Sample Images for PHB Armours?

[bunnynoah]

Does anyone know where I could find images of the armours listed in the PHB, like studded leather, half-plate, splint, etc.?

[Slipperychicken]

Simply googling the names returns good results. Wikipedia is also good for it. Note that real-life names for some of the armors are different (for instance, a chain shirt might be referred to as a "hauberk", and scale mail might be more properly called "scale armor").

Do remember this: "studded leather" didn't exist historically. Apparently some books on armor in Gygax's time had erroneously created the category by misidentifying depictions of pieces of leather bolted to metal plates, and the author believed that somehow that mere studs on leather added protection. Gygax and his buddies read those books (which were well-respected at the time), added the armor type into the games which would become known as Dungeons and Dragons, and it's stayed there for legacy purposes long after the error was discovered. Having been in dnd, of course, it has proliferated to countless video games, where it helps perpetuate the notion that it existed in real life.

[Gastronomie]

Um......

Google Images?

EDIT: Ninja'd. Did not know about Studded Leather, thanks for the info.

[RickAllison]

For Studded Leather, try the brigandine. IIRC, that was the original source.

[bunnynoah]

Don't you hate it when you search up something, and the results are not what you "wanted?"
Meaning you expected it to be different than what it actually is? I'm trying to find a good reference for half-plate, but they're either full or breastplate.

[Slipperychicken]

Don't you hate it when you search up something, and the results are not what you "wanted?"
Meaning you expected it to be different than what it actually is? I'm trying to find a good reference for half-plate, but they're either full or breastplate.
I'm not an expert, but you can also try the weapons and armor thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?480058-Got-a-Real-World-Weapon-Armor-or-Tactics-Question-Mk-XX). I'm sure they have better guidance (and better pics!) than I could give.

[Coidzor]

Don't you hate it when you search up something, and the results are not what you "wanted?"
Meaning you expected it to be different than what it actually is? I'm trying to find a good reference for half-plate, but they're either full or breastplate.

Half-plate is alternatively only armoring half the body, or an armor that is about as much chain maille and other lesser forms of protection as it is plate, IIRC, as opposed to full-plate armor which has much more ingenious joints.

No, I don't know why Half-Plate became the heaviest Medium Armor and one where you can use your dexterity in it unlike the way it actually was in real life, where the better and fuller the plate armor, the more mobility was regained by the person in the armor as compared to earlier armor types, like shin-length chain mail hauberks.

It's much harder to find reference photos of either the fantasy armor or the real world equivalent though, due to being overshadowed by fullplate and there still being cuirassiers and hussars that wear breastplates for formal parade wear, especially in the UK.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I'm trying to find a good reference for half-plate, but they're either full or breastplate.

My avatar (full size version here (http://i60.tinypic.com/21altaw.png)) is in what I consider half-plate. The reference image I gave to Oneris was this one (https://www.play.net/images/armor/half_plate.jpg) (I think). It's not great, but if you assume there are no plates on the thighs, it's probably close enough.

[Christian]

Half-plate replaces plate mail from previous editions, which was another ahistorical armor type. It was probably intended to represent plated mail, or splinted mail (which is totally different from splint armor, which is correctly described in the PHB). You could look at that for a real counterpart, although it wasn't used much in Europe.

In European armor, the path to full plate was ... scattered, and this isn't represented in D&D. (And probably couldn't be.) The cuirass, or breastplate, is the obvious first thing to add. (What? You don't have a helm? Zeus, man, put on a helm! How did you survive in battle until now?!) After that, pieces get added semi-randomly, but they're generally treated as individual pieces, not as a 'suit of half-plate'. Vambraces are really popular, gorgets or aventails to protect the neck a bit more, but any of a dozen different pieces might be mixed and matched, with a mail hauberk or brigandine underneath everything for general protection. Different times and places had more or less traditional combinations, but individual preference and budget could factor in as well. None of it would generally be considered a set, so that's probably why you're finding it challenging to find images of real-world examples.

[JumboWheat01]

Try to dig up scans of the 4th Edition PHB, if I remember correctly, it actually had a lot of images about armor in it.

[Millstone85]

Try to dig up scans of the 4th Edition PHB, if I remember correctly, it actually had a lot of images about armor in it.http://i.imgur.com/J02bMN8.png

That edition didn't have studded leather, though.
Which would make it more realistic if not for all the "breast"plate.

[Grod_The_Giant]

The 3.5 Player's Handbook had a complete set of illustration.


http://estevao.altervista.org/RPG/armor2.gif
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd299/ghostwalker_wow_photo/Armor.png

[Beleriphon]

Padded - This is really a gambeson or a set of heavy clothes. A real gambeson would actually protect pretty well against most blows that weren't immediately lethal, and could turn a sword pretty well. Mind you I'd rather have metal, but the gambeson was more designed as a base layer for other sturdier armours to prevent chafing.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5d/e5/1d/5de51d1af1966464ca48e431a000f86a.jpg

Leather - most leather armour is just another kind of armour made of leather that has been lacquered or hardened some how.
https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/0cb3d246858807.5607e7f48b4df.jpg

Studded leather - Never existed, the picture is what it was based on though. What you're actually seeing is the outside layer of plates stitched, or riveted to the inside of the armour, and is properly brigandine armour (I'd count it as a breastplate).
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/86/11/6b/86116b0d67d425fde1f75427dc2c6575.jpg

Hide - Like the Leather but more fur left on, and a rough finish. Honestly, the stuff in Skyrim isn't a half bad representation of this.

Chain shirt - same as D&D chainmail, but was more of t-shirt coverage rather than the longer belted and sleeved chainmail. Searching chain byrnie will get good results.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a6/a9/69/a6a969c5f1767dbcda7acfffd269a5ea.jpg

Scale mail - the scales can be any shape.
http://globaleffects.com/C_pages/Rental/Wardrobe/Armor/Period/CompleteSuit/European/Armor_scale817_hi.jpg

Breastplate - pauldrons optional
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/84/a6/1a/84a61af6078dca8534926182946e0697.jpg

Half plate - I'd call half-plate anything with a breastplate, pauldrons, gauntlets and greaves, but maybe less leg armour and less chain underneath.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e1/0e/f7/e10ef74c4667b59395e0db8308aa479e.jpg

Ring mail - A quasi-real armour. There were armours that feature large rings stitched to a leather or heavy wool gambeson.
http://www.thevikingstore.co.uk/ekmps/shops/thevikingstore1/images/larp-leather-armor-berengar-ring-armour-jacket-[3]-3327-p.jpg
Chain mail - May or may not be fitted better than pictured.,
http://renfairshoppe.com/images/bv06525.jpg

Splint - The image is actually pretty good, Wikipedia has additional info about this niche armour.
http://img08.deviantart.net/2d94/i/2014/068/7/f/armour_preview_by_magikstock-d79gao1.jpg

Plate - generally speaking a a helm, breastplate, pauldrons, vambraces, gauntlets, skirts, thigh guards, and greaves. Underneath is going to be some kind of padding and probably chain filling the gaps.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/19/58/45/1958459da802fb26c83c5c5fe6d14d53.jpg

Shield - a blocker made of stuff... its a shield what do you want?
Kite shields
http://www.outfit4events.com/runtime/cache/images/productFull/ade_7215.jpg
http://www.yeoldegaffers.com/projects/wood_shields/templar1.jpg

Heater shield
http://yeoldegaffers.com/sbg/shield_p1.jpg

Round shield
http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/pix/neck_to_knees.jpg

Zulu shield
http://www.rrtraders.com/Shields/zuluw.jpg

Roman shield (scutum)
https://www.rammuseum.org.uk/web/data/213soldiersiwedited_2-4.jpg

[JackPhoenix]

Roman armors are good too:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4a/0c/dd/4a0cddbe991f56a0fde8d28e4822c95b.jpg

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-87491460501412/lorica-hamata-9.gif

Lorica Segmentata (called Banded Mail/Armor in 3.5) could represent different type of splint/lamellar armor, where the metal pieces are arranged horizontally instead of vertically...it's not exactly the same thing, but it's close

http://shop.royalarmouries.org/images/detailed/0/Lorica_Segmentata_-_Corbridge_Type.jpg?t=1436352609

Muscle Cuirass is a classical roman/greek armor, it would count as breastplate. I've seen version made from hardened leather, which would represent leather armor well, though I'm not sure if it really existed or if it's movie invention.

http://fabricaromanorum.shawwebspace.ca/asset/view/37809/e_final_035.jpg/