In the Mystic Realms, general melee combat abilities are taught in one of six skill areas based on the armor type used by the individual being trained. These skills do not represent characters 'using' their armor per se, but instead represent a character's overall melee combat ability when wearing that type of armor. This affects ALL melee combat actions, both attacking and defending. A character's armor skill is thus the most important skill for fighter type classes and an important skill for all other classes as well.
One important aspect of armor skills is that they might be said to be 'stepped'. In other words, there are lighter and heavier armor skills, and the training for the heavier armor skills in many cases includes training for the lighter armor skills. For example, if a character is trained in Leather Vest, that character may use all armor and other gear requiring the Unarmored skill in addition to the armor and gear requiring Leather Vest. Similarly, the Hauberk and Breastplate skills include all armor and gear requiring Leather Vest and Unarmored, the Chainmail skill includes all armor and gear requiring Breastplate, Leather Vest and Unarmored, and the Plate Armor skill includes all armor and gear for all other armor skills. However, the heavier armor skills are more expensive, in terms of training point cost, so in practice it is wise to just train in the armor skill for the armor that you plan to wear.
If you come to a point where you want to move to a heavier armor skill, you can always retrain to that heavier armor skill (you must tell the trainer [name] RETRAIN [new skill]); this transfers your current skill point total over to the new skill and figures your new level; if you have more Training points (TRP) than the minimum required, but not enough for the next level, the extra TRP are added to your current unspent total. (For example, if you had L10 - say, 150,000 TRP - in Breastplate and wished to retrain to Chainmail, it would simply transfer the TRP total over to the new skill and grant a level based on those TRP.)
Another important aspect of armor skills is that, in general, heavier armor is better, but this is not necessarily so in all cases. Heavier armor has greater Body Agility and Weapon Agility modifiers, and this affects a character's abilities to dodge and use weapon and shield. Heavier armor is also more fatiguing, and the stamina required could instead be used to increase a character's Combat Intensity. Players should read the discussion for a particular armor skill and understand the effects of that armor on their character before deciding to go to it.
The six armor skills are listed below, with the armor types that require that skill and a discussion. The armor types are listed with Body Agility (BA), Arm Agility (AA) and Fatigue Factor (FF) modifiers as discussed previously in this section. If 'Con' is listed with a number, it represents a minimum Constitution score required to wear that armor.
See here for a summary of armor and weapon properties.
Armor and Armor Skills
Unarmored
| Armor Name | Body Agility | Arm Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloth Vest | -1 | 0 | 1 |
The Unarmored skill is generally used by Monks, Magic Users and, sometimes, by Warriors using the Rapier skill. Monks are prohibited from wearing any armor (including cloth vest) if they are to get their Fundamentalism bonus. Magic Users cannot use any armor other than cloth vest or they risk killing themselves when casting spells.
As for the Rapier skill, it has body Agility as well as arm Agility as its stat modifiers, and thus the disadvantage of armor with greater body or arm Agility modifiers.
Leather Vest
| Armor Name | Body Agility | Arm Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather Vest | -2 | 0 | 2 |
| Studded Leather | -3 | 0 | 3 |
| Brigandine Vest | -5 | 0 | 5 |
| Scale Vest | -8 | 0 | 9 |
The Leather Vest skill is generally used by Thieves, Assassins and Rangers, because metal armor and heavier armor affect their stealth abilities; it also sometimes used by fighters who want to retain maximum arm Agility or do not place too much emphasis on dodging (there are no AA penalties, but the BA penalties, which affect dodging, are somewhat high).
The leather vest is of the hardened variety, while studded leather has metal studs interlaced at intervals on a soft leather base. Brigandine also uses metal on a soft leather (or cloth) base, but in this case the metal is formed in squares and is completely contained within the armor. The scale vest uses a soft leather vest as a base with plates of armor attached in such a fashion that they overlap, much like the scales of a fish.
When trained in this skill, you can use any armor or gear requiring the Unarmored skill in addition to armor and gear requiring Leather Vest.
Hauberk
| Armor Name | Body Agility | Arm Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather Hauberk | ? | ? | 6 |
| Brigandine Hauberk | ? | ? | 7 |
| Scale Hauberk | ? | ? | ? |
A hauberk is a coat of armor covering the shoulders and part of the upper arms, down almost to the knees, usually split in the front and back from the waist down to facilitate movement. It is typically used by characters wanting the best armor protection they can get, who do not place much emphasis on dodging, and who do not have the Constitution or Stamina required by plate armor. It is a good choice in any case for characters using weapons that have Strength only as their stat modifiers (e.g. axe, mace). It includes leather hauberk and those armor types built upon leather (or, sometimes, cloth).
