but I want to make sure.

Just the normal penalties. They would also need to double the cost of the base armor, due to being non-humanoid (and for most, multiply again due to being bigger than medium).

[Flickerdart]

Being fabulously wealthy, a dragon who decides to commission a custom suit of armour (and it's pretty much always going to be custom - how often do you see dragon barding?) can easily afford to make it mithral, feycraft, and whatever else you need to reduce ACP/ASF to 0.

However, remember that creatures cannot fly with a medium load and bigger armours are also heavier. A dragon who needs big armour but is physically weak might find himself unable to take off while wearing it.

[Douglas]

A dragon who needs big armour but is physically weak might find himself unable to take off while wearing it.
I am not sure such a dragon exists, anywhere, in any rule book. Strength is one of the highest dragon ability scores.

[Flickerdart]

I am not sure such a dragon exists, anywhere, in any rule book. Strength is one of the highest dragon ability scores.
You'd be surprised how heavy armour made of solid gold would be, and how much dragons overestimate their strength due to their pride. :smallwink: