Mithril Armor and proficiency.

[Lord Pendragon]

A breastplate is medium armor, and therefore requires the Medium Armor Proficiency.

A breastplate made of mithril is considered light armor...what armor proficiency is required to use it?

If this has been officially clarified (or if it's clarified in the rules somewhere) could someone point me to the relevant document/page?

Thanks for any help.

 

[LGodamus]

we always use it as light armor prof to use.....it does say considered and then doesnt limit what considered means to some small subset of things , so I take it to mean everything

 

[Jhulae]

It's considered light for classes that require light armor for special abilities.. Barbarian fast movement, etc.

The actual class of the armor doesnt't change, because it's still a Breastplate, suit of Full Plate, whatever, which you need the proper proficiency to wear.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

So I have one person telling me it requires Light Armor Prof, and one person telling me it requires Medium. Both of which are based on sensible arguments.

Is this an issue that has no official clarification? If so, maybe I should do a poll.

 

[Sejs]

A breastplate made of mithril is considered light armor...what armor proficiency is required to use it?

Medium.

Otherwise the person wearing it take a (ACP 4, -3 for mithral) -1 penalty to all movement relation actions.

 

[nameless]

I would say light, because armor proficiency isn't about learning how to use a specific form or armor, but about learning to maneuver in different broad classes of armor. Here's my reasoning: if a campaign suddenly had a new type of medium armor introduced, such as one from the Arms & Equipment guide, then any character proficient in medium armor would know how to use it. It follows that the proficiency is not based on the construction of the armor you're wearing, but based on the restriction is places you under.

Mithril armor is less restrictive, thus it requires a different type of proficiency to use, light in this case.

 

[Erekose]

. . . armor proficiency isn't about learning how to use a specific form or armor, but about learning to maneuver in different broad classes of armor . . .

Interesting . . . I'd always assumed the exact opposite . . .

 

[Darklone]

We had that discussion last week IIRC... by the rules, it's medium AP and it actually made sense in many regards (such as sleeping in armour)...

 

[Tatsukun]

While you are thinking about that one, think about this. Does Mithril effect don/doff times?

In my rarely humble opinion, you still need the feat for the base item. I think of "mithril" as acting like an enchantment. You still have to be able to use the base item. Oh, and I don't allow it to change the don/doff imtes, but my players often beg me for it.

-Tatsu

 

[CrimsonTemplar]

I'd count a Mithril Breastplate as Medium Armor in regards to required proficiencies, Don/Doff time, & sleeping in it. It only counts as light armor for the purposes of base speed and feats/class abilities that require light armor (such as Ranger abilities).