The leather, brigandine and scale types are the same as used for the Leather Vest armor, except formed into a hauberk, and with softer portions of armor covering the joints. The reinforced brigandine hauberk is like the brigandine hauberk, except with a metal breastplate added covering the upper torso.
When trained in this skill, you can use all armor and gear requiring the Unarmored and Leather Vest skills in addition to armor and gear requiring Hauberk.
Breastplate
| Armor Name | Body Agility | Arm Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze Breastplate | -2 | -1 | 3 |
| Thin Breastplate | -3 | -1 | 4 |
| Plate Breastplate | -5 | -1 | 6 |
A breastplate is a piece of solid metal covering the upper torso from the shoulders (the joints are not covered) down to the waist (a second piece covers the back), and is typically used by fighters (Warriors and Rangers in particular) who want to maximize their Agility bonuses but also desire greater armor protection than that provided by a vest.
The bronze breastplate is the lightest of the above but also gives the least armor protection. The thin breastplate is about the same thickness as the bronze breastplate, but is made from iron and thus has greater protection. The plate breastplate is also made from iron but is much thicker and thus has much better protection, but also has a greater Agility penalties and fatigue.
When trained in this skill, you can use armor and gear requiring the Unarmored, Leather Vest, and Hauberk skills in addition to armor and gear requiring Breastplate.
Chainmail
| Armor Name | Con | Body Agility | Arm Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chain Vest | - | -2 | 0 | 3 |
| Chain Shirt | - | -2 | -1 | 5 |
| Chain Hauberk | - | -2 | -2 | 7 |
| Full Chain Shirt | 16 | -3 | -2 | 11 |
Chainmail armor consists entirely of interlocking metal rings; it is generally used by characters who want to retain as much of their Agility adders as possible, but desire better protection than that offered by Breastplate.
The chain vest and chain shirt are just that, with the former covering from the shoulders to the waist and the latter covering part of the upper arms and down to the mid thighs. The chain hauberk is a coat of chain, completely covering the arms and down almost to the knees. The reinforced chain hauberk is the same, except with a breastplate added covering the upper torso. Full chain covers the entire body, and comes in the form of a full sleeve shirt, leggings, and a head/neck covering.
When trained in this skill, you can use all armor and gear requiring the Unarmored, Leather Vest, Hauberk, and Breastplate skills in addition to armor and gear requiring Chainmail.
Plate Armor
| Armor Name | Con | Body Agility | Arm Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platemail | 17 | -4 | -3 | 10 |
| Field Plate | 18 | -5 | -4 | 15 |
| Full Plate | 19 | -6 | -5 | 18 |
Plate armor offers the best protection one can get from armor, while having Agility modifiers only slightly greater than chainmail. As such, it is the most desired armor by all characters except those who cannot use it because of their class (Monks, Magic Users, etc) and those who really need more Agility due to their weapon of choice. However, the Constitution requirements (due to the difficulty of the body breathing with plate armor on) are such that those with a Constitution of less than 17 simply cannot wear the armor. Also, for characters that do have a high Constitution, the fatigue is still way too much for a starting character to handle - one must increase their Stamina over time to the point where they can handle the heaviest armor in their current armor skill before they can even think about going to plate armor.
Platemail is a suit of chain (excepting boots, gauntlets and helm) with plate sections covering the upper torso and the more exposed areas on the body. Field plate is a full suit of plate armor covering the entire body except for the areas listed above. Full plate is like field plate, except heavier and better constructed to deflect blows, and is simply the best armor that can be found.
When trained in this skill, you can use armor and gear requiring ANY other armor skill as well as armor and gear requiring Plate Armor.
Additional Armor
This section covers gear that is added AFTER you put on your armor, like helmets, boots, gauntlets, epaulettes, etc. These items do not have a skill associated with them directly (i.e., there is no Helm skill); they are instead associated with the armor skills listed above. What you can wear is based on your highest armor skill - for example,if you have the Chainmail skill and are wearing a chain shirt, you can use any of the helms listed below except the Visored Helm.
The items are listed below by category with the armor skill required (if any) and any Body Agility, Arm Agility or Fatigue Factor modifiers.
