Cord Armour

[Ursus Spelaeus]

Why is cord armour from Stormwrack so expensive? You would think it would be cheaper than leather armour. Can druids use it? What kinds of special materials can you make it out of?

[Chronikoce]

Why is cord armour from Stormwrack so expensive? You would think it would be cheaper than leather armour. Can druids use it? What kinds of special materials can you make it out of?

Druids can use it since it doesn't appear to contain metal. Though I was under the impression druids could use regular leather armor as well so that isn't really a point in its favor.

Is it lighter than leather armor? If it's from stormwrack that could be why, weight can impact your swim skill a lot so perhaps the cost is to save on weight.

[BowStreetRunner]

Cord Armor is 50% more expensive than Leather armor for the same armor bonus and weight. It has a 5% greater spell failure chance and 1 point lower Maximum Dex Bonus and an extra point of armor check penalty. So it is inferior to leather armor. However, the description of cord armor states that it "is common in places where metalworking and leatherworking are not practiced."

So it appears to be a matter of availability of options.

[Ursus Spelaeus]

Is it lighter than leather armor? If it's from stormwrack that could be why, weight can impact your swim skill a lot so perhaps the cost is to save on weight.

Not even! They both weight 15 lbs.
The cord armor costs 5gp more for a higher armor check penalty and a lower maximum Dexterity bonus and a higher arcane spell failure chance.
Being listed as 'aquatic armor' seems to be the only benefit. I can't even find the text explaining what that does exactly.

*edit*

Cord Armor is 50% more expensive than Leather armor for the same armor bonus and weight. It has a 5% greater spell failure chance and 1 point lower Maximum Dex Bonus and an extra point of armor check penalty. So it is inferior to leather armor. However, the description of cord armor states that it "is common in places where metalworking and leatherworking are not practiced."

So it appears to be a matter of availability of options.

How does that work exactly?

"Okay, this is going to be a nautical adventure, so you guys aren't allowed to buy leather armour."

"...Wait, what? Why?"

"Because only cord armour is available."

"...But cord armour is garbage. It's even more expensive."

"Well, that's the setting."

"This is a rip off. Quit being a jerk, DM!"

[Chronikoce]

Setting specific adventures can be fun. Clearly this sort of thing is not your cup of tea but that doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. Some people play games with stone weapons or other types because it fits the setting.

We be goblins is a fun adventure and I ran around with a dog slicer, a terrible weapon with the fragile quality because it fit.

I guess my point is that this sounds like an item that could be used based on setting and that sort of thing is usually discussed at game creation to make sure everyone is on board.

[Ursus Spelaeus]

Setting specific adventures can be fun. Clearly this sort of thing is not your cup of tea but that doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. Some people play games with stone weapons or other types because it fits the setting.

We be goblins is a fun adventure and I ran around with a dog slicer, a terrible weapon with the fragile quality because it fit.

I guess my point is that this sounds like an item that could be used based on setting and that sort of thing is usually discussed at game creation to make sure everyone is on board.

It doesn't even make sense in the context of the setting though. It's literally rope woven together with kelp. Why would they make it 50% more expensive than leather? Why not just jack up the price of leather then? They could have just said "If cord armour is the standard in your setting, then raise the price of leather armour to 30gp."

I'd probably just houserule the cord leather so that it costs just 7gp or something, but first I'd like to know why I'm having to houserule it. What was the reasoning?

[Chronikoce]

If it exists where leather armor does not then the cost of leather armor is irrelevant. They are non competing products at that point so the pricing methods are independent.

A character from this setting wouldn't look at the cord armor and think it's expensive and leather is cheaper. They wouldn't have a reference frame for the cost of leather.

[BowStreetRunner]

I've introduced elements like this in my campaigns before. It usually happens that the PCs enter a region that is secluded from mainstream society and they encounter NPCs who are all using sub-standard equipment and even employing sub-standard PrCs. The inferior equipment doesn't entice the PCs to loot it for personal use, although they might sell anything they find locally. The PCs have to be extra careful not to lose their own equipment, because if they do they will need to use these sub-standard replacements until they can make their was back to a civilized locale.

[Xuc Xac]

If it exists where leather armor does not then the cost of leather armor is irrelevant. They are non competing products at that point so the pricing methods are independent.

A character from this setting wouldn't look at the cord armor and think it's expensive and leather is cheaper. They wouldn't have a reference frame for the cost of leather.

Yes. In the real world, people stop using inferior weapons and armor when something better in quality and/or price comes along. In D&D, everything is on the equipment list forever at the price it had when it was most popular available from the same merchant. It's like going into an electronics store and seeing every model of iPhone from the original to the most recent on the same shelf and the older models aren't marked down at all from their original selling price.

[Chronikoce]

-deleted-
I misread a post and replied to something incorrectly.

[weckar]

As to why it is more expensive: producing it is FAR more labor intensive.

It could also be argued that it won't rot if it gets soaking wet, unlike leather.

[Thurbane]

One could ask why does a heavy mace cost more than a morning star?

Why does splint mail exist, when apart from a slight cost decrease, it is inferior in every way to banded mail?

As had already been answered, it's there primarily for verisimilitude.

Mechanically, about the only thing I can think of that cord armor might be able to do that leather couldn't, is to be constructed from materials such as darkweave, glamerweave, chameleoweave, dolweave, or stonecloth. Shadowsilk specifically says it can be used on leather.

[SangoProduction]

Well. Sucks that scythes are straight up worse versions of Broadswords....or that literally everything is a worse version of a Broadsword, unless you need coverage against something that hugely resists slashing. And that some weapons require a feat exotic weapon proficiency for...literally only +2 average damage if that.

But that's the way D&D is. Want to fix it? Homebrew.

[weckar]

Doesn't scythe come with built-in cleave? Or is that just one of those persistent house rules? :smallconfused:

[Thurbane]

I'm a bit confused.

A scythe is a two handed, 2d4, 20/x4 slashing martial weapon.

AFAIK, there's aren't any official broadsword stats for 3.5?

[SangoProduction]

I'm a bit confused.

A scythe is a two handed, 2d4, 20/x4 slashing martial weapon.

AFAIK, there's aren't any official broadsword stats for 3.5?

Greatsword. Broadsword. same thing.

[Thurbane]

OK, I was getting confused because in earlier editions a broadsword was quite distinct from a greatsword (or two handed sword, as it used to be known).

[Manyasone]

Hmmm, to my interpretation 'broadsword' = 'bastard sword'

[Hand_of_Vecna]

We be goblins is a fun adventure and I ran around with a dog slicer, a terrible weapon with the fragile quality because it fit.
.

In its defense, at least the dogslicer is dirt cheap. I've carried it on a level 1 character that needed to mind every copper, wasn't expected to melee much, and that I wanted to have a slashing weapon. I don't recall whether the last point was for flavor or pf zombies.

Who cares about fragile on a weapon you expect to swing twice and can replace with a hand me down or loot before level 2?

[BowStreetRunner]

Hmmm, to my interpretation 'broadsword' = 'bastard sword'

A broadsword is any sword with a wide blade, used for cutting rather than thrusting. So all of the Slashing swords would technically be broadswords. I do not believe 3.X ever used the name broadsword for a distinct weapon.