Iron Gnome: Steel Defender as armor?

[Whiskeyjack8044]

So I have an idea to reflavor my Artificer's Steel Defender as a suit of armor. Mechanically speaking my Gnome would just be riding it. Is this going to work? I know mounted combat is a bit weird, that I wouldn't be able to move until after my turn. Is this viable without DM fiat?

[stoutstien]

Riding it is a solid idea.
The steel defender as armor is going to depend on DM.
I would be all for it
Go go gnome golem Smith.

[Damon_Tor]

It's mechanical, so there's no reason there couldn't be a cavity inside it in which you ride. As a DM I would rule the mechanical benefit of this is limited to half-cover, ie +2 AC: to be able to cast, attack and use your abilities effectively you would have to leave your upper body with a full range of motion. This makes it worse, strictly speaking, than simply hiding behind your defender, which for a gnome I would rule to be 3/4 cover or +5 AC, but the enemy can just flank you in that case while "mech suit" style defender wouldn't have that weakness.