Helms
| Armor Name | Required Skill | Body Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather Helm | Leather Vest | - | 1 |
| Pot Helm | Leather Vest | - | 1 |
| Pot Helm with Aventail | Leather Vest | - | 2 |
| Bronze Helm | Breastplate | -1 | 1 |
| Full Helm | Breastplate | -1 | 2 |
| Plate Helm | Breastplate | -1 | 3 |
| Visored Helm | Plate Armor | -2 | 4 |
The advantage that the leather helm has over the other helms is that it has no effect on stealth abilities. The pot helm (simply a metal crown covering the top of the head but not the ears or neck) is no more fatiguing than the leather helm and offers better protection. An aventail is a piece of chainmail or other material that attaches to the pot helm and covers the ears and neck areas. The rest of the helms completely cover the head, with the full helm being about the same thickness as the bronze helm except made from iron, and the plate helm being like the full helm except made with thicker armor. The visored helm is also made from plate armor, but covers the face as well as the rest of the head.
Wristbands
| Armor Name | Required Skill |
|---|---|
| Leather Wristbands | Leather Vest |
| Metal Wristbands | Leather Vest |
Leather wristbands have no negative affects and increase armor protection slightly. Metal wristbands increase armor protection slightly more, but have a negative impact on stealth abilities. In both cases above, if you are wearing leather gauntlets, leather hauberk armor, or plate armor, then no armor protection benefits are gained.
Gloves and Gauntlets
| Armor Name | Required Skill** | Body Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather Gloves | Leather Vest | -1 | 1 |
| Chain Gloves | Chainmai | -1 | 1 |
| Plate Gauntlets | Plate Armor | -1 | 2 |
Leather gauntlets are heavy leather gloves covering the arm almost up to the elbow. Chain gloves are meant to be worn with chain armor, and can only be worn with chain hauberk, full chain and platemail. Similarly, plate gloves can only be worn with field plate and full plate.
Boots
| Armor Name | Required Skill | Body Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather Boots | Leather Vest | -1 | 1 |
| Chain Shoes | Chainmail | -1 | 1 |
| Plate Shoes | Plate Armor | -2 | 2 |
Leather Boots represent hardened leather boots usually covering to above the calf and thus providing a level of armor protection. Chain shoes can only be worn with full chain or platemail armor. Plate shoes can only be worn with field plate or full plate armor.
Other Armor
| Armor Name | Required Skill | Body Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg Greaves | Breastplate | -2 | 1 |
| Epaulettes, Leather | Leather Vest | -1 | 1 |
| Epaulettes, Metal | Breastplate | -2 | 1 |
| Studded Leather Skirt | Leather Vest | ? | 1 |
| Heavy Armored Skirt | Leather Vest | ? | 3 |
| Leggings, Leather | Leather Vest | ? | 3 |
| Pants, Chain | Chainmail | ? | 5 |
Leg greaves are metal covering protection the lower leg from the ankle to above the knee. They may not be worn with armor that covers the lower legs (e.g. full chain and plate armor). Epaulettes are shoulder armor, made from leather for flexibility or metal for more protection, and may be worn with any armor except the hauberk and plate armor types. Skirts are strips of leather (the armored version features metal studs) that hang to just above the knees. Leather leggings and chain pants are just that - pants made of leather or chainmail. They cannot be worn with skirts or leg greaves.
Shields and Shield Skills
There are two shield skills, and the difference is more a matter of usage than anything else. With the Round Shield skill, the shields are round and, to a greater extent, moved to the point of attack to block, while with the Kite Shield skill, the shields are rectangular and held more stationary, thus the different stat modifiers. The Kite Shield skill is a typical choice for those without a very high Weapon Agility.
Round Shield
Governing Attributes: Strength, Agility
| Shield | Body Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Buckler | - | 1 |
| Small Wooden Shield | -1 | 1 |
| Round Shield | -1 | 2 |
The buckler is a small shield that attaches directly to the forearm, and has the advantage in that there is no modifier to a character's body Agility (and is thus a favorite of those using the Rapier skill). The small wooden shield has the advantage over the round shield in that there is no effect on stealth abilities, but the round shield is made from metal and has superior blocking with the same Body Agility modifier.
Kite Shield
Governing Attributes: Strength, Strength
| Shield | Body Agility | Fatigue Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Kite Shield | -2 | 2 |
| Large Wooden Shield | -3 | 3 |
| Large Kite Shield | -4 | 3 |
| Body Shield | -4 | 3 |
The kite shield is actually slightly inferior to the round shield in blocking ability, but is typically used by those wearing armor covering the arm joints because of the stat modifiers. The wooden shield is larger than the kite shield and offers slightly greater protection, but has greater modifiers. The large kite shield is similar in width to the kite shield but is much longer, running from shoulders to toes. It offers superior protection, but has a significant Body Agility modifier and is thus usually only used by those not caring too much about dodging. Lastly, the body shield runs from shoulders to toes also; it is wider than the large kite shield and offers tremendous protection, but is so wide that the only weapons that can be used with it are the short sword, spear and javelin.