Can a dragon fly in medium armor?

[Max Caysey]

So, building this dragon of mine, which I alluded to in another post, I wanted to equip it with some heavy barding, specifically a mithral battle plate to make it even more op. I was thinking of just going bracers of armor but I like the idea of a fully armored dragon.

However, I can't seem to figure out what exactly prevents a dragon from flying. There seem to be some contradictory rules...

I found this (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/147292/is-flight-possible-in-heavy-armor), which sort of explained it. But I wanted to check in here and hear what the forum collective had to say!

It would seem there is a difference for mount and non-mounts and the rules governing their flight. The dragon I'm building is not a mount per say, yet it can carry a rider or multiple riders if it chooses to, so I'm thinking that is does not count as a mount and so can fly in medium armor so long as its still only carrying a light load!

So, can a dragon fly in medium armor, so long as it carries only a light load?

Cheers!

[Biggus]

I think as far as RAW goes the answer in that link has it right. As for the reason for the difference between mounts and non-mounts, if it's intentional I'd presume it's because for normal-sized mounts (ie roughly horse-sized for a medium rider) medium armor plus a rider would be enough to give them significant encumbrance. If the rider is two or more size categories smaller than the mount, I'd definitely use the MM rule over the PHB one.

[hamishspence]

A possible rationale for "Medium armor can be flown in, medium barding can't" might be

"The barding has to be designed to work with a saddle - the armor includes no modifications for a saddle."

With the modifications for saddle-compatibility, also compromising flight.

[Biggus]

A possible rationale for "Medium armor can be flown in, medium barding can't" might be

"The barding has to be designed to work with a saddle - the armor includes no modifications for a saddle."

With the modifications for saddle-compatibility, also compromising flight.

Good point. I'd still say that if the rider is much smaller than the mount it should be easy enough to make barding which doesn't interfere with their wings.

[hamishspence]

The RAW is that it is impossible to fly in "Medium barding" even if the rules might allow flying in "Medium armor"

So basically the person who wants to be taken into the air by an armoured dragon, has to be carried somewhere that isn't a saddle.

[Max Caysey]

The RAW is that it is impossible to fly in "Medium barding" even if the rules might allow flying in "Medium armor"

So basically the person who wants to be taken into the air by an armoured dragon, has to be carried somewhere that isn't a saddle.

Is that really how that rules come out? It seems wierd - illogical to me. On page 131 PHB that "a barded mount can't carry any load other than rider+saddlebags." And that is clearly not correct unless that maxes out its carrying capasity. It can naturally carry what it can carry. So the rules seem very much to think that mounts are only horses and not very strong ones at that.

A large dragon would have more than enough carrying capazity for battleplated armor + battleplated rider, plus much other stuff. And still carrying a light load. One of the dragons I've build is a very young red dragon. It has Str 26 which gives it a light load of: 920 lbs.

So when is armor barding? Barding seems to just be armor for a mount. When is a sentient dragon, a mount? Is it in the second it carries a rider, or are there some other determinate factor? Because is sounds like armor becomes barding if the creature becomes a mount... which seems odd to me... And a saddle by it self should not be the factor, because a dragon could fly in medium armor while carrying a huge back pack weighing more than any saddle...

It all seems like very wonky rules...

[loky1109]

If my hobbit ride on the another party member, for example - large half-ogre. Will half-ogre's armor became "barding"?
What did I want to show? Barding is armor. Not something special.

[Biggus]

The RAW is that it is impossible to fly in "Medium barding" even if the rules might allow flying in "Medium armor"


Well, that's true if you assume barding and armor are two different things. If you assume barding is just the name for armor worn by a horse (which is the dictionary definition), the RAW is that the PHB is in error and the MM takes precedence. As you said in your first post, that barding interferes with flight is one possible interpretation.

[Max Caysey]

Well, that's true if you assume barding and armor are two different things. If you assume barding is just the name for armor worn by a horse (which is the dictionary definition), the RAW is that the PHB is in error and the MM takes precedence.

That is also how I was leaning… it seems too weird that you can fly in medium armor, while keeping light load, bit put on a saddle and boom… you all of a sudden loose the ability to… and also loose the ability to carry more load than rider+saddel bags… basically maxing out your carrying capacity right then and there - just because a rider is sitting on a saddle on your back, disregarding the weight of that rider! That makes very little sense to me… naturally there could be something I’m missing, but I haven’t been able to find it via Google, nor searching my books!

[Athan Artilliam]

Barding is a big dress/skirt type thing that would be pretty hard to fly in. Armor is body hugging plates that allow for a normal range of movement

[Max Caysey]

Barding is a big dress/skirt type thing that would be pretty hard to fly in. Armor is body hugging plates that allow for a normal range of movement

You mean like this ?https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dresden-Zwinger-Armoury-Armor.02.JPG?

I was imagining something more along the lines of this: https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:eco%2Cw_506/MTc0MTAwMjIyMjc0NzA4OTM3/dragons-of-atlantis-great-dragon-armor-guide.webp

[Silly Name]

One would assume that barding made specifically for dragons (or any other sort of flying creature/mount) would also be made in a way that doesn't impede flight, the same way horse barding doesn't impede movement of the legs.

I think this is a pretty clear case of RAW just being dumb, and you could get it waived at any table.

[Athan Artilliam]

You mean like this ?https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dresden-Zwinger-Armoury-Armor.02.JPG?

I was imagining something more along the lines of this: https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:eco%2Cw_506/MTc0MTAwMjIyMjc0NzA4OTM3/dragons-of-atlantis-great-dragon-armor-guide.webp

More like this. https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/0/04/Barding-Chain%26Plate.png/revision/latest?cb=20200921204202

[Telonius]

If not: "Okay, fine. The dragon's wearing medium armor. Now hand me a vial of Sovereign Glue."